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Indoor Bouldering-A Prospective Injury Evaluation.
Jonas Auer1, Volker R Schöffl2, Leonard Achenbach1
1Department of Trauma, Hand, Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery, University Clinics Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
Wilderness & Environmental Medicine
|May 10, 2021
Summary
Indoor bouldering frequently causes injuries, particularly to the lower extremities, which are more severe. Developing preventive strategies for falls and landings is crucial for this popular sport.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Orthopedics
- Traumatology
Background:
- Bouldering is a rapidly growing sport with increasing interest.
- Limited prospective research exists on injury patterns and prevalence in bouldering.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively investigate the causes, body locations, and severity of injuries sustained during indoor bouldering.
- To identify risk factors and evaluate potential preventive measures for bouldering-related injuries.
Main Methods:
- An explorative cohort study involving German-speaking indoor boulderers.
- Participants completed baseline and monthly questionnaires over 12 months to record injuries, locations, and severity.
- Data collected included anthropometric information and sport-specific risk factors.
Main Results:
- Out of 507 participants, 222 (44%) reported 305 injuries.
- Upper extremities were the most common injury site (63%), followed by lower extremities (23%).
- Lower extremity injuries were more severe (UIAA grade ≥2) and frequently resulted from falling or jumping off the wall.
Conclusions:
- Injuries are common in indoor bouldering, with lower extremity injuries posing a higher severity risk.
- Current preventive measures showed no significant protective effect.
- Targeted interventions are needed to mitigate bouldering injuries, especially those related to falling and landing techniques.
