%0 Journal Article
%T Self-reported injuries in indoor gym-based rock climbers: a retrospective study of predictors of prolonged injury and seeking medical care
%J Wilderness and environmental medicine
%D 2023
%A Leung, Jonathan
%A Petrin, Ziva
%A Southern, William
%V ePub
%N ePub
%P ePub-ePub
%X INTRODUCTION: Indoor climbing injuries are often related to overuse, and climbers choose between self-management and seeing a medical practitioner. This study evaluated predictors of prolonged injury and seeking medical care for indoor climbing injuries. <br><br>METHODS: A convenience sample of adult climbers from 5 gyms in New York City was interviewed about injuries over the past 3 y, because of which they stopped climbing for at least a week or saw a medical practitioner. <br><br>RESULTS: In total, 122 of 284 (43%) participants had at least 1 injury, for a total of 158 injuries. Fifty (32%) were prolonged, lasting at least 12 wk. Predictors of prolonged injury included older age (odds ratio [OR], 2.28, per 10-y increase; 95% CI, 1.31-3.96), hours per week spent climbing (OR, 1.14, per 1-h increase; 95% CI, 1.06-1.24), climbing difficulty (OR, 2.19, per difficulty group increase; 95% CI, 1.31-3.66), and years of climbing experience (OR, 3.99, per 5-y increase; 95% CI, 1.61-9.84). Only 38% of injuries were seen by a medical practitioner. Predictors of seeking care included prolonged injury (OR, 3.04; 95% CI, 1.39-6.64) and rope climbing preference (OR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.02-3.82). The most common theme for seeking care was serious pain or interference with climbing or daily activities. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Despite prolonged injuries being common, especially in older, more experienced, and higher-level climbers, only a third of climbers with injuries seek medical care. Outside of injuries causing minimal pain or limitation, those who self-managed reported receiving advice from other climbers or online research as a prominent reason for that choice.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
%G en
%I Elsevier Publishing
%@ 1080-6032
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.wem.2023.05.002