What is the most common injury in rock climbing?
It’s important to take tendonitis seriously so that it doesn’t develop into a tendon rupture – a much more serious injury that could require surgery. Treating tendonitis means taking a break from climbing, resting, and applying ice.
Can you get tendonitis from rock climbing?
Sports injuries can occur from many different kinds of physical activities. This post will focus on how our occupational and physical therapists approach treating tendonitis, specifically for rock climbers feeling elbow, forearm, and finger pain.
How do tendons heal after rock climbing?
Typically, partial or full pulley tears are treated with rest in a splint for 1-14 days followed by a gradual return to climbing over 6-8 weeks. In general, it is important to strengthen the tendons using a soft stress ball, pinching of the fingers, and rubber band finger exercises.
Why are my arms so sore after rock climbing?
As climbers, we spend an inordinate amount of time pulling on muscles instead of pushing on them, which invariably leads to inflamed tendons or tendonitis. It most often affects shoulders, elbows, and forearms but can affect other areas too.
Should I keep climbing with tendonitis?
Eventually, your tendon will be strong enough to cope with a full training load, and you will be able to climb pain-free again! Once the Elbow is pain-free, I recommend that you continue the restrengthening program for six weeks past that point.
How long does climbers Elbow take to heal?
After three to four weeks of rehab/training, begin a gradual return to climbing. Start with easy vertical routes, and take a month or two to return to your original level of climbing.
Where should you hurt after rock climbing?
While climbing, lactic acid and other byproducts build up in your muscles (mostly in the forearms, of course, but also in any muscle that’s working hard). Abruptly stopping your exercise causes that stuff to remain in your muscles, preventing effective recovery. Cue pain in your forearm the next day.
Should I rock climb if im sore?
If the soreness is in your muscles, it is ok to climb a full session. However, if your soreness is related to tendons in your fingers, elbow or shoulder then you should refrain from climbing until your tendons heal and aren’t sore any more.
Can a rock climber have a flexor tendon rupture?
Rock climbing has increased in popularity over the past two decades. Closed traumatic rupture of the finger flexor tendon pulleys is rare among the general population but is seen much more commonly in rock climbers.
How are rock climbers use the flexor tendon pulleys?
In addition to the very high loads that supporting body weight against gravity places on the flexor tendon pulleys, rock climbers use a unique grip configuration which increases the loads placed on the flexor tendon pulleys even further. This grip position is called the ‘crimp’ position [6].
How many fingers are injured in rock climbing?
With increasing numbers taking part in both indoor and outdoor climbing there has been an unsurprising rise in the number of climbing related injuries. Forty percent of all climbing related injuries are to the fingers with half of these being injuries to the flexor tendon pulleys [1].
How to know if you have a flexor tendon injury?
PRINCIPLE 1: Recognize these common signs and symptoms of flexor tendon system injury: Feeling a sudden popping sensation along the palm side of one or two fingers while climbing Presence of pain or discomfort that has not subsided on the palm side of the finger (s).