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Int J Sports Med 2011; 32(10): 794-800
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1279723
Orthopedics & Biomechanics

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Injury Risk Evaluation in Sport Climbing

A. Neuhof1 , F. F. Hennig1 , I. Schöffl2 , V. Schöffl3
  • 1Department of Trauma Surgery, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
  • 2Department of Pediatrics, Klinikum Bamberg, Germany
  • 3Department of Sportorthopedics, Klinikum Bamberg, Germany
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Publikationsverlauf

accepted after revision April 15, 2011

Publikationsdatum:
12. September 2011 (online)

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to quantify and rate acute sport climbing injuries. Acute sport climbing injuries occurring from 2002 to 2006 were retrospectively assessed with a standardized web based questionnaire. A total number of 1962 climbers reported 699 injuries, which is equivalent to 0.2 injuries per 1 000 h of sport participation. Most (74.4%) of the injuries were of minor severity rated NACA I or NACA II. Injury distribution between the upper (42.6%) and lower extremities (41.3%) was similar, with ligament injuries, contusions and fractures being the most common injury types. Years of climbing experience (p<0.01), difficulty level (p<0.01), climbing time per week during summer (p<0.01) and winter (p<0.01) months were correlated with the injury rate. Age (p<0.05 (p=0.034)), years of climbing experience (p<0.01) and average climbing level (p<0.01) were correlated to the injury severity rated through NACA scores. The risk of acute injuries per 1 000 h of sport participation in sport climbing was lower than in previous studies on general rock climbing and higher than in studies on indoor climbing. In order to perform inter-study comparisons of future studies on climbing injuries, the use of a systematic and standardized scoring system (UIAA score) is essential.

Key words

sport climbing - sports injury - injury epidemiology - rock climbing - injury risk factors - sports safety

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Correspondence

Alexander Neuhof

Department of Trauma Surgery

Friedrich-Alexander-University

Erlangen-Nuremberg

Krankenhausstraße 12

91054 Erlangen

Germany

Telefon: +49/176/3829 7093

Fax: +49/919/370 05

eMail: alexanderneuhof@yahoo.de