Injury in traditional and sport rock climbing
Wilderness and Environmental MedicinePublished 1 March 1998
Todd E. Paige, David C. Fiore, Jeffrey D. Houston
Citations76
SJR quartileQ3
SJR score0.28
SNIP0.48
Generate an AI Snapshot to get a quick, structured summary of this paper.
Study Snapshot
ObjectiveStudy objective
MethodsResearch methodology
PopulationPopulation studied
Sample sizeSample sizes
OutcomesStudy outcomes here
ResultsStudy results comes here
LimitationsResearch study limitations comes here
A concise AI-generated summary of the paper will appear here once you click Generate AI Snapshot.
TL;DR
Comparison of patterns of injury found in traditional rock climbing with those found in sport climbing found potential for injury prevention lies in teaching climbers to recognize the limitations of the fingers as weight-bearing structures.
Abstract
The objective of this study was to compare patterns of injury found in traditional rock climbing with those found in sport climbing. A questionnaire was administered to rock climbers by mail, in person, and via the World Wide Web. Injuries that occurred while rope-protected climbing on rock were analyzed regarding the anatomical location and the mechanism and activity at the time of injury. Ninety-four climbers reported sustaining an injury while rope-protected climbing on rock. Most injuries occurred while leading and involved the upper extremity, especially the fingers. Falling was the predominant mechanism of injury on traditional climbs, and stress over a joint while attempting a difficult move was the most common mechanism on sport climbs. Potential for injury prevention lies in teaching climbers to recognize the limitations of the fingers as weight-bearing structures.
Keywords
Medicine
Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume)Injury to the A2 Pulley in Rock Climbers
130 Citations1990Steve Bollen
A 20-year-old rock climber was holding on to a small pocket in the rock with the tips of the middle and ring fingers of his non-dominant left hand, when his feet slipped off and he fell, putting a sudden and great strain on these two fingers.
British Journal of Sports MedicineSoft tissue injury in extreme rock climbers.
126 Citations1988Steve Bollen
This paper aims to identify some of the common injuries that may be encountered in climbers, some of which do not appear to be associated with other sports.
British Journal of Sports MedicineHand injuries in competition climbers.
97 Citations1990Steve Bollen, Christine Gunson
Clinical findings were that 26% of the climbers had signs of previous injury to the A2 pulley of the ring finger, and that fixed flexion deformity of the proximal interphalangeal joints of the fingers was present in 24 per cent.
PubMedRock-climbing injuries in Yosemite National Park.
91 Citations1988William S. Bowie, Thomas K. Hunt +1 more
Rescue personnel successfully managed airways in victims of head injuries, anticipated and treated complications of hypothermia, and stabilized fractures, showing the lowest case-fatality rate reported to date among injured climbers.
Annals of Emergency MedicineMountaineering and rock-climbing injuries in US National Parks
70 Citations1989David G. Addiss, Susan P. Baker
A new conceptual model suggests that the methods of traditional mountaineering safety programs may be of limited efficacy in further reducing the number of climbing-related injuries.
The Journal Of Hand SurgeryManual demands and consequences of rock climbing
69 Citations1992Kevin G. Shea, Owen F. Shea +1 more
A wider understanding of the manual aspects of rock climbing and an awareness of the patterns and incidence of injuries in this sport will facilitate prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation.
Sports MedicineRock Climbing Injuries
58 Citations1995Jennifer C. Haas, Michael C. Meyers
Although adequate rest between climbs and decreased training when pain is first encountered would aid in alleviating numerous problems, additional research directed towards improving training, treatment and rehabilitation programmes is warranted.
British Journal of Sports MedicineRadiographic changes in the hands of rock climbers.
52 Citations1994Steve Bollen, V Wright
Pronounced 'scalloping' of the necks of the proximal phalanges was only seen in climbers, and is due to thickening of the attachment of the distal end of the fibrous A2 pulley of the flexor sheath.
British Journal of Sports MedicineUpper limb injuries associated with rock climbing.
48 Citations1986Patricia Bannister, Philip Foster
Four cases of upper limb injuries secondary to rock-climbing or training for rock climbing are presented and diagnosis and treatment delayed because of unawareness of the range of injuries seen in high grade rock climbing.
British Journal of Sports MedicineInjuries on British climbing walls.
47 Citations1995David Limb
The overall rate of injury was very low and climbers seem to modify risk taking behaviour and thus compensate for the level of safety equipment available, and it may be possible to reduce the injury rate further by providing seamless ground cover with matting of adequate energy absorbency.
PubMedUpper limb injuries in elite rock climbers.
46 Citations1990Steve Bollen
Improvements in protection techniques and the quality of climbing equipment mean that the old problems of broken bones have been replaced by a new set of soft tissue problems, including the impingement syndrome at the shoulder, lateral and medial epicondylitis and brachialis tendinitis at the elbow.
The American Journal of Sports MedicineMountaineering accidents in the Sierra Nevada
41 Citations1983Jon G. McLennan, John A. Ungersma
Morbidity and mortality may be lessened by proper climbing preparation—instruction in mountaineering techniques as well as basic mountain medicine—and by prevention of acute mountain sickness and cold injury.
Annales de Chirurgie de la Main et du Membre SupérieurLes ruptures sous-cutanées des poulies des fléchisseurs des doigts longs chez les grimpeurs de haut niveau
28 Citations1993F. Moutet, D. Guinard +2 more
Protection of the pulley, possibly combined with syndactylisation and complete rest, not only from sports activities, for at least 45 days are the best way of ensuring a satisfactory functional result in these particularly demanding subjects.
PubMed[MRT of the hand and wrist of sport climbers. Imaging of injuries and consequences of stress overload].
28 Citations1992A. Heuck, T Hochholzer +1 more
MRI proved to be the superior imaging modality in the diagnosis of sports injuries and overstress abnormalities of the hand and wrist in rock-climbing athletes.
The Physician and SportsmedicineMountaineering and Rock-Climbing Accidents
24 Citations1982Lee C. Schussman, Lawrence J. Lutz
There were two accidents per 1,000 climbers per year in the Grand Teton National Park from 1970 to 1980, and this rate remained stable over the ten-year study period although the number of climbers increased.
PubMed[An analysis of overstrain injuries in rock climbing].
20 Citations1993U. Largiader, O Oelz
The degree of climbing skill proved to be the main risk factor; with increasing climbing skills of the observed persons the percentage of injuries increased very substantially, and 51% of the overstrain injuries were severe, with healing times of months to years.
British Journal of Sports MedicineFingertip injuries in rock climbers.
17 Citations1990Angel Cole
A novel fingertip injury found in rock climbers is reported on, which is associated with more extreme use and training than previously reported.
Journal of Wilderness MedicineInjury rates in rock climbers
14 Citations1993David Humphries
Analysis of the data collected suggests that rock climbing has a relatively low injury rate, in terms of injuries sustained per 1000 h of participation, in comparison with many other popular sports.
The Physician and SportsmedicineOsteochondritis Dissecans as a Cause of Posterior Heel Pain
7 Citations1982Paul Taylor
How the condition can be differentiated from other causes of posterior heel pain so a proper treatment plan can be started is discussed.
The Physician and SportsmedicineAcute Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
7 Citations1993Randall A. Lewis, Owen F. Shea +1 more
A 25-year-old man felt a "pop" in his left wrist followed by immediate numbness, tingling, and pain in hisleft hand, which recurred throughout the climb whenever the man maximally flexed his wrist.
Journal of Wilderness MedicineA stress fracture of the phalanx from rock climbing: a case report
5 Citations1994Craig C. Young, William G. Raasch
The following is the first case report of a stress fracture of the phalanx in a rock climber and a review of the literature of sport climbing injuries.