How one program uses golf to give soldiers confidence; a triple-amputee’s victory

From the Wall Street Journal, a feature on golf clinics that help wounded veterans regain their sense of identity and self-worth. The sport benefits amputees, as well as soldiers with traumatic brain injury.

The physical trauma for severely wounded combat veterans is often exceeded by the psychological complications. “Before their injuries, many of these soldiers were extremely strong, athletic individuals with highly trained skills. The impact on their sense of self-identity is profound,” says Barbara Romberg, a clinical psychologist in the Washington area …

About 1.5 million Americans have served in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001. More than 4,000 have died and nearly 29,000 have returned home with injuries — by far the highest ratio of wounded-to-dead of any U.S. war, thanks to superior in-field medical treatment. There are probably more survivors with amputated limbs than in any conflict since the Civil War.

“Anything that can motivate these people to work again at developing skills is a potent rehabilitative tool,” Dr. Romberg says. “It doesn’t have to be golf — for some people it can be something computer-based, or something like painting — but golf has proven to be a very effective medium. And when they do actually achieve some level of mastery, that’s powerful medicine. It opens the door.”

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This entry was posted on Saturday, October 20th, 2007 at 10:30 am and is filed under exercise/sports, rehabilitation, veterans. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.  Email This Post