Climbing with David

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David has been climbing for more than ten years and usually climbs most weeks of the year, whether inside or outside. The line between a passion and obsession can get blurry at times. He began climbing outdoors in Brisbane at Kangaroo Point with a university club, and fell in love with the physical challenge, movement and exploration climbing brings immediately. Since then, he has delved into the world that is climbing, including but not limited to; bouldering, sport climbing, traditional, multi-pitch and adventure climbing, training, injury management, travel & competitions. He chose to retrain as a physiotherapist partly due to climbing. Through his climbing experience and now as a physiotherapist, he has continued to further his education in climbing performance and injury management.

Why climbing?

There are many benefits and appeals for participating in climbing:

  • Physical challenge: Climbing challenges your strength, flexibility, technique, and endurance. It engages various muscle groups throughout your body, including your arms, legs, core, and back.
  • Problem-solving: Climbing often presents intricate puzzles that require strategic thinking and problem-solving skills. Figuring out the best sequence of moves to ascend a route can be mentally stimulating and rewarding.
  • Stress relief: Climbing requires focus and concentration, which can help distract from daily stresses and worries. The intense physical activity also triggers the release of endorphins, which can improve mood and reduce stress levels.
  • Connection with nature: Outdoor climbing allows you to experience breathtaking natural landscapes and connect with the outdoors in a unique way. 
  • Sense of accomplishment: Overcoming challenges and reaching new heights (literally) can instil a sense of achievement and boost self-confidence. Progressing from easier routes to more difficult ones can be immensely satisfying.
  • Community and social interaction: Climbing often fosters a tight-knit community of like-minded individuals who share a passion for the sport. Whether indoors or outdoors, climbers frequently support and encourage each other, creating a sense of camaraderie.
  • Adventure and exploration: Climbing opens up opportunities for adventure and exploration, whether it’s discovering new climbing spots, exploring different types of rock formations, or travelling to iconic climbing destinations around the world.

What foundational strength is helpful in climbing?

Several foundational strength components are beneficial for climbing:

  • Upper body strength: Climbing involves a significant amount of pulling and pushing movements, so having strong upper body muscles, including the back, shoulders, arms, and chest, is helpful for executing moves and maintaining control while climbing.
  • Core strength: A strong core provides stability and helps maintain proper body positioning while climbing. It also aids in transferring power efficiently between the upper and lower body, especially during dynamic movements and overhangs.
  • Finger and grip strength: Finger and grip strength is crucial for holding onto small holds and maintaining contact with them. 
  • Leg strength: While climbing primarily utilises the upper body, leg strength is still essential for pushing off from footholds, maintaining balance, and providing support during climbs. Strong leg muscles, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves, contribute to overall stability and power.
  • Flexibility: Flexibility in the shoulders, hips, and lower body can enhance range of motion, allowing climbers to reach holds more easily and execute movements with greater efficiency. Flexibility may also reduce the risk of injury, particularly in dynamic or awkward positions.
  • Technique and coordination: Improving technique and coordination helps climbers maintain control over their body position and movement on the wall. This may be accomplished through graduated climbing on different terrain, hold types and through exposure to different climbing movements.
  • Endurance: Climbing primarily requires muscular endurance. Building endurance through regular climbing sessions or endurance-focused workouts can help climbers sustain performance over longer routes or with stamina of multiple climbs within a session.

Common climbing injuries

Climbers expose their bodies to high levels of forces regularly, which can naturally place them at risk of injuries. The types of injuries will depend on individual circumstances but in general, climbers are most likely to injure their fingers or shoulders. Common injuries may include:

  • Finger pulley injuries: Pulleys are bands of tissue that help hold tendons close to the bone. Overuse or sudden excessive force can strain or tear these pulleys, resulting in pain, swelling, and difficulty gripping.
  • Shoulder injuries: Climbing frequently involves overhead reaching and pulling movements, which can strain the muscles and tendons around the shoulders. Rotator cuff injuries and labral tears are common shoulder issues among climbers.
  • Elbow injuries: Climbers may experience pain in the elbows, particularly in the form of lateral epicondylalgia (tennis elbow) or medial epicondylalgia (golfer’s elbow). These conditions can result from repetitive gripping and pulling motions.
  • Finger injuries: In addition to pulley injuries, climbers are prone to various finger injuries, including strains, sprains, and tendonitis. Crimping (gripping small holds with the fingertips) can put significant stress on the finger joints and tendons.
  • Wrist injuries: Climbing places strain on the wrists, especially during dynamic movements and when loading body weight onto small holds. Wrist sprains, tendonitis, and ligament injuries can occur as a result.
  • Ankle and foot injuries: While less common, ankle sprains and foot injuries can occur, particularly during falls or when landing awkwardly. 
  • Overuse injuries: Climbers are susceptible to overuse injuries in various parts of the body, including the forearms, shoulders, and fingers. These injuries result from repetitive stress and inadequate rest and recovery.

How can physiotherapy assist with injury recovery and prevention and climbing progression?

Physiotherapy can play a role in assisting climbers with injury recovery, prevention, and overall progression in the sport:

  • Injury assessment and diagnosis: Physiotherapists may be trained to assess and diagnose climbing-related injuries accurately. They can conduct a thorough evaluation to determine the extent of the injury, identify contributing factors, and develop a tailored treatment plan.
  • Education and injury prevention strategies: Physiotherapists educate climbers about injury prevention strategies, including proper warm-up techniques, gradual progression in training intensity and volume, and the importance of rest and recovery. They also provide guidance on self-management strategies and injury-specific exercises, to help climbers proactively manage their health and prevent future injuries.
  • Rehabilitation and recovery: Physiotherapy may facilitate the healing process and restore function following an injury. Physiotherapists use a variety of techniques, including manual therapy, exercise prescription, therapeutic taping or splinting, to address pain, inflammation, and tissue damage.
  • Individualised exercise programs: Physiotherapists can design personalised exercise programs to strengthen weak muscles, improve flexibility, and correct movement patterns that may contribute to injury risk. These programs often include specific exercises targeting areas commonly affected by climbing-related injuries, such as the fingers, shoulders, elbows, and core.
  • Technique analysis and correction: Physiotherapists with expertise in climbing biomechanics can analyse a climber’s movement patterns and technique to identify inefficient or risky habits that may predispose them to injury. By providing feedback and guidance on proper movement mechanics, physiotherapists can help climbers optimise their technique and reduce the risk of injury.
  • Return to sport planning: Following injury rehabilitation, physiotherapists can work with climbers to develop a gradual return-to-sport plan that ensures a safe and effective transition back to climbing activities. This may involve progressive loading, sport-specific drills, and ongoing monitoring to minimise the risk of re-injury.
  • Performance enhancement: Physiotherapy can also contribute to climbing progression by optimising physical performance attributes such as strength, flexibility or endurance. By addressing underlying physical limitations and biomechanical inefficiencies, physiotherapists help climbers improve their overall climbing performance and reach their full potential.

In summary, physiotherapy can play a role in supporting climbers throughout their journey, from injury recovery and prevention to performance enhancement and long-term health management. By addressing both the physical and biomechanics aspects of climbing, physiotherapists can help climbers stay healthy, resilient, and capable of achieving their climbing goals.

How can Hawker Place Physiotherapy assist?

David can assist climbers with both acute and overuse injury management and climbing performance progression. With over ten years of climbing experience he has had many injuries himself and can understand the intensity that climbing places on the body. Assessment in the clinic of climbing injuries may involve a discussion around factors that have led to an injury, current training or climbing routines, and goals for the future. A physical examination may involve assessment of specific strengths and functional movements, joint ranges of motion, and hands-on techniques. Once the problem has been identified, strategies to recover can be discussed and a treatment plan put in place. Treatment modalities may involve education, manual therapy, individualised exercise plans, taping or splinting techniques. David believes that education is the most powerful tool he can offer climbers and endeavours to have them understand their injury so they can recover effectively. 

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