ClinicalTrials.gg
Not yet recruitingNCT07278791Updated Dec 12, 2025

Survey-Based Study on Recovery Period Differences in Upper Extremity Injuries Among Indoor Climbers by Treatment Method

An observational study in Upper Extremity Injury, sponsored by Sahmyook University. Not yet recruiting. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 50 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-12-12.

Sponsored by Sahmyook University · Observational

From the registry’s dates

  • Primary completion was expected by Feb 2026, 8 months ago, but the record still lists the study as not yet recruiting.
Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Cross-sectional
Enrollment
300
Ages
18 Years to 50 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This study aims to investigate the differences in recovery periods of upper extremity injuries among indoor climbers according to their treatment methods.

The research focuses on comparing the recovery duration, specifically the time to return to climbing, between those who received professional physical therapy and those who relied on self-treatment or other conservative management.

Additionally, this survey-based observational study seeks to explore how individual and training-related factors - such as warm-up duration, climbing frequency, and years of experience - affect the occurrence and recurrence of upper extremity injuries.

Participants will complete an online questionnaire consisting of demographic data, climbing habits, injury characteristics, treatment methods, and recovery outcomes.

The data will be collected anonymously and analyzed to determine whether the type of treatment correlates with faster recovery or reduced reinjury risk.

The findings are expected to provide foundational evidence for developing effective rehabilitation and injury-prevention strategies for indoor climbers, and to guide clinicians and trainers in selecting appropriate treatment approaches for upper extremity injuries.

Read the detailed description

This cross-sectional survey will recruit indoor climbers aged 18-50 who have experienced upper extremity injuries within the past 12 months.

The questionnaire includes sections on injury site and type (e.g., finger, wrist, elbow, shoulder; tendonitis, ligament injury, or muscle tear), treatment method (self-care, physical therapy, injection, surgery, or rehabilitation exercise), treatment duration, and perceived recovery status.

Statistical analysis will be performed to compare mean recovery periods among treatment groups and to examine correlations with demographic and behavioral factors.

The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Sahmyook University (IRB No. 2025-06-034-002).

Results from this research may contribute to improved understanding of injury management and evidence-based rehabilitation for indoor climbers.

02

Conditions studied

  • Upper Extremity Injury

Keywords

  • Indoor Climbing
  • Bouldering
  • Physical Therapy
  • Self-Treatment
  • Rehabilitation
  • Injury Recovery
  • Upper Limb
  • Sports Injury
03

In context

Arm Injuries

63 studies on the registry are indexed under Arm Injuries; 10 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 300 is above the median of 101 across 16 observational studies indexed under Arm Injuries.

Browse Arm Injuries studies →

Lead sponsor

Sahmyook University is the lead sponsor of 42 studies on the registry; 10 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 50 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

This study will include indoor climbers aged 18 to 50 who experienced an upper extremity injury related to climbing within the past 12 months and received any form of treatment. Participants will be recruited from climbing communities, gyms, and online platforms. Only non-professional climbers will be included to ensure generalizability to the general indoor climbing population.

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Adults aged 18-50 years.
  • Individuals who have participated in indoor climbing within the past 12 months.
  • Individuals who have experienced an upper extremity injury (e.g., finger, wrist, elbow, shoulder; tendonitis, ligament injury, muscle tear) during indoor climbing within the past 12 months.
  • Individuals who received any form of treatment (self-care, physical therapy, injection, surgery, rehabilitation exercise) for the injury.
  • Individuals who can provide and complete an online questionnaire.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Individuals who underwent major orthopedic surgery or fracture-related surgery unrelated to climbing.
  • Individuals who required hospitalization or long-term inpatient treatment (>3 months) due to severe musculoskeletal conditions.
  • Individuals currently receiving ongoing treatment for the same injury.
  • Individuals with neurological, systemic, or medical conditions that significantly affect musculoskeletal recovery.
  • Climbing coaches, professional climbers, or clinicians providing treatment (to avoid expert bias).
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(1)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

05

Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Cross-sectional
Enrollment
300 participants (estimated)
Patient registry
No

Groups and cohorts

  • Self-Treatment Group

    Participants who treated their upper extremity injury through self-managed care such as rest, cold/heat therapy, taping, or over-the-counter medication.

  • Physical Therapy Group

    Participants who received professional non-surgical physical therapy, including manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, or extracorporeal shockwave therapy.

  • Injection Therapy Group

    Participants who received non-surgical injection treatments such as prolotherapy, PRP, or steroid injections for upper extremity injury.

  • Surgery/Rehabilitation Group

    Participants who underwent surgical or invasive procedures followed by rehabilitation or exercise-based recovery programs.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Mean Recovery Duration (Weeks) According to Treatment Type

    The average number of weeks required for indoor climbers to achieve full recovery and return to climbing after upper extremity injury, compared across treatment types (self-care, physical therapy, injection, surgery/rehabilitation).

    Time frame: 12 months (retrospective survey)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Reinjury Rate Within 12 Months

    Proportion of indoor climbers who experienced a recurrent upper-extremity injury in the same anatomical region within the past 12 months.

    Time frame: 12 months

  2. Pain Resolution Duration (Weeks)

    Number of weeks required for complete pain resolution after upper-extremity injury, based on participant recall.

    Time frame: 12 months (retrospective survey)

  3. Return-to-Climbing Criteria (Self-Reported)

    Self-reported criteria participants used to determine readiness to resume climbing after upper-extremity injury (e.g., full pain resolution, daily activity tolerance, strength recovery).

    Time frame: 12 months

07

Study locations

No study locations are listed for this record.

08

References and documents

Publications

  • Schoffl V, Popp D, Kupper T, Schoffl I. Injury trends in rock climbers: evaluation of a case series of 911 injuries between 2009 and 2012. Wilderness Environ Med. 2015 Mar;26(1):62-7. doi: 10.1016/j.wem.2014.08.013. PubMed 25712297 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No — This study does not collect individual participant data (IPD) such as raw clinical data or identifiable records. All survey responses are anonymized, aggregated, and analyzed at the group level. Therefore, there is no IPD available to share.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Dec 12, 2025, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07278791
Lead sponsor
Sahmyook University
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Dec 12, 2025
Start date
Dec 1, 2025 (estimated)
Primary completion
Feb 28, 2026 (estimated)
Completion
Apr 30, 2026 (estimated)
Last update
Dec 12, 2025

Study contacts

Changyong Choi, PT, MPT Candidate
Contact
libetoi2@naver.com
+82-10-7184-3782
Seungwon Lee, PhD, PT
Contact
swl@syu.ac.kr
+82-2-3399-1638
Changyong Choi, PT, MPT Candidate
principal investigator · Sahmyook University
Seungwon Lee, PhD, PT
study chair · Sahmyook University

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Nov 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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