Fatalities in Climbing - Boulder 2014

V. Schöffl

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Evaluation of Injury and Fatality Risk in Rock and Ice Climbing:

Climbing: Injury Risk

Study Type of climbing (geographical location) Injury rate (per 1000h) Injury severity

(Bowie, Hunt et al. 1988) Traditional climbing, bouldering; some rock walls 100m high

(Yosemite Valley, CA, USA)

37.5 a Majority of minor severity using

ISS score <13; 5% ISS

13-75

(Schussmann, Lutz et al.

1990)

Mountaineering and traditional climbing (Grand Tetons, WY,

USA)

0.56 for injuries; 013 for fatalities;

incidence 5.6 injuries/10000 h of

mountaineering

23% of the injuries were fatal

(NACA 7) b

(Schöffl and Winkelmann

1999)

Indoor climbing walls (Germany) 0.079 3 NACA 2;

1 NACA 3

(Wright, Royle et al. 2001) Overuse injuries in indoor climbing at World Championship NS NACA 1-2 b

(Schöffl and Küpper 2006) Indoor competition climbing, World championships 3.1 16 NACA 1;

1 NACA 2

1 NACA 3

No fatality

(Gerdes, Hafner et al. 2006) Rock climbing NS NS 20% no injury; 60% NACA I; 20%

>NACA I b

(Schöffl, Schöffl et al. 2009) Ice climbing (international) 4.07 for NACA I-III 2.87/1000h NACA I,

1.2/1000h NACA II & III

None > NACA III

(Nelson and McKenzie 2009) Rock climbing injuries, indoor and outdoor (NS) Measures of participation and frequency of

exposure to rock climbing are not

specified

Mostly NACA I-IIb, 11.3%

hospitalization

(Backe S 2009) Indoor and outdoor climbing activities 4.2 (overuse syndromes accounting for

93% of injuries)

NS

Neuhhof / Schöffl (2011) Acute Sport Climbing injuries (Europe) 0.2 Mostly minor severity

Schöffl et al. (WMED 2013) Indoor sport climbing

(515337 Indoor Climbing Wall Visits in 5 Years)

0.02 15 UIAA 2

13 UIAA 3

2 UIAA 4

No fatality

Schöffl, IFSC MedCom IFSC World Cup 2012 0.74 all UIAA 2

No fatality

Fatalities: Traditional and sport climbing German Alpine Club reported 7 deaths during 2006 and

2007 (no differentiation between disciplines eg. sport, trad,

ice).

Bowie et al.: 13 of 220 injured climbers died - a case

fatality rate of 6%.

Bowie`s Yosemite date are in accordance with the results of

Hubicka for European climbing areas.

Josephsen et al.: prospective study on bouldering reported

no fatalities at all .

Schöffl et al: Indoor climbing and World Cup 2012

competition climbing: no fatalites

Hartmann and Schöffl 2014 (in progress): 584 climbers one

year prospectively – no fatality, 66 injuries

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Mountaineering

Schussmann et al.: incidence of 0.13 fatalities per 1000 h

Weinbruch et al.: lifetime risk of a fatal accident for elite

mountaineers is 0.203, see also table.

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High Peaks: Weinbruch et al.2012

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Injuries and Fatalities in Ice Climbing

Schöffl et al. Sports Med 2010

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Drytooling DAV 2006-7: Rock and Ice Climbing 12.8% of all injuries, Hiking and climbing showed with 0.1 doctor attendances per 1000 h of sport performance the lowest injury risk ! Fatalities not further evaluated

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Ice Climbing Accidents US, Canada

USA 1951 – 2004 2005 Accidents reported 249 5 Canada 1951 – 2004 2005 Accidents reported 158 0 Injured 92 Fatilities 30

Accidents in North American Mountaineering (volume 9, number 1, issue 59, 2006)

(appr. 1/year)

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Drytooling Ice Climbing Accidents in Switzerland

In 6 years 48 persons

registred through mountain

rescue

2 deaths through falls

3 deaths through avalanches

1 death through ice fall

Mosimann, U. (2006) Notfälle beim Eisklettern. Bergundsteigen. (4): 70-3.

(appr. 1/year)

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Conclusion – Ice Climbing

Ice climbing is a discipline with high objective risk potential, but with a low numbers of injuries and fatalities

Obviously the higher risk is compensated by the climbers by decreased readiness to assume risk and increased cautioness

The risk of fatal accidents can not yet be defined.

Canadian and Swiss data indicate one fatal accident per year

There is potential to further decrease the incidences

Further research necessary, actually UIAA MedCom: Ice Climbing competitions

Schwarz, Schöffl 2006

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Schöffl et al.2010, Sports Medicine

Evaluation of Injury and Fatality Risk in Rock and Ice Climbing:

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Schöffl et al.2010, UIAA Score

Evaluation of Injury and Fatality Risk in Rock and Ice Climbing: UIAA MedCom Score

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Schöffl et al.2010, UIAA Score

Evaluation of Injury and Fatality Risk in Rock and Ice Climbing: Fatality risk

Future research

Prospective cohort analysis

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Dedicated to many friends lost: We will always remember you, RIP

and many more