Self-Reported Injury Mechanisms in Climbers

Background: Climbing is an increasingly popular sport worldwide. However relatively little is known about the mechanisms of injury sustained by climbers. Objective: To investigate mechanisms of injury in a representative sample of British climbers Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study Setting: Online survey of active climbers Patients (or Participants): 369 active climbers (men n=307, mean±SD, age=37.66 ±14.38 years; Women n=62, mean ±SD, age=34.63 ±12.19 years) Interventions (or Assessment of Risk Factors): Epidemiological incidence proportion (IP) and mechanism of injury Main Outcome Measurements: Injuries that resulted in medical intervention and/or withdrawal from participation for ≥1 day Results:Of 369 climbers surveyed, 299 sustained at least 1 injury in the last 12 months resulting from climbing. The IP was 0.810 (95% CI: 0.770-0.850). Thus the average probability of sustaining at least one injury was 81% (95% CI: 77-85). The total number of injuries sustained was 1088 providing a clinical incidence of 2.95 injuries per climber. 94 climbers sustained an acute injury as a result of impact with the climbing surface and/or ground, 212 climbers sustained an injury resulting from chronic overuse and 166 climbers sustained injuries resulting from a non-impact acute trauma. The average probabilities of sustaining injury per mechanism were: impact injury 25.5% (95% CI: 23.2-27.8); acute non-impact injury 45.1% (95% CI: 42.5-47.7) and chronic overuse injury 57.5% (95% CI: 54.9-60.1). Injury from chronic overuse was positively associated with indoor lead operating standard (P=0.007), bouldering operating standard (P< 0.001) and bouldering frequency (P< 0.001). The most common injury site was the fingers with 180 participants (60%) sustaining at least one finger injury. 85 participants sustained at least 1 chronic overuse reinjury. Conclusions: The most commonly reported injury mechanism was chronic overuse. The most common site was the fingers. Chronic overuse injuries due to repetitive loading may have been historically preceded by a non-impact acute trauma