Close Menu
SportyVibes.live –

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

    What's Hot

    I love Sony’s latest headphones, but the last-gen is what you should buy this Prime Day

    July 10, 2025

    AC Milan vs. Como in Australia? Italy’s FA approves request

    July 10, 2025

    US widens public benefit restrictions for undocumented immigrants | Donald Trump News

    July 10, 2025
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Trending
    • I love Sony’s latest headphones, but the last-gen is what you should buy this Prime Day
    • AC Milan vs. Como in Australia? Italy’s FA approves request
    • US widens public benefit restrictions for undocumented immigrants | Donald Trump News
    • Labrador Aiteo defeats Labrador Oando to win
    • Wimbledon 2025 results: Mixed doubles champion says ‘heart is bleeding’ over US Open format changes
    • 11 Things to Know About WNBA Superstar Caitlin Clark
    • Why Wimbledon Has the Most Stylish Crowds on the Planet
    • More Than a Dozen Killed in Israeli Airstrike Near Gaza Clinic
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest Vimeo
    SportyVibes.live –SportyVibes.live –
    • Home
    • News
    • Cricket
    • Combat
    • Fitness
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Tennis
    • Gear
    • Highlights
    SportyVibes.live –
    Home»Fitness»The Most Common Trail Running Accidents
    Fitness

    The Most Common Trail Running Accidents

    Sports NewsBy Sports NewsJuly 10, 2025No Comments5 Mins Read
    Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Reddit Telegram Email
    The Most Common Trail Running Accidents
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    <\/div><\/div>”],”filter”:{“nextExceptions”:”img, blockquote, div”,”nextContainsExceptions”:”img, blockquote, a.btn, a.o-button”},”renderIntial”:true,”wordCount”:350}”>

    In March 2023, on a trail run in the mountains near Tucson, Arizona, I caught my toe on a rock. I was descending a steep and technical section of trail a little more quickly than I’d normally go. I had a plane to catch. I’m not sure how long I was airborne—maybe a second or so—but it felt like a long time. The aftermath was bad—lost front teeth, deep facial wounds that eventually required plastic surgery—but could have been much, much worse.

    Running injuries are distressingly common, afflicting somewhere between 20 and 80 percent of runners, according to one oft-cited pseudo-stat. But it’s mostly sore knees and inflamed tendons and the like: nuisances, but not existential threats. Trail running is different, though. The nature of trails, and the sometimes remote environments they traverse, mean that things can go seriously wrong. At the Outside Festival last month, I conducted an on-stage interview with Hillary Allen, whose book Out and Back tells the story of her 150-foot fall off a ridge during a mountain race in Norway. Her injuries were a lot worse than mine, but she too has made a successful comeback. Not everyone does.

    A new study in the journal Wilderness & Environmental Medicine takes a comprehensive look at the worst-case scenarios in trail running, with the goal of figuring out what the biggest risks are and how runners and race organizers can mitigate them. Researchers at the University of Pretoria in South Africa, along with colleagues in Portugal and France, combed through online news records for fatal or catastrophic events that occurred while trail running. They identified 127 cases, almost all within the last 15 years, of which 104 were fatal.

    The key data from the study is shown in the figure below, which divides fatal incidents into the most common categories:

    Cold weather is the leading cause of death among trail runners (Photo: Wilderness and Environmental Medicine)

    Cold and Hypothermia

    By far the most common cause of death among trail runners is cold weather and hypothermia. This isn’t surprising, especially given that trail runners often run in the mountains, where weather can shift rapidly.

    It’s tempting to pack as lightly as possible when you’re running, skimping on warm-weather gear, especially if the weather looks nice. After all, running itself will keep you warm. But what happens if, say, you twist an ankle? Or get lost? Or the weather takes a dramatic turn for the worse? Then you’re sweaty, tired, and inadequately dressed. Under such conditions, it’s possible to become hypothermic even in relatively moderate above-freezing conditions, a phenomenon sometimes referred to as “hiker’s hypothermia.” Back in the 1990s, four U.S. Army Rangers died from hypothermia during training exercises in Florida, of all places.

    The solution here is obvious but easy to ignore or rationalize away: bring enough warm clothing. Many trail races have rules that specify minimum clothing requirements; it makes sense to take similar precautions on training runs. In the new dataset, 64 percent of the deaths took place during organized trail-running races, with the rest taking place during recreational or training runs. Both scenarios are potentially risky. (In contrast, when runners go missing, it’s almost always during recreational or training runs rather than races.)

    Falls

    The second-most-common cause of trail-running deaths is blunt trauma after falls. This is once again a trail-specific hazard, and some trails are more rugged and/or more exposed than others. I’m not really sure what to say about this, because “be careful” seems like empty advice. People run trails in part to get away from smoothly manicured roads and sidewalks; the gnarliness of the terrain is intrinsic to what they’re seeking. In doing so, they’re accepting some risk. What’s the “right” level of risk? I don’t know, but in the wake of my Tucson fall, I’ve become a lot more cautious in situations where the consequences of an error are likely catastrophic.

    Cardiac Arrest

    Third on the chart is cardiac arrest, which is a general risk of exercise (or in fact of living) rather than a specific trail risk. In most cases, such deaths during exercise reflect either underlying heart disease or a genetic heart abnormality. The researchers suggest cardiac screening as a way of uncovering these problems in advance. Whether such screening is worthwhile, much less cost-effective, has been a topic of longstanding debate among cardiologists. Suffice to say that if you have any doubts about your heart health, you should consult your doctor before venturing into the mountains.

    Less Common Causes

    The rest of the causes of death are relatively uncommon. Murder and vehicle accidents are sad but could occur anywhere. Animal attacks, lightning strikes, and drownings are probably a bit more common on backcountry trails or in the mountains than in city streets, but the numbers suggest these are very unusual. If you’re in grizzly country, pack bear spray and run in a group; if you’re in a thunderstorm, don’t cross exposed ridges; think twice before wading through rivers with strong current. This is all good advice under any circumstances.

    The danger in writing about trail-running deaths is that it makes trail-running sound dangerous, in the same way that TV news reports on abducted kids in the 1980s convinced a generation of parents that suburban streets were infested with kidnappers. Given the numbers—the researchers cite data suggesting that 1.7 million people entered trail races between 2013 and 2019, with participation growing by about 12 percent annually—trail running is eminently safe. Still, the data suggests a couple of easy takeaways: pack a jacket, and watch your toes.


    For more Sweat Science, join me on Threads and Facebook, sign up for the email newsletter, and check out my new book The Explorer’s Gene: Why We Seek Big Challenges, New Flavors, and the Blank Spots on the Map.

    Accidents Common Running Trail
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleReasonable expectations for Jihaad Campbell’s rookie Eagles season
    Next Article 'You're bowled!' Brook dismissed by Bumrah as India strike after tea
    Sports News
    • Website

    Related Posts

    Fitness

    11 Things to Know About WNBA Superstar Caitlin Clark

    July 10, 2025
    Fitness

    13 Tips for Practicing Outdoor Yoga While Camping

    July 10, 2025
    Fitness

    Want to Work Out More? Try Making This Tweak to Your Nighttime Routine

    July 10, 2025
    Add A Comment
    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Top Posts

    Lisa Nandy removes herself from final decision on leader of football regulator | Lisa Nandy

    June 2, 202551 Views

    Beat writer doubts that the Lakers can land Walker Kessler

    June 12, 202521 Views

    Mubi, A Streamer For Cinephiles, Is Now Officially Indispensable

    June 2, 202511 Views
    Stay In Touch
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • TikTok
    • WhatsApp
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    Latest Reviews
    Football

    Robertson returns as County stick with manager Cowie

    Sports NewsJune 2, 2025
    Highlights

    Spanish GP: Max Verstappen admits George Russell crash ‘shouldn’t have happened’

    Sports NewsJune 2, 2025
    Highlights

    Max Verstappen-George Russell collision: F1 world champion admits move ‘was not right’

    Sports NewsJune 2, 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest tech news from FooBar about tech, design and biz.

    Most Popular

    Warriors add sharpshooter in second round of new NBA mock from Yahoo

    June 2, 20250 Views

    Erin Blanchfield rips Maycee Barber after UFC Fight Night cancellation: ‘She needs to fix her life’

    June 2, 20250 Views

    Eagles have $55 million in dead money salary cap

    June 2, 20250 Views
    Our Picks

    I love Sony’s latest headphones, but the last-gen is what you should buy this Prime Day

    July 10, 2025

    AC Milan vs. Como in Australia? Italy’s FA approves request

    July 10, 2025

    US widens public benefit restrictions for undocumented immigrants | Donald Trump News

    July 10, 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest
    • About Us
    • Disclaimer
    • Get In Touch
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Condtition
    © 2025 sportyvibes. Designed by Pro.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.