Climbing Injury? We Won’t Leave You Hanging!
It likely comes to no surprise to you that upper body injuries are the most common type of injuries experienced by rock climbers. The demands on the shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand require consideration if we are to prevent (and rehab) injuries. Many of these injuries are commonly seen in physical therapy in other types of athletes, including rotator cuff strains, shoulder impingement, and tennis elbow.
Many climbers could benefit from strengthening the back side of the shoulder blade area. Classic exercises to try at home include I’s, T’s and Y’s with small weights in hand, banded or weighted rowing, and simply hanging from a bar and engaging your mid back to pull those shoulder blades down and in. Similarly the extensive amount of gripping in climbing warrants attention as well; overuse can lead to presentations similar to tennis elbow. We can combat this in physical therapy with exercises specifically targeting gripping, wrist strength, and addressing soft tissue deficits in the forearm and elbow area.
One injury more specific to climbers is a rupture of what is called the flexor pulley in our fingers, most commonly in the ring or middle finger. Picture the position of your fingers in a closed hand crimp, and you are envisioning when these structures are being most stressed. Many of the exercises we do for other parts of the body can be scaled to work the fingers: think rubber band resistance exercises versus Theraband or weighted resistance exercises. Research shows that utilizing an open hand crimp versus closed hand distributes forces through your fingers more evenly, helping to prevent this specific injury. And like all activities, properly warming up your (upper) body is crucial in preventing climbing injuries.
As someone who experienced a partial tear of their hamstring climbing (highly do not recommend), I understand that we put our bodies in curious positions at times and very well could injure any body part. Physical therapists are experts in treating musculoskeletal conditions, and we are here to help! We also understand the importance of referring you to a different provider if treating your specific situation is outside of our realm of expertise, for example if a muscle tear is suspected requiring imaging or if a finger injury warrants a specialized hand therapist. We would love to join your healthcare team in preventing or rehabbing those climbing injuries. Climb on!
Need assistance in solving your climbing injury? Let’s chat! We would be happy to further discuss how Loon State Physical Therapy can be a teammate in getting you back to moving and feeling your best! Call us at (612) 405-8503 or book with us online at www.loonstatephysicaltherapy.com for an in-person or virtual appointment.
Thank you!
Bailey Van Oosbree
Physical Therapist at Loon State Physical Therapy