Tales of Bushwalking Injuries

[ferozious]

Hi people,

I thought it would be interesting to hear stories from times when things didn't quite go as planned, in particular when injuries occurred, what happened, what solution you came up with, etc etc.

Obviously things may not have been good at the time, but I think that sometimes these situations can be looked back on and laughed about. Its also good to hear and learn from others experiences.

I'll give my story.
We set out to Kanangra Main Canyon (NSW). On the third last abseil, (last of a set of three drops), for some reason, I decided to try and climb a small sloping wall, but got myself stuck on a VERY slippery ledge halfway up. Before we could bring a rope down, I began to slide towards the edge. I was sliding on a sloping rock for 3m, then fell straight off the edge about 5m. I ended up landing on my feet, and fractured my ankle. Lucky I had a helmet because I hit my head VERY hard on the rocks, it probably saved my life. We did our best to isolate the fractured ankle and treat a minor cut in my leg that later required some stitches. We did not have reception for helicopter, and it was going to be a COLD night, so I did my best to hobble on with one leg and help from others. Abseiling and swimming with one leg was quite a challenge! It was getting dark as we began the climb up the steep ridge between Murdering Gully and Kalang Canyon. It took us several hours going VERY slowly. We got back to the car at around 10pm, then Katoomba Hospital by midnight. Conveniently, it was my 20th birthday that next day!
Looking back, I can laugh at it now, but I remember that 3.5hr climb seeming more like an eternity! I learnt my lesson and wont do any unnecessary wall climbing without a rope again whilst canyoning!

Keen to hear other stories.

[Son of a Beach]

I've not been on a walk with any mishaps as serious or scary as that. However, I was on a walk where we'd camped in a rather obscure and off-track location beyond Cradle Mountain, when there was knee-deep snow all around. During the next morning's walk, we came across a small hill with a nice snow-drift to play on, and so we stopped for a break to do some jumps from the top, and one member of the party landed with his leg going deep into the snow, and body kept going, and tore one of the ligaments in the knee quite badly (so we found out when diagnosed properly after getting home).

There were about 7 or 8 people in this particular group, and a few of them were a lot more experienced than me, and the weather was sunny and still. So the first thing we did was that one of the guys pulled the Trangia out of his pack and set it up and boiled a large pot of water to make some tea. This turned out to be a very good idea (in the good weather conditions), as it forced everybody to stop and think while having morning tea, so that we could take our time in assessing the situation and not make it worse by making stupid decisions without enough consideration.

While having our tea, we discussed a variety of possibilities, ranging from how to build a bush stretcher from backpacks and things in them and nearby vegetation, to piggy backing, and splinting the injured leg, etc. One of the ideas for splinting was to remove both of the structural aluminium rods from one of the back packs, and bend them to fit the shape of the injured leg (one on the front side of the leg and one on the back side of the leg), and then bind them both to the leg for a splint. We got as far as moulding one of the bars to fit the leg shape quite snug.

However, in the end, after resting a bit, the injured bloke decided he could hobble very slowly with the aid of some pain killers a using large stick from a nearby tree as a staff, so long as he didn't have to carry a pack.

So he managed to hobble very slowly and awkwardly all the way while the rest of us took turns in carrying his pack. To do this, we emptied enough stuff out of the top of the extra pack to make it easier to see over the top of it when wearing it on the front, and distributed the items amongst the other packs. It was still difficult going like this not being able to see where we were putting our feet, especially while off-track, before reaching the main track again. So for a while we ended up taking turns in taking the extra pack ahead, dumping it, then coming back again, and picking up our own pack, taking it ahead, coming back for the other back, etc, then having a rest while somebody else did it. It didn't matter that it was slow, as the injured bloke's hobbling was slower still.

[sef]

I dislocated my knee and popped my ACL about four hours from the road in the Budawangs. Direct impact to a structurally weak and once reconstructed knee... pop. Pain. Roar.

Sat there for a while feeling very sorry for myself. Tried to put weight on it, nada. Sat down for a bit longer. No phone reception. No EPIRB, although having thought about it I doubt I'd have set it off anyway. In the end, after yelling at a bunch of inanimate objects to make me feel better, I wrapped enough duct tape around a makeshift split on the knee to stop most of the movement and uprooted a small tree and made something resembling a walking stick. The next twelve or so hours weren't the best of my life. Every time I came to a descent or an uneven surface I'd have to sit down and worm my way around it.

The knee gave way if any weight was put on it, and I had to cut (read: bite) half the tape off because the swelling was putting so much pressure on it that the lower limb was getting pins & needles.

I hit a track at about 6pm (which was nice) and beyond there it wasn't too bad. Heard some voices once I got close to Long Gully, but figured I was basically home by then. Got to my car and drove back to Canberra -- at that point, I could have done with some nurofen, but chemists all seemed to involve walking. Got back to Canberra at 3am and only then remembered that I lived upstairs. Decided to sleep in my car. Got bored of that at about 5am and rang a friend who was nice enough to take me to emergency.

They took one look at me, left me there for about four hours, then took another look at me in my ripped shorts and scratched legs and loaded me up with tetanus boosters.

Lessons? Meh. Take an EPIRB. If you have a known injury that could relapse and it's kinda consequential if it happens in the middle of nowhere, wear a brace. But, most importantly, if you aren't comfortable doing rubbish like the above, don't go solo.

[Liamy77]

I was on a school walk years ago and we came across a married couple on the second day into a 7 day walk.... the fella had slipped boulder hopping and snapped his ankle / lower shin and collar bone- his foot was about 90 degrees wrong! This was pre epirb days.. our phys-ed teacher was one of those superfit macho jocks and he jogged out alone (took him about 9 hours return to raise help...) they sent in a helicopter lift.... all good in the end i guess but rather him than me...

[north-north-west]

Errrrr . . . I got a thorn in my finger that I couldn't get out for days . . .

[Liamy77]

hot coffee in metal cups can be tricky too.... unless ya get yourself a fancy double walled cup to make us other folk jelous of eh!?

[north-north-west]

I've only had two really awkard injuries bushwalking - both while off track, both to the left leg.

The first was a torn medial ligament, when I was about 10km from the car. Really made a mess of the plans for that little holiday when the people at the hospital said "Go Home. Go directly Home. Do not drive, do not walk, do not collect $200." I'm still waiting for an explanation of how I was supposed to get myself and car back to Baxter from the northern NSW coast without driving.

The other was all due to a couple of wedgies. They had to put on a mating flight so close, when I was climbing back up a hillside from a creek gorge, didn't they? Managed to trip and bang the leg on the edge of a big rock. Didn't realise until half an hour later when back on the track that there was a stick wedged in a crack of the rock. This penetrated more than halfway through the leg beside the shin. I now have a scar that looks like it was made by a bullet.

The more serious injuries have all been doing other things - caving, motor bikes, judo & TKD, diving . . .
Really, bushwalking's safer than a lot of other activities.

[Liamy77]

I've only had two really awkard injuries bushwalking - ......

......
The other was all due to a couple of wedgies.....

My first thought:
maybe wear trackie pants or walk with someone else?
glad you went on to explain it further!

[north-north-west]

I was actually wearing trackie daks that morning. Oddly enough,although that lump of wood made a very awkward hole in me, it didn't put one in the pants. Strange.

[flyfisher]

Some people just shouldn't be allowed out on their own.
ff

[north-north-west]

But then I'd never go anywhere!!!

[flyfisher]

Orrite then, we'll make an exception.
ff

[Liamy77]

nah its all good..... keeps us medical types in business!

[Phil Box]

FMR did a study a few years ago into bushwalking injuries. Every single injury was reported for a period of time (6 months from memory). Hospital records were also brought into the study as well. This study was done with a research grant. Even scratches were included. The conclusion was that sunglasses should be worn in the bush because eye injuries were THE most common injury. This actually surprised a lot of people.

[Liamy77]

hypothermia is the most leathal threat from about -6 to +6 degrees celcius i think....
but i have this theory that gravity can be a harsh mistress!

[corvus]

Gravity has my vote because the outcome of me testing it on a short easy rock climb left me with permanent emotional and physical scars
Torn Hammie,torn ankle ligament,sprained ankles and various burns, cuts, nicks and bruises over the years pale into insignificance compared to that wee fall
c

[Liamy77]

yup .... oowch.... but at least u r still around to remember it!

[north-north-west]

FMR did a study a few years ago into bushwalking injuries. Every single injury was reported for a period of time (6 months from memory). Hospital records were also brought into the study as well. This study was done with a research grant. Even scratches were included. The conclusion was that sunglasses should be worn in the bush because eye injuries were THE most common injury. This actually surprised a lot of people.

I can see (blurrily) what they're getting at. I had my sunnies on whilst pushing through some regrowth yesterday - until one branch knocked them off, and another almost took an eye out when I went to retrieve them. Maybe safety goggles would be a better idea for that sort of thing.

[flyfisher]

Some people just shouldn't be at large on their own.

[north-north-west]

You're just jealous. I had a wonderful day. 35km of forests, rocky ridges and riversides. Perfect weather - not too hot, not too cold, no nasty icy wind. Brilliant.

[flyfisher]

Yeah weather like that does make me a tad envious. But take care.