Popularity of Rock Climbing Walls and the Increase in Serious Injuries

You’ve probably seen the rock climbing walls. They’re everywhere now: at amusement parks, on college campuses, in gyms, at children’s camps, and at other recreational facilities. Our amusement park injury attorneys note that the walls vary greatly in their size and complexity. But the dangers of falls, lacerations, and broken bones that they present to climbers are there whatever the size of the wall.

Because of the harness used by climbers, head injuries are less common than you might expect. Most people who fall from the climbing walls land on their feet. Very hard. So the most usual injuries according to a study by concerned physicians in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine are sprains, strains, and fractures to the foot, ankle, and leg. Many of these injuries are serious enough to require emergency room visits and hospitalization.

Emergency Room Visits from Rock Climbing Increased 63% from 1990 to 2007

About 9 million people climb these rock walls each year, and the number of serious injuries related to falls from them is increasing. From 1990 through 2007, data from the U.S. NEISS (National Electronic Injury Surveillance System) showed that 40,282 climbers received emergency room treatment for injuries from their climbing adventures. The average of 2,237 such injuries annually doesn’t tell the full story. Because the rate of annual injuries from the recreational sport increased by 63% from 1990 to 2007.

Part of the reason for the increase in injury numbers is that the climbing walls are often just one attraction in a much larger facility, leaving the rock walls and their climbers without sufficient staff attention. In addition, our amusement park injury attorneys point out that the facilities do not necessarily have staff adequately trained in climbing wall safety. The Executive Director of the Climbing Wall Association, Bill Zimmerman, indicated that facilities with rock climbing walls could reduce the risk of injury through risk management procedures, and staff orientation and training regarding climbing techniques and procedures.

Better Risk Management and Staff Training could Prevent Injuries

Mr. Zimmerman mentioned that some facilities might spend $1 million on the climbing wall itself, but then won’t spring for the paltry $10,000 or $20,000 to get their staff properly trained. We note that a severe injury could cost the facility or its insurers $1 million or more, so it’s wise to get at least one staff member (who could train the others) fully trained on climbing wall safety.

Falls from the climbing walls accounted for almost 78% of the reported injuries. Most falls were from heights of 20 feet or less. But around 34% fell from greater heights. More than half of those who fell from 20 feet or more required hospitalization. In fact, our amusement park injury attorneys emphasize that about 11% of injured rock wall climbers required hospitalizations, a high percentage for recreational sports injuries. (Sources: Kristina Fiore, ABC News Med Page Today, 7/26/2009 and Michael Popke, AB Newswire, October 2009)

Contact the Amusement Park Injury Attorneys at Denena Points, PC if you need Help after a Serious Injury

We offer you more than 15 years of personal injury expertise and a free, no obligation legal consultation to discuss the specifics of your accident and your potential eligibility for a full financial recovery for your needless injuries. Call us today at 281-369-4363 or fill out our online contact form to schedule your free consultation. Let our experience and legal knowledge help you recover.