NAPLES, Italy — With their origins seeded in the vast alpine regions throughout Europe, hiking and rock climbing are two sports that started as survival skills and have grown to become some of the most popular summer activities. But along with the thirst for adventure, these sports create a number of hazards that make them some of the most dangerous summertime activities on Earth.
According to the Naval Safety Center, falling in one of the leading causes of injury for military personnel while participating in summer activities. Though not all falls occur from hiking and rock climbing, a large majority of serious incidents do occur from these sports. Some of the more common injuries suffered from these sports are ankle and wrist sprains, knee and elbow abrasions, blisters and muscle strains. Because of the hazards associated with isolation and environmental factors, hikers and rock climbers also tend to suffer dehydration and elevation and heat related injuries.
In the Europe, Africa, Southwest Asia Region, there is a wide variety of mountainous areas to both hike and rock climb. Among these vast natural playgrounds, the Alps mountain range is the most visited by hikers and climbers. Because of its natural beauty and endless supply of ever-changing trails and routes, thousands of military members challenge the terrain of the Alps each year.
“It's not too easy to get medical help when you're 1,000 feet up and there's nowhere to land a chopper,” said Phil McCauley in a 2008 article entitled ‘The Ten Most Dangerous Sports on the World!’. “In the insurance world, rock climbing is classed as a Category 5 sport. The only things more dangerous are Category 6 sports, which includes…knife fighting and blind archery.”
To help reduce the chances of any injuries or mishaps in the EURAFSWA region, personnel can take simple, yet effective, precautions before hiking or rock climbing. First, use a checklist to ensure all necessary equipment, food and clothing are packed. Also, provide someone with an itinerary before departing. Carry a whistle as a lightweight communication device in case of an emergency. Most importantly, know the hazards in the area and stay within abilities of everyone.
“Always make sure you have stretched out before beginning an activity – a good goal is a minimum of 5-10 minutes for warm-up,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Neil Oliver, a corpsman and the physical therapy leading petty officer at U.S. Naval Hospital Naples, Italy. “ABC's for ankles help warm up the joints while simple a push-up can help warm and loosen the upper body muscles you'll be using for climbing. And as any medical professional will say, stay hydrated... dehydration is the number one source of summer injuries.”
If someone does suffer an injury, remember to utilize the acronym R.I.C.E – rest, ice, compress, and elevate, added Oliver. “After treatment and depending on severity, we would begin with stretch progressed towards strengthening followed by education on how to prevent these in the future.”
Oliver also stresses the use of proper protective equipment as well as training on the use of all necessary equipment. For hikers and rock climbers, a helmet can be the difference between a headache and a serious injury. As part of the Naval Safety Center 2010 Summer Safety Campaign, ‘Live to Play, Play to Live’, additional information about hiking and rock climbing precautions as well as proper safety equipment can be found on the Naval Safety Center Web site at www.safetycenter.navy.mil.
A 2001 report called ‘Accidents in North American Mountaineering’ stated that nearly 30 people died in the U.S. from rock climbing mishaps in 2000. Another report from the Health and Safety Executive in the United Kingdom states that people rock climbing or hiking have a 1 in 320,000 chance of dying while participating in these activities. When considering that an average of nine million Americans participate in these extreme sports annually, it is easy to see why hiking and rock climbing are considered dangerous and deadly sports.
Because of the dangers personnel face while participating in these adventurous sports, it is important to remember to always use the right equipment, have a plan, stay hydrated and know the potential hazards while planning a hiking or rock climbing trip this summer. Preparation is the key to having a safe, fun experience while mountaineering in the EURAFSWA Region.
Commander, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Southwest Asia is responsible for providing efficient and effective shore service support to U.S. and allied forces operating at our installations. For more information about Navy Region Europe, visit http://www.cnic.navy.mil/europe.
| Date Taken: | 07.02.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 07.02.2010 02:10 |
| Story ID: | 52271 |
| Location: | NAPLES, IT |
| Web Views: | 278 |
| Downloads: | 116 |
This work, Summer Sports Dangers: Hiking/Rock Climbing, by PO2 Marc Rockwell-Pate, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
