Dr Jean Yves Chauve has been the race doctor on the Vendee Globe since the first edition, here he explains the protocol tomorrow for Alexia Barrier and her back injury, and he talks about some of the medical aspects and challenges that have been different this time.
Can you explain the protocol that is in place for Alexia Barrier for her back injury? As soon as Alexia crosses the finish line tomorrow I will get on board I will make an initial assessment of her condition and then decide on her exact finish protocol her access on to the pontoon to her press conference.
We will try to keep the protocol as close to what is planned but that will depend on what we find out when I examine her I am quite confident that her finish wlll be in good conditions.
Since yesterday she has reduced her treatments so things are a bit better. So once the actual finish protocol — the arrival, the pontoon, the press conference — what will happen to her? As soon as her protocol is done of we will have to do x-rays. This will allow really see what is going on and if it is what we suspect. Anyway, for this kind of pain there is no specific treatment, she will not be operated on be kept in hospital. Can you remind us what happened to Alexia?
Alexia fell backwards. What happened is probably a bit similar to what happens when you have a broken rib, as happened to Romain Attanasio and Sam Davies. For those who have experienced it, it is very painful, especially when you have to move, to manoeuvre on a boat.
