Re: [at-l] Risk of injury Survey

[bullard@northnet.org]

An injury survey exists in LONG DISTANCE HIKING by Roland Muesser. It did
not take into account all the groups mentioned nor did it calculate a
injury/exposure time ratio. Roland tracked many details of the thru (or
attempted thru) hikes of 136 AT hikers in 1989 when he hiked the trail
himself. His book is largely built around the statistics he collected. If
you are into stats (other than bird and flower sightings) you should read it.

From the injury/illness figures he lists I would conclude that major
injuries are very unusual. He reports the usual disgestive problems,
blisters, sore knees etc. that you can find in every journal you pick up. I
have read many journals and the only *serious* injuries that come to mind
are Indiana Jean's broken ankle and a report in the Trailplace journals of
an unnamed hiker who fell off a precipice and "broke bones in her face".
Another journal later reported that that hiker rejoined the trail farther
North after recovering. All in all hiking appears to be one of the safer
activities in life. There was a hiker death (last year?) but it was the
result of a health problem unrelated to hiking (brain tumor).

Saunterer
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