Climbing towards recovery: investigating physically injured combat veterans' psychosocial response to scaling Mt. Kilimanjaro.
OBJECTIVE
To explore physically injured combat veterans' psychosocial response to scaling Mt. Kilimanjaro.


METHODS
Participants (n = 4) were male and ranged in age from 22 to 44 years. They had all been wounded as a result of active duty in Afghanistan between 15 and 42 months (M = 27.25) before the study. Data were collected throughout a 9-day climb on Mt. Kilimanjaro using multiple sources of ethnographic data collection techniques including semi-structured interviews and detailed observations. Data were analyzed using cross case analysis.


RESULTS
The findings are divided into themes that were drawn out of the data to illustrate the participants' psychosocial response to their experience of climbing on Mt. Kilimanjaro. Key themes of self-determination, active coping and social support were identified from the data.


CONCLUSIONS
Support for those in recovery from trauma should foster psychosocial resources needed for healthy functioning. Future research should explore the role of meaningful and challenging activities as a way of improving the experience of recovery following serious injury.
Centre for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Institute of Membrane and Systems Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK. S.Burke@leeds.ac.uk
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D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009051:Mountaineering / Q000523:psychology*; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D020127:Recovery of Function; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012944:Social Support; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D055815:Young Adult