[magpie]

I'm asking on behalf of a friend, who is currently in hospital with newly diagnoses DVT, an enquiring mind and no Internet access. 

Is it likely that doing a lot more red-pointing than usual might cause you to end up with DVT?  From hanging in a harness for longer periods of time?  Or falling more often?  Or could it have made an existing condition worse?

[nik at work]

I was talking about this to the guru just the other day. Our feeling was that it probably did lead to an increased risk of DVT however this increase in risk would be offset by the relative fitness/ high activity level (when compared to couch potato man) of your average climber. As such I would expect no increase in the incidence of DVT in sport climbers when compared to figures for the general public, however I (in a feat of complete speculation) imagine that the incidence of DVT in non-red/headpointy climbers would probably be lower than that for the general public.
There is no official SCIENCE in this post, but I have compensated for this by instilling high levels of WISDOM.

GCW will be along shortly with referenced articles and the usual brew of GP mumbo-jumbo pseudo-science.

(I'm assuming the victim is our little lead figure loving chum?)

[SA Chris]

however I (in a feat of complete speculation) imagine that the incidence of DVT in non-red/headpointy climbers would probably be lower than that for the general public.

Except big-wallers. Hanging around in a harness for days on end while getting dehydrated can't be good for you. Or shitting in a bucket and carrying it around for that matter, but that's unlikely to cause DVT. Each to their own.

[robertostallioni]

I suggest he starts wearing socks.



Oh.

[magpie]

That's kind of what I thought, Nik. 

I'm assuming the victim is our little lead figure loving chum?

You assume correctly.  I reckon he's just looking for an excuse to do less gnarly sport and more easy trad. 

[Falling Down]

McDVT 

Give him our best and buy him a box of Chicken McNuggets from me.

(Seriously... hope he's OK)

[magpie]

I'm not sure it's sensible to raise his blood pressure with McD's chat at the moment, but I'll send him your regards. 

[GCW]

GCW will be along shortly with referenced articles and the usual brew of GP mumbo-jumbo pseudo-science.

Virchow's triad.

There's several studies that show increased risk of DVT if you sit in a harness a lot.  But only if you wear a Gimp mask while you do it.  BUt we don't know anyone like that, do we?   

Seriously, there's no proper SCIENCE but common sense says it would increase the risk, more so if you smoke, are overweight, have a history of DVT, eat at fast food restaurants, are pregnant etc

[magpie]

Cool, thank you.  Like you've said, I would imagine the chances of it being down to climbing are slim if you are otherwise fit and healthy, but I think he just wanted to know if there was any SCIENCE out there to back up the theory.

[fatdoc]

work hard.

play thin.

take an asprin once a week.

no other risk factors??

if not, dont lose any sleep..

[SA Chris]

Bummer. Send him regards. Maybe lycra leggings were a good thing after all.

[magpie]

dont lose any sleep..

Unless you happen to be the unlucky bastard who ends up with one anyway.

[fatdoc]

well yeah, obviously...

but you did ask

[Jaspersharpe]

Despite the sock / fast food hilarity, in all seriousness I hope he's ok soon.

[Falling Down]

How's he doing today Magpie?

[SA Chris]

Can you take him McGrapes and Lucozade?

[magpie]

but you did ask

 

He's still in hospital, FD, they are giving him all sorts of medication to try and sort him out so at least he's in the right place and being looked after.  He's in fairly good spirits, I spoke to him last night and passed on your good wishes, so he knows you're all thinking of him, and appreciates it.

I can't Chris get down this weekend, but I'm sure if you fancied the trip he'd appreciate it, the food's apparently not up to much, Chris. 

[SA Chris]

even further for me. Might be down in September, hopefully he won't still be there still!

[Duncan Disorderly]

Just got back from paying him a visit and can confirm the docs say it's more likely caused by too long sitting still painting toy soldiers and definitely NOT from an excess of redpointing (that gets me off the hook then )

Seriously tho he seems in good spirits.... Hopefully he'll be out soon.

:D

disclaimer... they didn't actually say anything of the sort I just want to admonish myself from any blame in this  (

[andy_e]

Do they have Quake multiplayer in hospital? Hope he's ok!

[magpie]

Glad you made it in to see him, Dunc, you and I both know he's only done this to make you feel bad about getting him on sport routes instead if his beloved trad.   
(or possibly cause I dragged him to Spain for a week and wouldn't go climbing with him)

[Eddies]

I did a working at heights course and they spoke about the risks of suspension trauma when sat hanging in a harness for long periods of time.
Apparently effects can be felt after as little time as 3mins but is only really a problem if the victims limbs are imobile, like if they have passed out.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspension_trauma

[saltbeef]

why is he being kept in? surely he can be anticoagulated as an out patient?

[magpie]

Probably, if you just need anticoagulating, but they are still waiting for other test results and stuff to come back.  He couldn't possibly just have a normal DVT with nothing else wrong, that would be far too dull and simple.   

[SA Chris]

Fiend, did you ever find out anything about cause?