Schöffl Volker Rainer, Schöffl Isabelle, Jones Gareth, Klinder Annett, Küpper Thomas, Gunselmann Lukas, Simon Michael, Moser Othmar, Bayer Thomas, Lutter Chris
Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Sportsmedicine, Sozialstiftung Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany.
Division of Exercise Physiology and Metabolism, Department of Sport Science, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany.
BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2025 Feb 22;11(1):e002212. doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2024-002212. eCollection 2025.
This study aims to prospectively analyse current demographics, distribution and severity of climbing injuries in adolescents. We hypothesised that the injury distribution of adolescent climbers would differ from adults, as presented in the literature and that primary periphyseal stress injuries of the finger (PPSI) will be very common and correlate with training hours and climbing level.
We performed a prospective single-centre injury surveillance of all adolescent (<18 years of age) climbers who presented between 2017 and 2020. A standard questionnaire, including questions for medical history, injury and training data and an examination protocol, was conducted in all patients. Injuries were graded, and risk factors, anthropometric specifics and stages of development were analysed. Injury epidemiology of adolescents was then compared with adults as presented in the literature.
137 independent climbing-related injuries were found in 95 patients. Injury onset was acute in 67 (48.9%) and chronic in 70 (51.8%). Forty-one injuries (29.9%) occurred during bouldering, 18 (13.1%) during lead climbing, 2 (1.5%) in speed climbing and 1 (0.7%) while training on the campus board. Average International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation injury score was 1.5±0.5 (range 0-3). Females had more training hours (p=0.004), more campus board use (p=0.004) and more acute injuries than males (p<0.001). 82% of the injuries affected the upper extremity and the most frequent injury was PPSI (45.3% of all injuries). Finger injuries were significantly more common in males than in females (p<0.05). The injury distribution in adolescent climbers differed significantly from adults (p<0.001).
Injured adolescent climbers had mostly chronic injuries affecting the upper extremity, with almost half of the injuries being PPSIs of the fingers. Further preventive measures targeting this type of injury need to be identified. Reducing the use of the finger crimp grip, monitoring the load, ensuring adequate recovery and targeted education appear to be crucial.
本研究旨在对青少年攀岩损伤的当前人口统计学特征、分布及严重程度进行前瞻性分析。我们假设青少年攀岩者的损伤分布与文献中所呈现的成年人不同，并且手指原发性骨骺应力损伤（PPSI）会非常常见，且与训练时长及攀岩水平相关。
我们对2017年至2020年间前来就诊的所有青少年（<18岁）攀岩者进行了一项前瞻性单中心损伤监测。对所有患者进行了一份标准问卷，包括病史、损伤及训练数据相关问题以及一份检查方案。对损伤进行分级，并分析危险因素、人体测量学特征及发育阶段。然后将青少年的损伤流行病学与文献中呈现的成年人的情况进行比较。
在95名患者中发现了137例与攀岩相关的独立损伤。损伤起病急性的有67例（48.9%），慢性的有70例（51.8%）。抱石时发生损伤41例（29.9%），先锋攀登时18例（13.1%），速度攀登时2例（1.5%），在攀岩训练墙训练时1例（0.7%）。国际登山联合会损伤评分平均为1.5±0.5（范围0 - 3）。女性比男性有更多的训练时长（p = 0.004），更多地使用攀岩训练墙（p = 0.004），且急性损伤比男性更多（p < 0.001）。82%的损伤累及上肢，最常见的损伤是PPSI（占所有损伤的45.3%）。手指损伤在男性中比女性明显更常见（p < 0.05）。青少年攀岩者的损伤分布与成年人有显著差异（p < 0.001）。
受伤的青少年攀岩者大多有影响上肢的慢性损伤，几乎一半的损伤是手指的PPSI。需要确定针对这类损伤的进一步预防措施。减少手指扣握的使用、监测负荷、确保充分恢复以及针对性教育似乎至关重要。
