Prevalence of Falls on Mount Fuji and Associated with Risk Factors: A Questionnaire Survey Study

Since little is known about the detailed situations of falls on Mount Fuji, the aim of this study was to clarify the risk factors of falls on Mount Fuji in Japan. We conducted a questionnaire survey of 556 participants who had climbed Mount Fuji and collected the following information: fall situation, mental status, fatigue feeling, sex, age, climbing experience on Mount Fuji and other mountains, summit success, whether staying at a lodge, use of a tour guide, and symptoms of acute mountain sickness. Among the 556 participants, 167 had a fall (30%). Among 167 participants who had experienced a fall, 30 had fallen more than three times (18%). The main cause (>60%) of fall were slips. The most optimal model using multiple logistic regression (no fall = 0, and fall = 1) found eight significant risk factors, including sex, prior climbing experience on Mount Fuji, staying overnight at a lodge, subjective feeling of relaxation, sleepiness, emotional stability, dullness, and eyestrain. These results suggest that females, people who have no prior climbing experience on Mount Fuji, and people who did not stay at a lodge should pay attention to an increased risk of falls on Mount Fuji.