college

Question
hi i am at college studying a college course we have to find out what are the most common injuries in rock climbing?  

Answer
Dear Carly,

For exact statistics, I refer you to The American Alpine Club and it annual Accidents in North American Mountaineering.  There is a website.  Otherwise, I can offer you some anecdotal evidence.

I've had two friends suffer near fatal falls.  One slid down a Yosemite slab for eighty feet or so and then sailed off a drop of twenty feet.  He broke his back, badly damaged an elbow, a knee and also had a moderate concussion.  All of these are blunt force trauma injuries.  
The other friend fell off a small cliff for twenty-five feet and landed on his side.  He broke most of his ribs, badly damaged his lungs, hurt an elbow and also had a serious concusssion.  Neither man was wearing a helmet at the time of his fall.

Climbers are  vulnerable to mountain sickness, HAPE and HACE.  I know a fellow who went from sea level to 14,000 feet in the Sierra and was stricken with HAPE.  Only a helicopter rescue saved him from drowning in his own fluids.   Hypothermia from exposure to sudden bad weather can also kill.  

Overall, head and spinal injuries kill climbers.  Severe fractures may put them on the shelf for good.  Bad weather and altitude also take a toll.  Take a look at Hugh Herr's story.  It should be easily available on the web.  He lost both feet to frostbite and came back at a world class level of skill.

I hope this helps.
Bob Walton