2019 Volume 79 Issue 3 Pages 384-388
This study surveyed cases that required emergency care after climbing Mount Fuji. Cases included 24 patients ［10 male and 14 female; mean age: 48 （16-73） years］ who received emergency medical treatment in the period of the Mount Fuji climbing season in 2018. Among the injured patients, 13 had no previous experience in climbing Mount Fuji, whereas 6 had previously climbed it 1-3 times, 1 had climbed it 4-5 times, and 4 had climbed it ≥10 times. Overall, 16 assessed their mountain-climbing skill level as beginner, 5 as intermediate, and 3 as advanced. This was the first mountain-climbing experience for 3 of the 16 who assessed themselves as beginners. In terms of the number of sleep hours before injury, two patients had taken a nap, two slept approximately 1 hour, three slept approximately 3 hours, one slept approximately 4 hours. Overall, 6 patients assessed their level of fatigue when they were injured as very tired, 10 as somewhat tired, 2 as having some energy, and 6 as having a lot of energy. The disease or injuries comprised bruise/contusion on the head or face in five patients; lower back contusion or acute lower back pain in two; extremity sprain or open bruise in five; dislocation or fracture in seven; altitude sickness, dehydration, or heat stroke in three; bladder infection in one; and aspiration of foreign object in one. Results showed that the injured patients who visited our hospital were typically beginners in mountain climbing who had exercised for a long duration without sufficient sleep. This suggested that such beginners should have an increased awareness of the risks of mountain climbing without adequate training and preparation.
