Hurricanes and health care

The idea of hockey as a sport in a region better known for nine NCAA basketball titles may seem a bit strange. But the Carolina Hurricanes have stormed North Carolina with the sport of hockey—even winning hockey’s ultimate trophy, Lord Stanley’s Cup. If you weren’t a “Caniac” before the team’s recent Stanley Cup run, chances are that you’re at least familiar with the term (even if you’re not one yourself.) The Stanley Cup win gave North Carolina its first-ever major professional sports championship and provided the perfect hockey introduction for “Tobacco Road.”

Hockey is beginning to gain a hold on the South. In fact, studies have shown that hockey (both inline and ice) is the fastest-growing sport in the state. The Village of Pinehurst recently opened an inline hockey rink in its new community Rassie Wicker Park. Construction of the rink occurred earlier than planned when a group of local residents offered to raise half of the money needed for the project.

Not only is the rink evidence of the growing enthusiasm for hockey, but it is also an excellent example of how collaborative efforts outside the health care arena can help improve a community’s health.

If you recall, the cover of the summer 2006 issue of FirstHealth of the Carolinas featured Reid Batton, a young inline hockey player who lives in Moore County. A 10-year-old with type 1 diabetes, Reid uses the exercise he gets while playing inline hockey as a tool for managing his diabetes.

As a form of exercise, skating is equivalent to jogging in terms of health benefits: caloric consumption, body fat reduction and leg-strength development. In fact, studies have shown that skating provides a complete aerobic workout that involves all of the body’s muscles, especially the heart. It is not only recognized but also recommended by the American Heart Association as an aerobic fitness sport. Inline skating has just as many health benefits as running or cycling. There is no age limit, and the impact shock to joints with inline skating is less than half of that with running. It’s also fun.

All of this is very good news when you look at the 2005 update of the state’s Health Profile of North Carolinians, which points out that in 2003 24 percent of the state’s adults were obese, almost double the 1990 rate. The state tips the scale above the U.S. average, which was 22.8 percent, and the numbers have since increased.

As a health care organization, FirstHealth is dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of all of its communities. We applaud the efforts of those who implement programs and services that improve their health and the health of their neighbors. The health of our community is important to us, so the recent surge in popularity of both hockey and skating is a positive trend.

If lacing up your skates and grabbing your hockey stick sounds intriguing, go for it!