Climbing injuries — Finger tendon pulley injuries can require long rehab

Climbing injuries

How to prevent the most common problems for climbers

Climbing places huge demands on the musculoskeletal system meaning that the risk of injury, both traumatic and overuse, is significant.

Finger, elbow and shoulder injuries are all common. Team GB Physio, Alison MacFarlane, offers important advice to climbers on the prevention and rehabilitation of climbing injuries.

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Introduction to climbing injuries

by Alison Macfarlane

Physiotherapist to the British Climbing Team, Alison Macfarlane, introduces the timeoutdoors.com guide to climbing injuries.
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Preventing climbing injuries

by Alison Macfarlane

We take our cars for M.O.T. testing and we go for our dental check ups, but we are not so good at looking after our musculoskeletal system. When things go wrong and we can't go climbing, it can have a major impact on our general well-being. The best way to avoid this is to help prevent injuries in the first place.
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Warming up for climbing

by Amanda Robertson

Warming up is an essential activity for climbers as it prepares the climber by raising the body's core temperature slightly to enhance some of the physiological systems. This helps to prevent injury as well as improve performance.
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Rehabilitation after a climbing injury

by Alison Macfarlane

Rehabilitation will have a significant effect on how long it takes to get back to exercise. Rehabilitation starts at the time of the injury (or awareness of) with some self-help, to consulting a professional and then on-going rehabilitation - including exercises, massage, cross-training and psychology.
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Taping for climbing injuries

by Amanda Robertson

Tape is a climber's best friend. This article describes the basic principles of taping and gives some examples of when and how to apply tape to the hands, wrist, thumb and fingers and when taping is best avoided.
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Getting professional help for climbing injuries

by Alison Macfarlane

How do you choose a professional to help you overcome a climbing injury? Alison Macfarlane provides some suggestions.
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Common climbing injuries - finger injuries

by Alison Macfarlane

Injuries to climbers' fingers are uncomfortably common, but some basic steps may prevent them from occurring in the first place, or speed up the healing process.
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Common climbing injuries - elbow injuries

by Alison Macfarlane

Tendonitis is one of the many causes of elbow pain in climbers. An early diagnosis from your sports practitioner is important. Effective management of the injury and underlying factors involved can then help prevent your injury from drifting into a chronic overuse cycle.
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Common climbing injuries - shoulder injuries

by Alison Macfarlane

Shoulder problems in climbers are invariably of an overuse nature. The risk of injury can be significantly reduced with a bit of prevention and care. If the worst does occur, then the watchwords are early diagnosis and treatment.