The number of tramping and mountaineering related ACC claims topped 5868 last year, totalling $3,051,246 worth of claims.

According to figures released by ACC, the largest injury category was soft tissue injuries, which accounted for 4841 claims, followed by ‘lacerations, puncture, sting’, with 507 claims and 304 fractures/dislocations. There were also 20 claims for the eyebrow-raising category ‘foreign body in orifice/eye’.

The number of claims has grown steadily over the past five years, rising from 4013 in 2013. However, the total cost of the claims has decreased, after peaking at $5,236,661 in 2015.

Districts with the most claims were:

Auckland: 643

Queenstown Lakes: 467

Christchurch City: 426

Southland: 268

Wellington: 246

Tasman: 242