Friction Blister by Climbing Harness: A Case Report

Abstract

An experienced 24-y-old climber on Mount Everest presented to the Base Camp medical clinic with a friction blister on his right flank. The blister was filled with clear fluid and was located about 3 cm posterior and 3 cm superior to the highest point of the right iliac crest, the site where a climbing harness would support the climber while hanging. A diagnosis of friction blister caused by a climbing harness used while traversing between Camp 2 and Camp 3 of Mount Everest was made. The blister was managed with hydrocolloid dressing, and the patient resumed climbing after 1 wk. The lesion healed with scarring at 2 wk. Friction blisters of the feet are common in climbers wearing ill-fitting shoes, but friction blisters caused by climbing harnesses are unusual and have not been reported in the literature as far as the authors are aware. All existing guidelines for blister management pertain to blisters of the feet, and there are inconsistencies in recommendations made by various authors. This unusual case in an extreme environment provides a good learning opportunity.

A Brief Review on Factors Affecting the Tribological Interaction between Human Skin and Different Textile Materials

“… A picture of the friction blister on the 24-year-old, Mt. Everest guide, after a week of medical care [ 6 ]. Reproduced with permission from Adhikari, S.; Dawadi, S.; Upadhyay, J., Friction Blister by Climbing Harness: A Case Report; published by Elsevier, 2019.…”

“…The blister developed at the location where the climbing harness would be to support the climber. It was speculated that a layer of clothing against his skin was bunched up underneath the harness on this particular trip, which had caused great friction on the skin and caused a large friction blister [ 6 ]. Any injury in such an extreme environment, such as Mt.…”