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Chockstone Forum - Accidents & Injuries

Report Accidents and Injuries

Author
Werribee Gorge accident
userfriendly
26-Sep-2007
4:57:10 PM
just would like to say a big thanks to everyone involved in caring for me after my accident on Hadrian direct- 20 on the weekend just gone by.

Here is the short story. had one cam placed just above the middle of the wall above the ledge. (your probably thinking how stupid!, if you know the route that is) well yes very stupid, but I guess i was just not thinking.. and another thing was, i was meant to be on the easier line hadrian-16 (which goes up the ramp right of the crack) but must of been reading the 'direct' discription and followed the crack. But anyway I was going ok up the crack then went to reach up for the last hold to top out, expecting a big jug because I thought it was a sixteen.. found nothing but smooth rock and just peeled off.I hit the ledge, and the rope caught what was left.. My god!! it was scary.. my first lead fall and it has sent me running with my tail between my legs. it must of been around 3m i think because by the end of it i was hanging half a metre below the ledge. So now I have an ankle that has a bit of bone floating around, and when it broke off pulled ligamints and a tendon off. The doctor said i would of been better to brake the bloody thing. So im out for a couple of months and i want to make sure that nobody else has an accident on this climb or any climb for that matter. So be careful, don't rush things and double check everything.

And a special thanks to my belayer malcom for saving my ass.. thanks mate

cheers col

Superstu
26-Sep-2007
8:35:12 PM
I broke my ankle in exactly the same way on the same climb a few years ago. I am aware of at least one other person who has also done this. The crux is the tricky top out and the ledge below is ready to catch anybody who misses the crux.

Werribee Gorge is no adventure crag and is popular with new climbers so maybe a few extra words in the route description in the guidebook might be appropriate: "Regularly breaks ankles - beware" or "be careful with gear near the top"

Wishing you a speedy recovery!

cruze
26-Sep-2007
8:43:25 PM
All the best in recovering from your injuries. I remember leading that section with about 3 pieces because I was conscious of the ledge, but then again I knew which climb I was on. A good lesson to be learnt is to always factor in rope stretch and ledges I guess. But then again most climbers probably don't ever know what dangers they are in until they actually fall...

muki
26-Sep-2007
11:55:27 PM
On 26/09/2007 userfriendly wrote:
>I was going ok up the crack then went to reach up for the last hold to top out,
>expecting a big jug because I thought it was a sixteen..

The only place that has big jugs to finish as a garanteed thing, are gyms, no matter what the grade.
sounds like you lunged to that hold (a non static move) at the top, otherwise you would have been able to
feel "nothing but smooth rock" and reverse the moves back to ledge, and have a think about it all.
I hope you recover quickly, don't take things for granted so much, and learn to move staticly in future.
pomyrocks
27-Sep-2007
1:18:43 PM
Hi Col, i hope you have quick and succesful recovery from your accident. i was there myself on saturday and considered that climb but now i will approach with even more caution.

i can appreciate your situation having had a bad accident myself on one of my first lead climbs but its water under the bridge now and i only look and onwards and upwards!!....pardon the pun

all the best

JT


nmonteith
27-Sep-2007
1:21:03 PM
On 26/09/2007 userfriendly wrote:
>So now I have an
>ankle that has bits of bone floating around, and when they'd broken off
>pulled all the ligamints apart.

Be thankful that that description wasn't describing your head! Luckily our limbs tend to get in the way
before we hit the 'important' bits. Good luck on the mend! You'll be back out in no time...
pharmamatt
27-Sep-2007
1:44:33 PM
On 27/09/2007 nmonteith wrote:
>On 26/09/2007 userfriendly wrote:
>>So now I have an
>>ankle that has bits of bone floating around, and when they'd broken off
>>pulled all the ligamints apart.
>
>Be thankful that that description wasn't describing your head! Luckily
>our limbs tend to get in the way
>before we hit the 'important' bits. Good luck on the mend! You'll be back
>out in no time...

a good reason to wear a helmet, especially at werribee gorge even if your just sitting around!

best of luck with your recover
jgoding
28-Sep-2007
8:19:36 AM
Howdy,

you might like to consider Pilates for your recovery. I've found Balance and Control Pilates in Richmond to be excellent (as is Dynamic Stability, also in Richmond). There are some friends of mine who are experienced climbers, and very good at ensuring a succesful programme for recovery for a wide range of injuries (they are both very well trained physios as well as being Pilates instructors):

Naomi Gibbs - Balance and Control Pilates:

http://www.balancecontrolpilates.com/

Nicholas Allan - Dynamic Stability:
Nicholas Allan

B.App.Sci. (Physiotherapy) University of Sydney 1993

Masters of Health Science (Manipulative Physiotherapy) University of Sydney 2002

Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist,

Principal Educator Polestar Pilates International,

Director Dynamic Stability Physiotherapy and Pilates P/L

ABN 98 095165 923

nicholasallan@optusnet.com.au

Skype: nichoallan

Work +61 3 9428 3330

Fax +61 3 9428 0329

Mob +61 402 128 308

Level 1, 161-165 Swan Street

Richmond

Vic 3121

Australia
userfriendly
28-Sep-2007
12:25:29 PM
thank-you all for your support. and yes there are a few lessons learnt from all this.Another thing mentioned about helmets and body parts taken the brunt, which i didn't really think about at the time but do now, is that it could of been alot worst.

cheers guys col

IdratherbeclimbingM9
20-Oct-2007
2:37:08 PM
I wish you well with the recovery. Take the time to do it properly/fully otherwise it will pay you back in negative fashion in your elder years.

>My god!! it was scary.. my first lead fall

The damage you suffered sounds scarier to me, ... as not all falls result in injury.
:)

Thanks for posting so others can learn from your experience.
userfriendly
21-Oct-2007
12:17:28 PM
thats the idea.. and i bet the ambo's don't like coming out..they have mroe important things to go to. I say this because of the access. If i were able to get to the car i would of got my partner to drive back to the hospital. but you can't help that.

Thanks for the advise M9

IdratherbeclimbingM9 wrote;
The damage you suffered sounds scarier to me, ... as not all falls result in injury.


But my first real fall and look what happens... I can just see now, falling is going to be a lot scarier now, then before.

There are 11 messages in this topic.

 

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