Rock climbing injury rates and associated risk factors in a general climbing population

S. Backe1, L. Ericson1, S. Janson1, T. Timpka2

1Division of Public Health Sciences, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden, 2Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linkoping
University, Linkoping, Sweden

Scand J Med Sci Sports 2008
DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0838.2008.00851.x

Abstract
The objective was to examine injury rates and associated
risk factors in a representative sample of climbers. A
random sample (n5606) 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.