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gblauer
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Feb 12, 2007, 8:08 PM
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From my post in the accidents and injuries forum:
"On Saturday, 2/10, I lead an easy 5.7 as a warm down. I got to the top of climb, clipped the last bolt, called out to my belayer and let her know that I was done with the climb and that I was going to drop off the wall. She acknowledged me and off I came.
I never felt the "tug" of the catch and continue to ride to rope all the way down to the floor. I landed on my feet, crunched into a ball, rolled on to my back. I immediately felt a "bloom" of searing pain across my lower back. Two days later, I am out of the hospital with an L2 compression fracture.
What did I learn?
1) It can happen to anyone (yes, even you)
2) You are only as strong as the weakest link in your system
3) Cull the herd; select your belayers carefully and only allow those you trust to give you a belay
4) Keep your circle small; know your belayers, constantly check on their potential for distraction, moods and energy level
So, several months of hard core training down the drain with one 30 foot fall. I really hope I can get my head back together. "
Clausti, Granitegirl, anyone...Please tell me how you got back climbing...Is there any strength work I can do during my recuperation?
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kimmyt
Feb 12, 2007, 8:40 PM
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gail,
i am so sorry to hear about this! i know you have been working very hard and training alot recently, and this is really upsetting to me to hear. i hope you get better!
k.
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gblauer
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Feb 12, 2007, 9:04 PM
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kimmyt wrote: gail, i am so sorry to hear about this! i know you have been working very hard and training alot recently, and this is really upsetting to me to hear. i hope you get better! k.
Thanks Kim. It's going to be a tough road back.
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happiegrrrl
Feb 12, 2007, 9:51 PM
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Oh Gail - I am so sorry to hear this. What a drag!!!
I don't have any advise on recuperation; thank the universe I haven't had to deal with that issue. But I would like to add one item to your checklist.
- Don't weight the rope UNTIL you feel the tension from your belayer.
It is something I INSIST upon, in a gym and on a TR outside.
I have had some belayer's return my call for take with "gotcha" and gotten nothing from the rope, and it tells me something about the quality of my belayer. What - do they give fish cold handshakes at a business introduction too?!
Seriously - I have had some belayers get pissy when they don't take the extra bit up and I "remind" them. Don't really give a rat's ass. If someone is my partner, I want to know implicitly that they are on the job.
Belaying IS one half the climbing partnership. One should strive to be the best belayer they can be.
While I'm ranting - bored belayers???? This really rankles me to no end. I have belayed people - patiently and supportively, insisting they not worry and take their time if they apologize for the slowness - while they snail-paced it up some route. And to get "How's it going?" every time I take a bit extra time to commit....Not cool.
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granite_grrl
Feb 12, 2007, 10:10 PM
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There's no doubt that taking practice falls, even if they're tiny is more dangerous than just waiting for tension at a bolt. But if you can't trust someone to catch you when they know there's going to be a fall how can you trust then rest of the time while you're leading? I caught victory whippers from my husband...he trusts me I trust him and I made sure I was well prepared.
Anyway Gail....the road to recovery.
Clausti would be a better one to talk to because she also hurt her back. My lasting injury is a broken femur and pelvis....so I currently have a very weak leg and stability issues. I don't want to give recomendations on exercises.
What I will recomend is to stay motivated. I spent almost 6 months sitting on my ass. I did physio and cruches, a few short walks here and there, but that was anout it. I wish I had found some free weights, maybe joined a gym for a couple of months and had had a place to put up our hang board.
Now I'm weak as a kitten....but motivated again! In the last month or so I have started climbing again and doing yoga. I sat in a harness for the first time again to climb 2.5 weeks ago.....I've now been out on ice for 7 of those days.
Another recomendation - get a sports physotheripist. Mine discharged me early and I started develping muscle imbalances when I started becoming more active. I didn't really like her and she only wanted to get me to the "good enough" stage. She even told me that I shouldn't even think about climbing till next summer. What a wanker. I've now gone to another physio about my imbalances and things look like they're improving.
Good luck on the recovery, hope you heal fast. Wish I could offer more advise, but this is what I found to be the most important things for me so far.
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gblauer
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Feb 13, 2007, 12:02 AM
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granite_grrl wrote: What a wanker.
That's the best ever! Really made me laugh (which hurts like a mother).
Thank you for responding, I really appreciate the input. I am seeing a spine guy tomorrow (sports oriented) and I will see what he has to say.
Congratulations on getting out to climb. It's awesome after such an ordeal. You must have been terrified while waiting for help to arrive. I know this sounds crazy, but, I was so afraid that I was going to die. (You know, like a major artery tears away when I suddenly stopped and hit the floor). I had so much chest pain (knees into ribs) that I thought I had done organ damage or I was going to bleed out right then and there. (Ok, maybe I watch too much TV). It was tough waiting for the ambulance to arrive, although there was a guy trained in medicine (he was not an MD, but went to med school).
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gblauer
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Feb 13, 2007, 12:10 AM
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Terrie,
Thanks for your reply. Here's the issue...I take intentional practice falls. I do this to hone my sport head. It's a great thing to do if you are pushing your limit on sport lead. I have been training very hard for the last 3 months in preparation for a trip to Mexico. Part of that training is falling drills.
While I hear what you say about a taut rope, I usually take the "victory whip" in the gym. All of my partners know this, all of them have caught me.
This particular partner has 2 years of experience. She had passed the lead certification and was comfortable using an ATC. She was using her ATC and her rope when she lost control.
I have learned that I will minimize my circle of belayers and I will take whippers when people are belaying with an autolocking device. lesson learned.
(This post was edited by gblauer on Feb 13, 2007, 12:10 AM)
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snoangel
Feb 13, 2007, 12:29 AM
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Gail,
I am so sorry to hear that this happened to you. While I have no words of wisdom, I just wanted to send out some good vibes and wish you a speedy recovery.
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climbs4fun
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Feb 13, 2007, 12:37 AM
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Gail, sorry to hear about your injury. Back injuries are the worst. I have a herniated disk at L5-S1. I find that I have the least amount of pain when I do core excercises on an excercise/balance ball. The core muscles add extra support around the spine, reducing the amount of strain on the injury. But talk to your doctor about your readiness to do those excercises so soon after your accident.
Hope you have a speedy and full recovery!
Kel
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granite_grrl
Feb 13, 2007, 1:30 AM
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gblauer wrote: granite_grrl wrote: What a wanker. That's the best ever! Really made me laugh (which hurts like a mother). Thank you for responding, I really appreciate the input. I am seeing a spine guy tomorrow (sports oriented) and I will see what he has to say. Congratulations on getting out to climb. It's awesome after such an ordeal. You must have been terrified while waiting for help to arrive. I know this sounds crazy, but, I was so afraid that I was going to die. (You know, like a major artery tears away when I suddenly stopped and hit the floor). I had so much chest pain (knees into ribs) that I thought I had done organ damage or I was going to bleed out right then and there. (Ok, maybe I watch too much TV). It was tough waiting for the ambulance to arrive, although there was a guy trained in medicine (he was not an MD, but went to med school).
I don't remember a thing. It seems that it'll forever be a mystery why I fell because my belayer couldn't even properly see me. The first thing I remember was being in the hospital 2 weeks later, my parents there, and asking how long untill my husband would be back. I was on some pretty hefty drugs so I kept forgetting their answer, or when I remembered I forgot what day it was so I still didn't know how long it would be till he returned.
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happiegrrrl
Feb 13, 2007, 2:01 AM
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ahhh - I sort of got the idea something was up with, I think it was granite grrl who said that thing about practice falls being more dangerous....
I never have heard of the term "victory whipper" till this thread. But I guess when you're a 5.5 leader like me, who has also only led 2 sport routes in her life, that would make sense.
Well - it really sucks is still all I can come up with. Good thoughts on resting and recuperating and getting back on it. You'll do it!
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junior_co
Feb 13, 2007, 1:11 PM
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gblauer wrote: This particular partner has 2 years of experience. She had passed the lead certification and was comfortable using an ATC. She was using her ATC and her rope when she lost control.
Sry to hear about your drop... Hope you heal up quickly.
Was just wondering if you know what happened on her (the belayer) end? Did she hear you wrong, or misintupret what you were going to do?
Good luck and good on ya
Junior
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gblauer
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Feb 13, 2007, 1:50 PM
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My belayer believes that she caught the first part of my descent, but, somehow lost control of the rope and could not regain control.
Based on my memory, I do think she has some friction in the system (I would have had more severe injuries), but I do not remember the "tug" on my harness at the catch. I just remember taking a very quick ride to the floor.
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granite_grrl
Feb 13, 2007, 2:27 PM
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gblauer wrote: My belayer believes that she caught the first part of my descent, but, somehow lost control of the rope and could not regain control. Based on my memory, I do think she has some friction in the system (I would have had more severe injuries), but I do not remember the "tug" on my harness at the catch. I just remember taking a very quick ride to the floor.
30ft is a long way, I was surprized and glad that you were only as bad as you were. I was told I fell ~30ft to that ledge and I was lucky that I came out of it as good as I did (which obviously wan't great, but I didn't get major brain damage and I'm here to write this to you).
She may have helped you not lasnd as hard.
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macherry
Feb 13, 2007, 2:28 PM
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gail, sorry to hear about your drop. a similar accident happened to a friend...only at the crags.......... but he broke both his heels and one ankle, no back injury.He now insists on only being belayed with a gri-gri.
hope you have a speedy recovery talk to a physio and they'll be sure to get you on the right track to recovery
best wishes
marge
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crackrn
Feb 13, 2007, 2:52 PM
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So sorry to hear about your fall. Best wishes for a speedy recovery, both body and mind.
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quadfire
Feb 13, 2007, 4:07 PM
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Excuse me for stepping into this conversation, but I was curious.
granite_grrl, how did you get your head back into climbing . Is it just taking it in small steps, that you've regained some confidence?
My wife fell, and we've been bouldering since. Seems really hard to get over the whole heights thing, and trusting the rope again.
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granite_grrl
Feb 13, 2007, 4:15 PM
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quadfire wrote: Excuse me for stepping into this conversation, but I was curious. granite_grrl, how did you get your head back into climbing . Is it just taking it in small steps, that you've regained some confidence? My wife fell, and we've been bouldering since. Seems really hard to get over the whole heights thing, and trusting the rope again.
I'm not anywhere near where I want to be. First time back out ice climbing my husband climbed up to put in some directionals and I started crying and hyperventalting.
I've been feeling okay on toprope, but its going to take me a while to be comfrtable with anything to do with leading.
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lena_chita
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Feb 13, 2007, 4:27 PM
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gblauer wrote: My belayer believes that she caught the first part of my descent, but, somehow lost control of the rope and could not regain control.
Gail, I'm very sorry to hear about your fall. It sucks to train hard and then lose it all b/c of such a stupid mistake. I'm so glad you weren't more seriously hurt!
I'm still curious about how your belayer could lose control of the rope. Skin fold pinched in the ATC? Rope burn on her palm? Where exactly was her brake hand? It doesn't make sense that (s)he had control at the beginning... If there was slack in the system when you took your whipper, there won't be any traction in the beginning, right? It seems that her brake hand just wasn't holding on properly to begin with so as soon as the rope started pulling, (s)he let it slip through...
But I hear you about choosing your belayers carefully. I had an experience last summer, when someone I met at the gym, who looked to be a proficient belayer and was supposedly climbing for 5+ years came on a trip with us, and while belaying me on lead decided that his ATC set-up wasn't "right" (it was set up properly-- but for the left hand, so I never caught a "mistake" b/c I'm left-handed myself and I can belay with either hand being brake hand anyway). When he noticed that, he thought nothing of telling me to "hang on" ( I just clipped the second bolt) and TOOK ME OFF BELAY-- without even waiting for me to confirm that it was O.K., or waiting for me to go on direct, anything! Just called out for me to "hang on", took hands off the rope and started fiddling with his ATC!!! Luckily I was in a good clipping spot, so I was able to hang on, but oh boy, I was shaking mad. Never again!
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lhwang
Feb 13, 2007, 5:21 PM
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gblauer, yikes. I'm sorry to hear about your accident and hope you recover soon. Thanks for posting about it.
There are 2 or 3 people that I climb with regularly... but I've been trying recently to meet new climbing partners as one of my partners now has a jealous, insecure, high-maintenance, non-climbing girlfriend (but that's a different story entirely). I'm always a bit leery of new partners, but it sounds like it can happen even with people you've been climbing with for quite some time.
Get well soon, gblauer.
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gblauer
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Feb 13, 2007, 7:03 PM
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[quote "lena_chita
I'm still curious about how your belayer could lose control of the rope. Skin fold pinched in the ATC? Rope burn on her palm? Where exactly was her brake hand? It doesn't make sense that (s)he had control at the beginning... If there was slack in the system when you took your whipper, there won't be any traction in the beginning, right? It seems that her brake hand just wasn't holding on properly to begin with so as soon as the rope started pulling, (s)he let it slip through...
She does not know how she lost control of the rope. She reported a burning sensation on her palm. There was clearly some friction in the system because my injuries were mild relative to what could have happened. We are trying to figure out exactly what happened, but, no answers yet. I personally believe it was a function of:
1) Fatigue on her part
2) Inattention at the very wrong moment
3) Failing to lock off the rope
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happiegrrrl
Feb 13, 2007, 7:16 PM
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Sounds like the grip wasn't tight, the rope started to run, and....well, you can imagine.
Someone once gave me some good advise, as I was beginning to lead belay. Of course, it is applicable to any belay. The advise was:
"If the rope starts to run through your hand - HOLD ON TIGHTER!"
Now, personally, I have been relieved to discover that, whenever I've had a falling partner, my instinct has been immediate, to lock it down!
But - I think it is really a good thing to have that little "Warning - Danger" thing parked in my brain. There may very well be a time that it saves someone for injury or worse. I hope I never find a rope screaming through my skin, but am glad I have that information. I try to impart the information whenever I can; I think it is a useful thing to be aware of.
A burning rope WILL hurt(I assume). But that hurt will be temporary and will heal. And your partner will be damned grateful that you locked tight instead of the other option. As a belayer, we MUST be prepared to do our job. It is just that important.
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maww
Feb 14, 2007, 8:13 PM
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I've never had experience with an injury like yours Gail I just wanted to wish you a speedy recovery. Sending good vibes your way.
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clausti
Feb 15, 2007, 9:11 AM
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gblauer wrote: lena_chita wrote: I'm still curious about how your belayer could lose control of the rope. Skin fold pinched in the ATC? Rope burn on her palm? Where exactly was her brake hand? It doesn't make sense that (s)he had control at the beginning... If there was slack in the system when you took your whipper, there won't be any traction in the beginning, right? It seems that her brake hand just wasn't holding on properly to begin with so as soon as the rope started pulling, (s)he let it slip through... She does not know how she lost control of the rope. She reported a burning sensation on her palm. There was clearly some friction in the system because my injuries were mild relative to what could have happened. We are trying to figure out exactly what happened, but, no answers yet. I personally believe it was a function of: 1) Fatigue on her part 2) Inattention at the very wrong moment 3) Failing to lock off the rope
as far as anything to stay in shape while you're waiting: I have to say I wasnt allowed to do anything. I did exactly nothing untill I was allowed to climb again, then I did some general conditioning and just started leading again. Because I fell bouldering, that is a lot scarier for me than leading, so I just get my partners to give me the OCD spot, which makes me feel better, and my head is ok. i mentioned this before elsewhere, but for people recouperating: resist the temptation to eat trash. I ate all kinds of crap while I was laid up and that I am definitely paying for now.
gail: I really want to know how your belayer was belaying, specifically was she belaying palm UP? as many gyms teach? (i know the my university gym did), and while that is, technically, ok for toproping, it is NOT good for leading, depsite, again, many gyms teaching it. Specifically, palm up, the rope can certaily be ripped out of your hand, as it is likely to open when you get burned, and you cant regain control. Palm down, on the other hand, even if you should lose the rople, it is alway between your hand and your thigh. also, the rope is not going to rip through your palm like it can rip through your fingers, so palm down is just better.
PS, omfg, if you are getting rope burns belaying, you are fucking getting rope burns. step on it. sit on it. something. just whatever you do, waht is that kids? DONT TAK EYOUR BRAKE HAND OFF.
PPS. I've seen gym employees teach girls the palm up method preferentially, since it does take less inherent shoulder strength to execute properly, and its less tiring. dont let them give you that bullshit, ladies, learn to belay properly.
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kimmyt
Feb 15, 2007, 3:04 PM
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At this particular gym, they do teach the palm-down method of belaying.
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