The epidemiology of rock-climbing injuries
TL;DR: Climbing frequency and technical difficulty are associated with climbing injuries occurring at both indoor and outdoor venues, particularly cumulative trauma to the upper extremities.
Abstract: Objectives: To determine the prevalence and nature of rock-climbing injuries, and the factors associated with these injuries. Design: A retrospective cross-sectional study. Setting: Rock climbers were recruited at five outdoor and six indoor climbing venues in the UK. Participants: 201 active rock climbers (163 male, 38 female climbers) aged 16–62 years. Assessment of risk factors: Rock climbing behaviours and key demographics. Main outcome measures: Injuries requiring medical attention or withdrawal from participation for ⩾1 day. Results: Around 50% of climbers had sustained ⩾1 injury in the past 12 months, causing a total of 275 distinct anatomical injuries. 21 climbers (10%) had sustained acute climbing injuries as a result of a fall, 67 (33%) had chronic overuse injuries, and 57 (28%) had acute injuries caused by strenuous climbing moves. Dedicated climbers participating in different forms of rock climbing more often and at a higher level of technical difficulty may be more prone to injury, particularly overuse injuries of the finger and shoulder. The principal sources of treatment or advice sought by climbers were physiotherapists (18%), other climbers (14%) and doctors (11%). Conclusions: Climbing frequency and technical difficulty are associated with climbing injuries occurring at both indoor and outdoor venues, particularly cumulative trauma to the upper extremities.
Citations
More filters
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the relationship of self-efficacy to the frequency and difficulty of high and medium risk rock climbing behaviors and found that those high in selfefficacy were more likely to participate more frequently, take calculated additional risks and attempt harder climbs when they feel confident in their abilities.
123 citations
TL;DR: The multivariate analysis showed that overweight and practicing bouldering generally implied an increased primary injury risk, while there was a higher re‐injury risk among male climbers and a lower risk among the older climbers.
Abstract: The objective was to examine injury rates and associated risk factors in a representative sample of climbers. A random sample (n=606) of the Swedish Climbing Association members was sent a postal survey, with an effective response rate of 63%. Self-reported data regarding climbing history, safety practices and retrospective accounts of injury events (recall period 1.5 years) were obtained. Descriptive statistical methods were used to calculate injury incidences, and a two-step method including zero-inflated Poisson's regression analysis of re-injuries was used to determine the combination of risk factors that best explained individual injury rates. Overall, 4.2 injuries per 1000 climbing hours were reported, overuse injuries accounting for 93% of all injuries. Inflammatory tissue damages to fingers and wrists were the most common injury types. The multivariate analysis showed that overweight and practicing bouldering generally implied an increased primary injury risk, while there was a higher re-injury risk among male climbers and a lower risk among the older climbers. The high percentage of overuse injuries implies that climbing hours and loads should be gradually and systematically increased, and climbers regularly controlled for signs and symptoms of overuse. Further study of the association between body mass index and climbing injury is warranted.
112 citations
Cites background or result from "The epidemiology of rock-climbing i..."
...%) than the 50% proportion reported from a study based on convenience sampling from indoor and outdoor climbing venues (Jones et al., 2007)....
[...]
...Of our respondents, 30% were female in contrast to only 12–20% in other reports (Bowie et al., 1988; Paige et al., 1998; Gerdes et al., 2006; Jones et al., 2007)....
[...]
...The mean age of climbers who completed our survey (30 years) and their exposure to climbing (on average 75 sessions per year) were similar to the data reported from the previous studies (Bowie et al., 1988; Paige et al., 1998; Gerdes et al., 2006; Jones et al., 2007)....
[...]
...However, the proportion of injured climbers in the sample was lower (30%) than the 50% proportion reported from a study based on convenience sampling from indoor and outdoor climbing venues (Jones et al., 2007)....
[...]
..., 2006) or popular climbing venues (Bowie et al., 1988; Jones et al., 2007)....
[...]
TL;DR: The demographics of climbing-related injuries were evaluated to improve the comprehension of current injury characteristics, and male climbers were significantly older, had more climbing years, and were climbing at a higher climbing level.
110 citations
TL;DR: To improve preventative injury measures for climbing sports, it is recommended that a standardized, robust and comprehensive sport-specific scoring model should be developed to report and fully evaluate the injury risk, severity of injuries and fatality risk in climbing sports.
Abstract: Rock and ice climbing are widely considered to be ‘high-risk’ sporting activities that are associated with a high incidence of severe injury and even death, compared with more mainstream sports. However, objective scientific data to support this perception are questionable. Accordingly, >400 sport-specific injury studies were analysed and compared by quantifying the injury incidence and objectively grading the injury severity (using the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics score) per 1000 hours of sporting participation. Fatalities were also analysed. The analysis revealed that fatalities occurred in all sports, but it was not always clear whether the sport itself or pre-existing health conditions contributed or caused the deaths. Bouldering (ropeless climbing to low heights), sport climbing (mostly bolt protected lead climbing with little objective danger) and indoor climbing (climbing indoors on artificial rock structures), showed a small injury rate, minor injury severity and few fatalities. As more objective/external dangers exist for alpine and ice climbing, the injury rate, injury severity and fatality were all higher. Overall, climbing sports had a lower injury incidence and severity score than many popular sports, including basketball, sailing or soccer; indoor climbing ranked the lowest in terms of injuries of all sports assessed. Nevertheless, a fatality risk remains, especially in alpine and ice climbing. In the absence of a standard definition for a ‘high-risk’ sport, categorizing climbing as a high-risk sport was found to be either subjective or dependent on the definition used. In conclusion, this analysis showed that retrospective data on sport-specific injuries and fatalities are not reported in a standardized manner. To improve preventative injury measures for climbing sports, it is recommended that a standardized, robust and comprehensive sport-specific scoring model should be developed to report and fully evaluate the injury risk, severity of injuries and fatality risk in climbing sports.
104 citations
01 Jan 2010
TL;DR: In this article, >400 sportspecific injury studies were analysed and compared by quantifying the injury incidence and objectively grading the injury severity (using the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics score) per 1000 hours of sporting participation.
Abstract: Rock and ice climbing are widely considered to be ‘high-risk’ sporting activities that are associated with a high incidence of severe injury and even death, compared with more mainstream sports. However, objective scientific data to support this perception are questionable. Accordingly, >400 sportspecific injury studies were analysed and compared by quantifying the injury incidence and objectively grading the injury severity (using the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics score) per 1000 hours of sporting participation. Fatalities were also analysed. The analysis revealed that fatalities occurred in all sports, but it was not always clear whether the sport itself or pre-existing health conditions contributed or caused the deaths. Bouldering REVIEW ARTICLE
93 citations
References
More filters
TL;DR: Cohort, cross sectional, and case-control studies are collectively referred to as observational studies, and seek to identify possible predictors of outcome and are useful for studying rare diseases or outcomes.
Abstract: Cohort, cross sectional, and case-control studies are collectively referred to as observational studies. Often these studies are the only practicable method of studying various problems, for example, studies of aetiology, instances where a randomised controlled trial might be unethical, or if the condition to be studied is rare. Cohort studies are used to study incidence, causes, and prognosis. Because they measure events in chronological order they can be used to distinguish between cause and effect. Cross sectional studies are used to determine prevalence. They are relatively quick and easy but do not permit distinction between cause and effect. Case controlled studies compare groups retrospectively. They seek to identify possible predictors of outcome and are useful for studying rare diseases or outcomes. They are often used to generate hypotheses that can then be studied via prospective cohort or other studies.
1,319 citations
TL;DR: The sensitivity of US for depiction of finger pulley injuries was 98%, and specificity was 100%.
Abstract: PURPOSE: To determine the ability of dynamic ultrasonography (US) to depict finger pulley injuries in extreme rock climbers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-four extreme rock climbers (climbing levels 8–11 on a scale ranging from 1 to 11; Union Internationale des Associations d’Alpinisme) with finger injuries (75 symptomatic and 181 asymptomatic fingers) were examined by using US, with the transducer operating at 12 MHz. The distance between the flexor tendon and phalanx was evaluated in extension and forced flexion at the level of the A2 and A4 annular pulleys as an indicator of tendon bowstringing. A distance between the flexor tendon and phalanx greater than 1.0 mm was interpreted as positive for a pulley injury. US findings were compared with those of magnetic resonance imaging. Surgical correlation was available in seven cases. Statistical analysis was performed by using analysis of variance, the Student t test, and the Bonferroni method. RESULTS: US depicted 16 (100%) of 16 complete A2 pulley ruptures,...
156 citations
"The epidemiology of rock-climbing i..." refers background in this paper
...However, climbing injuries are particularly difficult to evaluate and diagnose clinically.(12) We therefore adopted an alternative approach, requiring climbers to indicate the anatomical site of any climbing injuries in an attempt to reduce self-reporting biases....
[...]
TL;DR: The largest amount of bowstringing was caused by the flexor digitorum profundus tendon in the crimp grip position being less using slope grip position (PIP joint extended), and increase of force in one finger holds by the quadriga effect was shown using crimp and slope Grip position.
132 citations
TL;DR: The aim of this paper is to give a “medical” viewpoint on sports injury data collection and analysis, and to emphasise the importance of epidemiological sports data collection with regard to incidence rates and exposure risk hours and highlight the need for uniform definitions within and across sport.
Abstract: The aim of this paper is to give a “medical” viewpoint on sports injury data collection and analysis, and to emphasise the importance of epidemiological sports data collection with regard to incidence rates and exposure risk hours and highlight the need for uniform definitions within and across sport. It is designed not as a statistical or epidemiological paper but as a resource to be used by those involved in sports injury research so that they may confidently analyse, evaluate, and compare existing research and to enable them to collect accurate sports injury data in their own field.
Scientifically, it is not sound to rely on case reports to indicate injury patterns in sport, and yet it is common practice. It is always problematical to compare injury statistics across sports because of the added factors of the number of people involved, the time played, and variable injury definition. Increasingly, sports injury data are reported as incidence rates—for example, injuries per 1000 hours played—that is, using numerator and denominator data—as this methodology takes account of the exposure time at risk.
Sports injuries occur when athletes are exposed to their given sport and they occur under specific conditions, at a known time and place.
The last point should relate to time missed in training days as well as competitive participation and may also consider time lost to work in the case of a semiprofessional athlete. The knowledge gained from asking these questions may help us to predict and thus prevent injury.
In sports medicine, we are thus all epidemiologists “concerned with quantifying injury occurrence with respect to who is affected by injury, where and when injuries occur and what is their outcome—for the purposes of explaining why and how injuries occur and identifying strategies to control and prevent them”.1
To interpret the …
127 citations
"The epidemiology of rock-climbing i..." refers background in this paper
...required medical attention or withdrawal from participation for > 1 day.(14) Injuries were categorised into those that had occurred...
[...]