No pain no gain: a survey of use of healthcare and reasons not to seek healthcare by Norwegian climbers with chronic injuries

Abstract

ObjectivesTo assess the use of healthcare, and reasons not to seek healthcare, by climbers with a chronic injury.MethodRetrospective survey.SettingWeb-based questionnaire.Participants667 active climbers (385 with chronic injuries).Outcome measureUse of healthcare (including reasons not to seek healthcare if the patient was not attended by health professionals), performance level in sport climbing, onset of a climbing-related injury, site of injury, preferred style of climbing and gender differences.ResultOf the 667 respondents, 385 had experienced a chronic injury in the past 6 months. Climbers with a chronic injury are reluctant to seek healthcare, and male climbers are less likely to seek healthcare than female climbers. The two most frequent reasons not to seek healthcare were: (1) an assumption that the injury was not serious enough (70%) and (2) a belief that a health professional could not help (60%). Only one in five of the climbers with a finger injury sought healthcare. The more experienced climbers were less likely to seek healthcare than recreational climbers.ConclusionUse of healthcare among climbers with a chronic injury is limited and injured climbers self-assess the injury before seeking medical aid. Experience is a strong predictor for not seeking healthcare after an injury. These findings open up the possibility that some of those who do not seek healthcare after self-assessing the injury are underestimating the seriousness of the injury due to lack of confidence in the health professionals’ abilities to help treating chronic climbing related injuries.

Wrist Injuries in Climbers

“…This, however, is not surprising, given the previously reported literature demonstrating high pain tolerance in climbers. 20,22,34 Synovitis of the ulnocarpal recess, as reported by Lutter et al, 38 was the most frequent diagnosis in our cohort. This was followed by ulnocarpal impaction, bone marrow edema, wrist sprains, and wrist ganglion cysts.…”

Self-Reported Injuries in Indoor Gym-Based Rock Climbers: A Retrospective Study of Predictors of Prolonged Injury and Seeking Medical Care

“…However, there were additional reported themes that were almost equally as common in injuries that were self-managed, including first, advice or reassurance being obtained from another person or self-research, and second, an unwillingness to seek medical care, such as having a belief that a medical practitioner could not do anything for the injury. Grønhaug et al 23 found similar themes in their study in which 24% of climbers reported a similar doubt about the knowledge of health professionals regarding climbing-related injuries, and 6% reported receiving help from a friend. However, our discovery that many climbers prefer self-research, often online, is a new observation.…”

Human-Factor Risk Mitigation in Outdoor Climbing Areas: Survey of Existing Policies in Regulated Climbing Areas

“…Rock climbing, mountaineering, and indoor rock climbing are increasingly popular recreational activities in the United States, with over 6 million participants annually. [1][2][3] Climbing is increasingly accessible to the general population, and participants are transitioning from climbing indoors to climbing outdoors. 1 A range of injuries can occur while climbing, from falls to stressrelated musculoskeletal injuries.…”