title: Incidence and Risk Factors for Upper Extremity Climbing Injuries in Indoor Climbers.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to describe the prevalence, incidence and risk factors for climbing-related injuries of the upper extremities in recreational climbers. A total of 426 recreational climbers were recruited from indoor climbing halls. The baseline questionnaire included questions on potential risk factors for climbing injuries: personal factors, climbing-related factors and upper extremity injuries that had occurred in the previous 12 months. Follow-up questionnaires collected information on new injuries that occurred during the follow-up period. The incidence of climbing-related injuries during one-year follow-up was 42.4% with 13 injuries per 1000 h of climbing. The finger was the most frequently affected injury location (36.0%). The following risk factors were associated with the occurrence of upper extremity injuries: higher age (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01;1.05), performing a cooling-down (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.28;3.18), climbing with campus board (OR 2.48, 95% CI 1.23;5.02), finger strength middle finger (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.05;1.18) and previous injuries (OR 3.05, 95% CI 2.01;4.83). Climbing injuries of the upper body extremities are very common among recreational climbers in indoor halls and several risk factors can be identified that are related to a higher injury risk.
authors.affiliation: General Practice, Erasmus MC Medical University, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Middelkoop
authors.affiliation: General Practice, Erasmus MC Medical University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bruens
authors.affiliation: Plastic Surgery, Erasmus MC Medical University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Coert
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation, Erasmus MC Medical University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Selles
authors.affiliation: EMGO Institute, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Verhagen
authors.affiliation: General Practice, Erasmus MC Medical University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
authors.forename: S M A
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Bierma-Zeinstra
authors.affiliation: General Practice, Erasmus MC Medical University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Koes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005383:Finger Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009051:Mountaineering / Q000293:injuries*; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D000070599:Shoulder Injuries; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000293:injuries*; D014954:Wrist Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D000092464:Elbow Injuries