Fatalities in Climbing - Boulder 2014
V. Schöffl
Evaluation of Injury and Fatality Risk in Rock and Ice Climbing:
2 One Move too Many
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 37.5 a Majority of minor severity using (Yosemite Valley, CA, USA) ISS score <13; 5% ISS 13-75
(Schussmann, Lutz et al. Mountaineering and traditional climbing (Grand Tetons, WY, 0.56 for injuries; 013 for fatalities; 23% of the injuries were fatal 1990) USA) incidence 5.6 injuries/10000 h of (NACA 7) b mountaineering
(Schöffl and Winkelmann Indoor climbing walls (Germany) 0.079 3 NACA 2; 1999) 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 Mostly NACA I-IIb, 11.3% exposure to rock climbing are not hospitalization specified
(Backe S 2009) Indoor and outdoor climbing activities 4.2 (overuse syndromes accounting for NS 93% of injuries)
Neuhhof / Schöffl (2011) Acute Sport Climbing injuries (Europe) 0.2 Mostly minor severity
Schöffl et al. (WMED 2013) Indoor sport climbing 0.02 15 UIAA 2 (515337 Indoor Climbing Wall Visits in 5 Years) 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
4 One Move too Many
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.
5 One Move too Many
High Peaks: Weinbruch et al.2012
6 One Move too Many
Injuries and Fatalities in Ice Climbing
Schöffl et al. Sports Med 2010
7 One Move too Many
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
8 One Move too Many
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
(appr. 1/year)
Accidents in North American Mountaineering (volume 9, number 1, issue 59, 2006)
9 One Move too Many
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
(appr. 1/year) Mosimann, U. (2006) Notfälle beim Eisklettern. Bergundsteigen. (4): 70-3.
10 One Move too Many
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
11 One Move too Many
Evaluation of Injury and Fatality Risk in Rock and Ice Climbing:
Schöffl et al.2010, Sports Medicine 12 One Move too Many
Evaluation of Injury and Fatality Risk in Rock and Ice Climbing: UIAA MedCom Score
Schöffl et al.2010, UIAA Score
13 One Move too Many
Evaluation of Injury and Fatality Risk in Rock and Ice Climbing: Fatality risk
Schöffl et al.2010, UIAA Score
14 One Move too Many
Future research
Prospective cohort analysis
15 One Move too Many
Dedicated to many friends lost: We will always remember you, RIP
and many more