Photo: iwona kellie, Flickr

When you hear about someone falling off a ladder, you immediately cringe, then wait for a long list of injuries. There's one adventure sport that elicits that same initial cringe -- rock climbing.

Now a new rock climbing study reveals everything you ever wanted to know about climbers limping into an emergency room. Here are a few interesting results:

• From 1990-2007, there were an estimated 40,282 rock climbing injuries, averaging 2,237 annually.
  
• An amazing 77.5 percent of injuries were due to falls, and 11 percent of all injured were hospitalized. Keep in mind, a rock climbing fall doesn't necessarily mean hitting the ground -- a short fall while suspended on a rope can be nasty.
  
• Fractures, sprains and strains were the most common injuries, with the ankle most commonly injured and the foot most commonly fractured. Ouch.
• While the study saw a 63-percent jump in rock climbing-related injuries during the 18-year study period, it's only logical considering there was a 67-percent rise in participation since 1998. So don't pay attention to headlines screaming Rock Climbing Injuries Jump 63 Percent.

Of special note, this study is the first to delve into nationally representative data to examine rock climbing injuries. It's not an analysis of solely elite climbers, it's important new knowledge about injuries seen in any climber entering an emergency room. Ideally, it could raise awareness and improve training and prevention efforts.

However, what this study admittedly doesn't reveal is the relationship between type of injury and type of climber. What's the injury analysis in relationship to amateur versus elites top-roping, lead climbing, bouldering, free climbing or even dangerous free soloing? What about belayer experience, climbing equipment and training? I've peered down upon many shoddy outdoor top-rope anchor systems set by other climbers that would give you the shivers.