According to media reports on September 26th， a young man， referred to as Xiao Chen， and his girlfriend Xiao Na， chose a surf club in Wanning， Hainan， for Xiao Chen to learn surfing. However， during their first lesson， a basic paddling exercise in the pool， Xiao Chen experienced a life-altering incident.
While performing a basic paddling motion， Xiao Chen felt a sudden “snap” in his lower back. Although he could initially walk back to his room， he soon developed symptoms of leg numbness and weakness， eventually collapsing to the ground. He lost sensation from the waist down and was unable to control his bowel and bladder functions. Judicial appraisal confirmed his injury as a Level A spinal cord injury， resulting in a Grade 1 disability.
Over the past year， Xiao Chen has undergone continuous treatment at various rehabilitation hospitals in Guangzhou， accompanied by Xiao Na. Their monthly medical expenses have reached between sixty to seventy thousand yuan. During transport to the hospital， Xiao Na researched and discovered that Xiao Chen’s symptoms closely resembled a rare， non-traumatic spinal cord injury known as “Surfer’s Myelopathy.” However， due to the limited number of cases in China and a lack of systematic research， many surf instructors are unfamiliar with this condition.
Xiao Na expressed dissatisfaction with the club， stating that they did not adequately inform participants about potential risks before the lesson and that the teaching process lacked necessary assessments and protective measures. Following the accident， the club only sent personnel to inquire about the situation and did not advance any medical costs. Xiao Chen has since filed a lawsuit against the club and the instructor at the Wanning City People’s Court in Hainan， seeking over 2 million yuan in compensation. The case has been accepted and will be scheduled for a hearing at a later date.
Mr. Zhao， the China regional head of the Australian surfing coach system， ASI， stated that such injuries are not uncommon internationally but are less recognized in China. ASI， as an internationally recognized surf teaching system， requires participants to sign a course participation declaration and safety agreement prior to lessons. These documents clearly outline various foreseeable risks and corresponding precautions.
Mr. Zhao further emphasized that a standardized teaching process should include inquiring about a student’s medical history and conducting a physical assessment before entering the water. “For instance， students might be asked to maintain a ‘doggy paddle’ position for ten seconds. If they experience hand or foot numbness or tingling， they may not be suitable for immediate surfing or may require specific protective measures，” he explained.
