Physical wellbeing
One team member’s story of injury and recovery
Every day’s a school day! You never think it could happen to you until it does! Having spent thirty years in the mountains and never getting so much as a scratch, the idea that he could injure himself whilst out training with the team never crossed his mind… From the archive: Mountain Rescue Magazine Issue…
Read MoreLooking after our team members
It’s a day most team members say they dread — and would walk over hot coals to avoid — but when the chips are down, who better to treat you and carry you to safety than your own trusted mountain rescue colleagues? From the archive: Mountain Rescue England and Wales Annual Review 2026. May 2025…
Read MoreThe power of sleep: Why we need it and how to get it
Sleep isn’t just about the number of hours of shuteye we get each night, but the quality of sleep we get can have a significant impact on our overall health. From the archive: Mountain Rescue Magazine Issue 95, January 2026. Togetherall, in association with the Rescue Benevolent Fund How much sleep do you really need?…
Read MoreGuiding Principles for Wellbeing from both UKSAR and ICAR
UKSAR and ICAR have both produced guidance for teams and team members in looking after the wellbeing of their team members. These two articles summarise the full documents. From the archives: Mountain Rescue Magazine Issue 93, July 2025. Five Guiding Principles for Emergency Response Volunteer Wellbeing In 2023, the UKSAR Mental Health and Wellbeing Work…
Read MoreHeart Rate Variability: what it is and how we can influence it
Alan Littlefield was one of our keynote speakers at the conference in September. He spoke about building trusting teams and introduced the concept of positively affecting our HRV by deploying the BREATHE skill, to improve both our individual and our team performance. The breathing bit, it has to be said, inspired a degree of scepticism…
Read MoreLet’s talk about menopause…
Menopause is a journey that includes physical and emotional changes that can dominate women’s lives for many years, and the experience can differ from one woman to another. From the archive: Mountain Rescue Magazine Issue 85, Summer 2023. Courtesy of Togetherall, Doctors Siobán Harlow and Carrie Karvonen-Gutierrez, of the University of Michigan, answer some of…
Read MoreRetrain your brain by making like a flamingo
How standing around on one leg can help retrain your brain and your balance. From the archive: Mountain Rescue Magazine Summer, Issue 82, July 2022. Judy Whiteside So what do YOU do every night before climbing into bed? And bear in mind this is a family show. How about standing on one leg at the…
Read MoreHarnessing the restorative power of sleep
Once disrupted, poor sleeping patterns can become ingrained. So how do you break the cycle? Read on to learn about harnessing the restorative power of sleep… From the archive: Mountain Rescue Magazine Winter Issue 71, January 2020: The Fire Fighters’ Charity. The daily stresses of life and work, getting older, marital upset, bereavement, alcohol and…
Read MoreStay fit for purpose and flexible, to avoid injury
Tim Lynch discusses the benefits of looking after yourself, and how to stay fit for purpose to avoid injury during those adrenalin-fuelled call-outs. From the archive: Mountain Rescue Magazine Summer issue 45, July 2013: Tim Lynch MSc(Chiro), DC, FRCC The average team member is rarely couch-bound, preferring to spend his or her time in the…
Read MoreSpotlight on men’s health with three common conditions
For Men’s Health Week, the Fire Fighters Charity shone a spotlight on men’s health with three of the more common health conditions that affect men. From the archive: Mountain Rescue Magazine issue 73, Summer 2020. From the Fire Fighters’ Charity. Know your prostate The prostate gland is part of the male reproductive system and is…
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