|  about Bupa  |  press releases

Don't get Glastonbury Festival fever

21 June 2005

Revellers at Glastonbury Festival this weekend could pick up something worse than a hangover doctors are warning.

The trench foot outbreak at Glastonbury in 1997 caused by walking in mud drenched fields was the most serious health scare, but festival goers are at risk of a multitude of other health problems - everything from food poisoning from dodgy sausages to candle burns and injuries from tripping over tent pegs and body surfing.

Bupa’s assistant medical director Dr Annabel Bentley is warning revellers to be prepared. “For medics, working at Glastonbury is like A&E on a Saturday night,” she said. “People worry about drugs at events like this but actually it’s more likely to be alcohol that causes the problems - too much and you can be injured from falling over or getting into fights.”

Camping gas accidents are the most common cause of burns at events like this but candles can also be a problem, while festival goers are at risk of sunburn, sunstroke or dehydration if the weather’s hot.

Crowds also cause injury - whether it’s being trampled while body surfing or getting calf strain from standing on tip toe all day to see over other people’s heads.

“Revellers often have really bad back or neck pain from sleeping in a tent, especially if they’ve crashed out drunk and are sleeping in an awkward position,” said Dr Bentley. “If you’ve been injured, you may not realise till the next morning, when the alcohol wears off and the pain kicks in.”

Other health risks include damaging your hearing by spending too long next to the loud speakers and sustaining dance injuries like strained muscles and ligaments in knees and ankles following hours of high impact exercise on a hard surface.

Bupa’s top ten tips to stay safe at Glastonbury:

1. Don’t forget basic hygiene and always wash your hands after going to the toilet and before cooking or eating food to stop the spread of germs
2. Always cook food thoroughly to avoid food poisoning
3. Drink alcohol sensibly
4. Drink enough water to keep hydrated
5. Wear the appropriate factor sun cream for protection and reapply regularly
6. Wear shock absorbing trainers to protect your feet while dancing on the hard ground
7. Stand away from loud speakers and if you’re worried about your hearing wear earplugs - the RNID supplies free ones on site
8. Be wary of drugs - don’t mix them and don’t take them with alcohol
9. Never have unprotected sex - always use a condom to protect yourself from sexually transmitted infections
10. Take a first aid kit to deal with minor cuts, burns, bruises and aches and know where to get medical help on site.

Bupa has online medical fact sheets on back pain, sun health, alcohol and drug abuse, food safety, burns, first aid and STIs at: www.bupa.co.uk/health_information/asp/your_health/factsheets/

email a friend

bupa.com  |  website legal notices  |  cookie policy  |  © Bupa 1996-2012  |  accessibility  |  investors  |  contact us

back to top