Medical, or at least Biological expertise needed

[ChrisGreaves]

Nice enough guy, smiles a lot ... Patrick Chan SP - 2011 Worlds (World Record 93.02 pts)

At the 1m45s mark he starts spinning for 13 seconds, then straightens out and carries on normally.

If I spin three times I have to sit down and read a book for half an hour.

Why don't Patrick Chan's Eustachian tubes, if that's what I'm thinking of, cause him to go dizzy and just sit down in a heap?
How does he get away with it, and I don't?

(signed) "Jealous" of Toronto.

P.S. It's nothing to do with age. I remember my sister making me so dizzy I fell and hurt my arm, once, and that was back in the days when I'd do whatever she told me to do.

[garbsmj]

From personal experience it all has to do with your inner ear. And also the position of the head during the turn. The more stationary it is the less it is supposed to affect you.

When I was in karate and we had to do spin kicks we always then did a turn the other way or else act like drunken sailors for a bit. If you watch closely Patrick does go the opposite direction at least one turn after each spin or skates backwards but still very impressive.

[ChrisGreaves]

If you watch closely Patrick does go the opposite direction at least one turn after each spin ...

I know what you are getting it, but I don't see any reversing after the spins that ends at 1m58s, nor after his spend which ends around 2m34s. Patrick Chan SP - 2011 Worlds (World Record 93.02 pts)

That is, perhaps doing a reverse-rotation would be enough to stop the fluid spinning around, but I don't see anything like a reverse spin there.

I'm pondering that perhaps his spins are TOO rapid and the fluid just doesn't get traction, but I don't buy that either.
A 13-second spin has enough time for the cilia(?) in the tubes to drag the fluid into motion.

My latest surmization is that professional skaters do get dizzy, but have pre-programmed their brains to carry on on "autopilot" until the dizziness passes.

At my age, if I get dizzy my first reaction is "Stroke!", when it's probably only a flake of skin that has gotten loose in the tubes and tickled a cilium(?)

[Doc Watson]

I found this....
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index ... 557AAM0BRt with this Google search.

[ChrisGreaves]

I found this...

Ah.
A reply from a doctor.
Great!

OK, the bit about closing the eyes makes some sense - that would inhibit vomiting, but the rotation is still there, right? So the fluids are going to slosh around.

I need to think about this a bit more.