Rock Climbing-related Injuries Increasing

RSSFeedBot · Jul 22, 2009

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The popularity of rock climbing has increased in the last ten years, and so have the number of injuries. A new study finds a 63 percent increase in the number of patients treated in emergency departments for rock climbing-related injuries.

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NewsBot · Mar 27, 2013

Foot Overuse Diseases in Rock Climbing: An Epidemiologic Study
Roberto Buda, Francesco Di Caprio, Letizia Bedetti, Massimiliano Mosca, and Sandro Giannini
J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 2013;103 113-120

Background: Literature examining the incidence of foot diseases in rock climbing is limited to traumatic injuries. We examined a large sample of climbers, assessed the chronic diseases of the foot, and correlated them with foot morphology, shoe type, and type of climbing practiced.

Methods: Between May 1 and September 30, 2009, 144 climbers (mean age, 31.7 years) were examined to analyze the effect of rock climbing on the various foot diseases found at the time of the evaluation.

Results: Eighty-six percent of the climbers were affected by a pathologic condition. Nail disease was found in 65.3% of patients, followed by recurrent ankle sprains (27.8%), retrocalcaneal bursitis (19.4%), Achilles tendinitis (12.5%), metatarsalgia (12.5%), and plantar fasciitis (5.6%). Male sex, the use of high-type shoes, the high degree of climbing difficulty, and the competitive level were often related to the onset of foot diseases. Climbing shoes are usually smaller than common footwear. This “shoe-size reduction” averaged 2.3 sizes, forcing the foot into a supinated and cavus posture that favors lateral instability. The posterior edge of the shoe aperture produces increased pressure on the heel, with retrocalcaneal bursitis.

Conclusions: Overuse foot diseases related to rock climbing are particularly frequent and debilitating. Detailed knowledge of these diseases and their predisposing factors may help us implement effective preventive or therapeutic measures, including changes in the type of climbing, correction of body weight, degree of difficulty, footwear, orthoses, and measures that maximize the support of the foot to the ground.
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Mark Russell · Mar 28, 2013

I wonder if any of the researchers ever troubled themselves to pull on a pair of rock-shoes??

NewsBot · Oct 23, 2013

Feet injuries in rock climbers.
Schöffl V, Küpper T.
World J Orthop. 2013 Oct 18;4(4):218-228.
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While injuries of the upper extremity are widely discussed in rock climbers, reports about the lower extremity are rare. Nevertheless almost 50 percent of acute injuries involve the leg and feet. Acute injuries are either caused by ground falls or rock hit trauma during a fall. Most frequently strains, contusions and fractures of the calcaneus and talus. More rare injuries, as e.g., osteochondral lesions of the talus demand a highly specialized care and case presentations with combined iliac crest graft and matrix associated autologous chondrocyte transplantation are given in this review. The chronic use of tight climbing shoes leads to overstrain injuries also. As the tight fit of the shoes changes the biomechanics of the foot an increased stress load is applied to the fore-foot. Thus chronic conditions as subungual hematoma, callosity and pain resolve. Also a high incidence of hallux valgus and hallux rigidus is described.
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Pyearsley1 · Oct 28, 2013

There is definetly a feeling of 'smaller the shoe, better I climb' in the bouldering community. Mark, I find the la sportiva shoes particularly uncomfortable and useless due to the heel shape.

Mark Russell · Oct 28, 2013

I wonder what they use for a last? Chicken feet?? These days I rarely take my big boots off, but then I'm getting old and decrepit!

Pyearsley1 · Oct 28, 2013

A quick google revealed this which I found quite interesting: http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/how-rock-shoes-get-made/

NewsBot · Nov 9, 2021

Overcoming the Injury Boulder – Almost 9 in 10 Australian competitive climbers experience seasonal injury
N. Brown et al
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2021.09.088

Background: The current burden of injury in Australian competitive sport climbers is unknown. Additionally, Australian climbers face geographical and resourcing barriers to competition and high-performance support which may impact on prevalence of injury. In addition to the recent inclusion of the sport at the Summer Olympics, competitive climbing has seen a significant increase in participation over the past decade. This study aims to establish the seasonal prevalence and injury profile in Australian competitive climbers.
Methods: Participants aged 14 years and over competing in any of three 2018 Australian national-level climbing competitions were invited to complete a self-administered and bespoke recall questionnaire. Demographic, climbing and previous sporting participation history, calendar-year estimates of training load exposure and injury data were collected. Injuries were classified by a sports physiotherapist according to the OSICS 10.1 system. Count data were reported as frequencies and percentages of the specified sub-group and entire participant sample. Period prevalence was compared between groups using Pearson chi-square tests and differences in injury durations between categories were assessed using Kruskal-Wallis tests.
Results: Seventy-eight participants (female n=34, male n=44, mean age 23.4 years, SD±7.4) returned surveys. A 12-month injury period prevalence of 87.2% was established with no significant difference in prevalence between males and females or age groups. Training per discipline was highest in bouldering (63.1%) followed by lead (34.2%) and speed climbing (2.7%). The median days injured was 18 (IQR 7 - 42). Masters (age 45.8±4.8 Open A (25.4±6.3), Open B (26.8±6.8) and Junior (17.9±0.7.) athletes experienced a longer injury duration compared to Youth A (16.1±0.6) and Youth B (14.3±0.5.) (X2=14.97; p= 0.0105). More injuries occurred in the upper extremity (57%) than the lower extremity (20.7%), specifically at the body sites of the wrist and hand (27.4%) followed by the shoulder (16.4%).
Discussion: The high period prevalence within this cohort illustrates that injury affects a considerable proportion of Australian competitive climbers. Injury patterns observed differ from earlier climbing studies and reflect climbing injury trends observed since inclusion as an Olympic discipline. Existing self-reported climbing injury literature includes largely heterogeneous cohorts of both recreational and competitive climbers, limiting comparison. This study highlights the need for future longitudinal research into the injury burden experienced by Australian competitive climbers, to develop a better understanding of risk and to minimise time loss due to injury.
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NewsBot · Apr 11, 2022

Epidemiological Study of Foot Injuries in the Practice of
Sport Climbing
Paula Cobos-Moreno et al
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 4302.

Background. Climbing is a multidisciplinary sport, where the main objective is to reach
the highest point of a rock wall or to reach the end of an established route. There are different
types of modalities: sport climbing and traditional climbing. The risks and precautions taken with
respect to this sport will directly affect the epidemiology of injuries related to its practice. The
present study was designed to identify and characterize the most frequent injuries in the feet of
climbers and to determine if there is a relationship between the injuries that appear and the time
spent practicing the sport. Methods. A total of 53 people were collected, 32 men and 21 women,
corresponding to the climbers of the FEXME (Extremadura Federation of Mountain and Climbing).
To determine the diagnoses, exploratory tests, classified according to the variables to be studied,
are carried out: inspection variables and questionnaire variables. Results. The average number of
years of climbing was seven years, and the average number of hours of training per week was 6.6 h.
Some type of alterations were presented in 70% of the respondents, and foot pain was present during
climbing in 45% of the participants. The p-value showed a relationship between years of climbing
and the occurrence of chronic foot injuries (p = 0.035), however, there is no relationship between the
occurrence of injuries and chronological age. Conclusion. We can see that the most frequent injuries
in the practice of climbing are claw toes, dermal alterations such as bursitis of the first toe and hallux
limitus, followed by hallux valgus. Similarly, only a significant relationship was found between the
number of years of climbing and the appearance of foot injuries.
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NewsBot · Apr 15, 2022

FOOT INJURIES IN SPORT CLIMBERS:
FOOTWEAR AND OTHER ASSOCIATED FACTORS
Lejonagoitia-Garmendia, M et al
Rev.int.med.cienc.act.fís.deporte - vol. X - número X - ISSN: 1577-0354

Introduction: Foot injuries are frequent among climbers. This may be due to
several factors, such as the use of climbing shoes. Objectives: To perform a
descriptive analysis of foot injuries in sport climbers and to examine their
possible relationship with various factors, including the use of climbing shoes.
Methods: 26 climbers participated in the study. General characteristics, foot
pain during climbing, observed podiatric conditions and the reductions in the
size (cm) of climbing shoes compared to daily footwear were noted. Results:
All climbers presented foot injuries and most had foot pain. In addition, hallux
valgus, grazes, and hyperkeratosis were related to the small size of climbing
shoes. Conclusions: Foot disorders and foot pain are very frequent in sport
climbing. Furthermore, along with other associated factors, the size of the
reduction of climbing shoes increases the probability of developing various
podiatric conditions.
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NewsBot · May 15, 2022

Pathophysiological Behaviour of the Climber’s Foot versus the General Population: A Prospective Observational Study
Paula Cobos-Moreno et al
Healthcare 2022, 10(5),

Sport climbing is becoming increasingly popular, with people of all types and ages practising it. The feet suffer a lot of pressure with the sport climbing gesture, which in the long run can produce alterations in the first metatarsophalangeal joint or in the first radius of the foot. Objective: To observe and quantify the behaviour of the foot in climbing subjects compared to a group of non-climbing subjects, comparing the pressures, first metatarsophalangeal joint and first radius of the foot. Method: This is a non-experimental and observational, cross-sectional, descriptive and prospective research. The study sample consisted of 105 subjects (42 males and 63 females). The control group consisted of 52 subjects and the climbing group consisted of 53 subjects. Different exploratory tests were carried out on all the subjects, such as: mobility of the metatarsophalangeal joint and first radius of the foot and the study of plantar pressures in different areas of the study. Results: No significant difference was found between left and right foot measurements (p > 0.05). The pressures of the same foot are significant, both at static and dynamic stages for both groups. The maximum pressure in the climbing group was under the first metatarsal head, while in the control group it was under the second metatarsal head. There were significant differences in the mobility of the first metatarsal joint and the first radius between the two groups. Conclusion: It can be seen that the group of climbers has less plantar pressure than the control group. They also have altered mobility of the first radius and the first metatarsophalangeal joint.
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NewsBot · Jul 17, 2023

FOOT INJURIES IN SPORT CLIMBERS: FOOTWEAR AND OTHER ASSOCIATED FACTORS
Lejonagoitia-Garmendia M et al
Vol. 23 No. 90 (2023): Vol. 23, No. 90, junio / June 2023 / Articles

Foot injuries are frequent among climbers. This may be due to several factors, such as the use of climbing shoes. Objectives: To perform a descriptive analysis of foot injuries in sport climbers and to examine their possible relationship with various factors, including the use of climbing shoes. Methods: 26 climbers participated in the study. General characteristics, foot pain during climbing, observed podiatric conditions and the reductions in the size (cm) of climbing shoes compared to daily footwear were noted. Results: All climbers presented foot injuries and most had foot pain. In addition, hallux valgus, grazes, and hyperkeratosis were related to the small size of climbing shoes. Conclusions: Foot disorders and foot pain are very frequent in sport climbing. Furthermore, along with other associated factors, the size of the reduction of climbing shoes increases the probability of developing various podiatric conditions.
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NewsBot · Jul 27, 2023

The Effect of Fatigue on the Pain Threshold in the Soles of the Feet of Mountaineers Before and After a Mountaineering Session
Morteza Barzegar Bafrouei et al
Asian J Sports Med. 2023;14(3):e134651. https://doi.org/10.5812/asjsm-134651.

Background: Fatigue is one of the risk factors for injuy in sports. As a consequence of this phenomenon, the pain threshold is reduced in the soles of the feet, leading to the improper distribution and loading of forces, which can alter the mountaineers’ walking patterns and the skeletal structure of their feet, ultimately resulting in soft tissue damage, pain, falls, and even death.
Objectives: The present study aims to investigate the effect of fatigue on the pain threshold of the soles of the feet.
Methods: In this semi-experimental study, 35 mountaineers (age range = 20 - 35 years) were selected by non-random sampling method. In this research, a test was taken before and after an eight-kilometer mountaineering session at a moderate pace, and an algometer device was used to evaluate foot pain and pain threshold. The Shapiro-Wilk test was used for statistical analysis of the normality of the data distribution, and the paired sample t-test was used for data evaluation and comparison. All statistical operations were carried out using SPSS software version 24, and the significance level of the tests was considered 0.05.
Results: According to the results, fatigue reduces the pain threshold in the soles of the feet, with the greatest effect being observed in the central region of the heel and the second toe.
Conclusions: The present research showed that fatigue could increase risk factors in mountaineers, hinder optimal performance, reduce the pain threshold in the soles of the feet, and increase pain sensitivity, which can affect the way of mountaineering and the pressure distribution in the soles, leading to increased risk of injuries, strains, sprains, and falls of mountaineers.
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NewsBot · Feb 22, 2024

Mental health problems, sleep quality and overuse injuries in advanced Swedish rock-climbers - the CLIMB study
Fredrik Identeg et al
BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2024 Feb 12;16(1):46

Objectives: To examine the prevalence of mental health problems (depression, anxiety, and stress), sleep quality, and disability due to overuse injuries in advanced and elite rock-climbers. The rock-climbers were compared to a group of non-climbing controls.

Methods: A self-selected sample of advanced and elite Swedish rock-climbing athletes was recruited through the Swedish Rock-climbing Federation, local rock-climbing gyms and through social media. A control group, matched in size was recruited. Participants in the control group answered an online survey of validated questionnaires, examining symptoms of stress, anxiety, depression, sleep quality. The climbing participants answered the same survey as the non-climbing controls but with additional questions regarding musculoskeletal problems and disabilities related to these. Outcome measures used were the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and The Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center Overuse Injury Questionnaire.

Results: A total of 183 participants were included in the rock-climbing group, and 180 participants in the control group. In the rock-climbing group the mean age (SD) was 28.2 (8.3) years among women and 30.5 (9.6) years in men. The mean BMI of women was 21.2 (2.2) and 22.8 (2.1) in men. A total of 30.6% of the rock-climbing group (26.7% of men, 35.9% of women) reported at least moderate levels of symptoms of depression and 23.1% (17.2% men, 30.8% women) at least moderate levels of symptoms of anxiety. A total of 48.4% of rock-climbers (39.1% men, and 61.6% women) reported at least moderate levels of symptoms of stress. Among the rock-climbers, 45.0% reported having poor sleep quality. There were no statistical significant differences (p = 0.052-0.96) in mental health problems or sleeping problems between the rock-climbers and the controls. Among rock-climbers, reports of one-week prevalence of injury related problems was: Finger and hand (49.5%), Shoulder (35.2%), Knee (29.1%), Lumbar back (26.4%), Arm (25.3%), Thoracic back and neck (17.0%), and Foot and lower leg (12.1%).

Conclusion: The overall results indicate high levels of symptoms of mental health problems and poor sleep quality in both rock-climbers and controls. Although no significant differences between the climbing group and the control group was displayed, symptoms that warrant clinical attention is high. Overuse injuries were commonly reported among the rock-climbers in all examined injury locations. Previous studies reporting mental health problems to be more prevalent among athletes were contradicted in this study. The results display the need for a broader perspective regarding climbers general health and the need to provide structured care and adequate support in order to come to terms with these concerns.
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