On Friday, Jan. 25, Hailey resident Curtis Hoffenbach, 21, was climbing on his own at the climbing wall at the Wood River Community YMCA in Ketchum. He had just reached the top and was resting before coming back down when in a split second he had crashed 30 feet to the floor.
In that split second his life changed. The YMCA staff called an ambulance and he was transported to St. Luke's Wood River Medical Center.
"Something happened. It wasn't Curtis' fault," his father, Paul Hoffenbach, said. "The YMCA personnel took good care of him. After the actual accident itself they were very careful. And the ambulance guys were stellar."
Although the hospital released him on Sunday, saying his injuries were "minor" within a few days, it became evident to the Hoffenbachs that a second opinion was needed.
"We went to Dr. Verst on Monday and got a brace," Paul said. "But we called (Dr.) Tim Floyd, (who is now) with Boise Orthopedic. He looked at the X-rays and said, 'Get him down here. He'll probably need surgery.'"
In fact, Curtis had six cracked vertebrae, two of which were burst fractures, Thoracic 10 and Lumbar 2. In order to stabilize them, the L8 through T12 were fused together and the L1 through L3 were anchored with titanium screws.
Curtis, who is back home in Hailey, will spend six weeks flat out. He is allowed to sit for three, 20-minute sessions a day and can use a walker minimally.
He'll be in a brace for six months with no activity other than physical therapy. Paul said the doctors think that within a year Curtis should be able to resume some minimal activity such as bowling, which he enjoys.
"He'll loose some mobility," Paul said. "We just focus on the idea he's not handicapped."
The YMCA closed the part of the climbing gym where Curtis had been climbing and according to program developer Jason Fry, conducted an in-house investigation into the accident, which was completed last Friday.
Redwoods Group, one of the YMCA's main insurance companies and risk management services, sent a climbing expert following the accident to Ketchum to evaluate the incident and garner testimony from staff and witnesses.
"We haven't seen a report yet," Fry said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Curtis to have a speedy recovery.
"The Y is doing everything we can to ensure that an accident like this or any other accident doesn't happen again," he said. "We had a review of the accident, and also had a safety review for the entire building. There are certain practices that we're going to implement immediately. This weekend we're applying a non-slip surface on the pool deck. We have a new floor treatment for the locker rooms. We are taking actions to make sure it's as safe as possible."
The Y employs Red Cross-trained lifeguards, and utilizes Climbing Wall Association industry standards, Fry said. Before the opening of the Y last fall, the entire staff went through substantial training for climbing, fitness, life guarding and working with kids.
Safety at health clubs is essentially the responsibility of the participant. The Y, just like other fitness center managers, employs waivers and releases, risk management services and liability insurance. The most common claims appear to be in three categories: slip-and-fall or wet area accidents, injury to participants engaged in athletic activity, or incidents involving an employee.
The YMCA of USA requires that members and guests sign a waiver releasing the 168-year-old organization of responsibility in case of an accident and agreeing not to sue on "account of injury to the person or property or resulting in death."
