An Occupational Health Survey of British Mountain Guides Operating Internationally

Abstract

Introduction-Professional mountain guides face significant occupational health risks, including injuries, accidents, environmental exposures, chronic musculoskeletal strain, and psychological stressors. This study aims to investigate these risks and their impact on the quality of life of a group of international British mountain guides. Methods-This self-reported online survey included demographics; acute and chronic occupational conditions; and questions on general health, lifestyle, symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and quality of life based on the World Health Organization quality of life [WHOQOL-BREF] questionnaire. Results-Responses were received from 67 (32%) of the approached guides. Knee pain (75%), back and neck pain (62%), hand/upper extremity problems (51%), and lower limb injuries (49%) were the most commonly reported individual occupational health problems. Chronic eye problems were reported by 8%, and 5% reported skin cancer. Twenty-nine percent were on regular medications, which were mainly analgesics for chronic musculoskeletal complaints. Mountain guides have a healthy lifestyle, with lower rates of being overweight/obese, alcohol consumption, and smoking than the average UK population. Fourteen (61%) of the 23 guides responding to the PTSD questions reported experiencing life-threatening traumatic incidents, and 4 (25%) of this subgroup appear to have had some symptoms of PTSD. The quality of life assessment showed that the studied mountain guides have a high quality of life. Conclusions-Musculoskeletal problems are the main occupational health problems experienced by the study group. New findings include a low but important prevalence of ultraviolet radiationÀassociated conditions. One in 3 guides have experienced significant psychological trauma, and one quarter of these had symptoms of PTSD.

The psychology of mountaineering: a systematic review

“…Collectively, evidence from longitudinal studies on changes in overall mental health during expeditions appeared somewhat equivocal, but offer tentative evidence that some mental health symptoms might be more adversely affected during expeditions than others. The final code, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), was mainly synthesised from crosssectional studies in mountain guides, who reported low levels of PTSD (Harkensee & Hillebrandt, 2019;Sommer et al, 2004).…”

Epidemiology of Hand and Wrist Injuries in Outdoor Recreational Activities

“…Half of all dog walking injuries involve the upper extremity 9 . Hoverboard, skateboard, and mountain biking injuries often involve the upper extremity 10,11 , and most professional mountain guides report a hand or wrist injury at some point in their careers 12 .…”