Canyoning Accidents in Austria from 2005 to 2018

Mathias Ströhle, Ina Beeretz, Christopher Rugg, Simon Woyke, Simon Rauch and Peter Paal
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Mathias Ströhle: Department of General and Surgical Critical Care Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Ina Beeretz: Social Services Vienna, Centre for Paediatric Development, 1220 Vienna, Austria
Christopher Rugg: Department of General and Surgical Critical Care Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Simon Woyke: Institute for Mountain Emergency Medicine, EURAC Research, via Ipazia 1, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
Simon Rauch: Institute for Mountain Emergency Medicine, EURAC Research, via Ipazia 1, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
Peter Paal: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Hospitallers Brothers Hospital, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Kajetanerplatz 1, 5010 Salzburg, Austria

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 17, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Canyoning has become a popular recreational sport. Nevertheless, little is known about injuries or diseases associated with canyoning. The aim of this study was to examine accident causes, injury patterns, out-of-hospital and in-hospital treatment and outcomes. For this purpose, national out-of-hospital data from the Austrian Alpine Safety Board and regional in-hospital data from Innsbruck Medical University Hospital were analysed for the period from November 1, 2005 to October 31, 2018. Nationally, 471 persons were involved in such accidents; 162 (34.4%) were severely injured, nine of whom died. Jumping ( n = 110, 23.4%), rappelling ( n = 51, 10.8%), sliding ( n = 41, 8.7%) and stumbling ( n = 26, 5.5%) were the most common causes of canyoning accidents. A large proportion of injuries were documented for the lower extremities ( n = 133, 47.5%), followed by the upper extremities ( n = 65, 23.2%) and the spine ( n = 44, 15.7%). Death was mainly caused by drowning. Overall mortality was 1.9% ( n = 9), and the absolute risk was 0.02 deaths per 1000 hrs of canyoning. Many uninjured persons required evacuation ( n = 116, 24.6%), which resulted in a substantial expense and workload for emergency medical services. Increased safety precautions are required to reduce accidents while jumping and rappelling and fatalities caused by drowning.

Keywords: canyoning; accidents; emergency medical service; search and rescue; epidemiology; trauma and injuries (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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