tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845824.post7017004565428375206..comments2024-03-18T11:58:24.478+00:00Comments on Online Climbing Coach: Injuries: The problem with Lay-offDave MacLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02442169589581067050noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845824.post-79389654337341426782013-09-15T06:18:58.548+01:002013-09-15T06:18:58.548+01:00Hey Guys, Rock Climbing sport Don't hurt your ...<br />Hey Guys, <a href="http://BelayGlass.com" rel="nofollow">Rock Climbing sport</a> Don't hurt your neck while belaying, wear a Belay Glass. You look forward to gaze upward. Check out www.BelayGlass.com Mike's Belay Glasses - Only $39.95. It's a no hassle way of equipping oneself with the latest in Littrow prism technology to avoid neck strain. <a href="http://BelayGlass.com" rel="nofollow">Rock Climbing sport</a><br /><br /><br />shAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00179468897909215088noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845824.post-53201051142062662442013-09-13T12:17:21.993+01:002013-09-13T12:17:21.993+01:00Hi Dave,
Do you have any thoughts on how climbers...Hi Dave,<br /><br />Do you have any thoughts on how climbers should manage carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive strain injuries common to the sport?<br /><br />Really looking forward to the new book!<br /><br />SeanSean Prendivillehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05948874700959280354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845824.post-16450426067728004162013-02-11T16:10:38.427+00:002013-02-11T16:10:38.427+00:00Hi Dave,
This blog has helped me out with countle...Hi Dave,<br /><br />This blog has helped me out with countless injuries and I appreciate it greatly. Recently I was climbing in the gym and did a powerful deadpoint into a small gaston. I didn't hit it very well and my fingers stacked in an open hand position causing excessive loading on my ring finger. I felt a small click and a shot of pain down my forearm. I immediately stopped climbing and thought I had injured my pulley again. I stopped climbing for a few days until I felt the inflamation had gone down. However after a week and a half I am almost positive it is not a pulley injury due to the fact that I can weight my hand in the crimp position with almost no pain. Instead, what hurts is if I climb open hand without the pinky. As soon as my pinky drops I feel sharp pain in the length of my arm. The information I have found leads me to believe it is a flexor unit strain, but I am having an incredibly hard time finding any information about this type of injury. I have started climbing again slowly and I seem to be able to climb fairly close to my limit (7C) without pain as long as I climb fairly static without my hand falling into the 3 finger open hand position. I wouldn't be concerned about it if it wasn't for how much it does hurt still when I do try to weight it open hand. I have been using the ice bath method as well as squeezing thera-putty, which seems to help. Any insight into this type of injury would be much appreciated and I wish you the best of luck in your recovery as well. Drexelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14871448634927385927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845824.post-52605985195265287742012-05-20T16:08:36.543+01:002012-05-20T16:08:36.543+01:00Hi! great this on-line coaching! really useful as ...Hi! great this on-line coaching! really useful as it talks about true experiences rather than pure theory aspects....<br />What about an article about how to compensate the gap between muscles super fit thanks to climbing and other weaker muscles that may cause you injuries?!! for example as I'm not so tall I'm always stressing shoulders a lot cause have to do many streched moves than taller people.<br />good job anyway!<br />greetings from Italy :)Tinelleroshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01874461249861617068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845824.post-19455074248167060112012-04-28T11:43:37.388+01:002012-04-28T11:43:37.388+01:00I feel the same as Tara (who commented above). I s...I feel the same as Tara (who commented above). I started climbing 1yr ago at age 28. I fell and hit the ground and damaged my muscles in my back. Since then i have not had more than a month or two without and injury. Maybe I am just injury prone but really think if I could find a physio and coach who could help me develop a strength programme for climbing I would see injuries disappear.<br /><br />Karenkarensfreehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00056195986294038262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845824.post-53107075456461494622012-04-28T11:42:55.242+01:002012-04-28T11:42:55.242+01:00I feel the same as Tara (who commented above). I s...I feel the same as Tara (who commented above). I started climbing 1yr ago at age 28. I fell and hit the ground and damaged my muscles in my back. Since then i have not had more than a month or two without and injury. Maybe I am just injury prone but really think if I could find a physio and coach who could help me develop a strength programme for climbing I would see injuries disappear.<br /><br />Karenkarensfreehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00056195986294038262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845824.post-28854575129851321482012-04-01T03:46:01.518+01:002012-04-01T03:46:01.518+01:00This comment has been removed by the author.Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08067419011060030258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845824.post-24254870372595950532012-03-24T23:08:21.963+00:002012-03-24T23:08:21.963+00:00I think the response to this post forecasts that y...I think the response to this post forecasts that your new book will sell like hotcakes.John Weselyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14273442587957345103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845824.post-7132567718066572222012-03-22T09:55:32.352+00:002012-03-22T09:55:32.352+00:00Dave,
Love your work and looking forward to the ne...Dave,<br />Love your work and looking forward to the new book.<br />I recently broke 4 bones in my ankle and am looking at a protracted time off my feet. Probably a couple months in a cast and then another couple in a boot before rehab etc... I am trying not to get too down and instead I am trying to see this as an opportunity to work on some weaknesses. I am setting some goals and will begin focused on the hangboard and then maybe some pilates or something like that. The difficulty is that the ankle can bear no pressure whatsoever for the time being. Any suggestions???<br /><br />LachlanLachlanMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03795732623335274990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845824.post-87977768435251335822012-03-17T19:04:59.812+00:002012-03-17T19:04:59.812+00:00Hi Dave,
Very good argument. As modern science in...Hi Dave,<br /><br />Very good argument. As modern science in pain and injury research is telling us, the earlier introduction of movement post-injury, the better. Injury healing is a mechanism of adaptation. The brain has priority to get new tissue laid down where the injury was. Unfortunately, the brain doesn't recognize the need for your goals, so scar tissue is usually the better choice. This way(even though the tissue is weaker) the brain would rather immobilize the area than have to worry about the quality of the tissue. We want to introduce novel and extremely progressive movement to the injury site to ensure that the tissue is laid down right and can respond to movement and load in the future. However, in agreeing with you, people just don't have the discipline to progress back into things. Also their view of progression is skewed. It is a lot more minute than one may think. But the science doesn't lie, get movement restored to the area as soon as possible. In addition, the brain will realize that these movements are not dangerous and will lower the overall threat response.Jerad Friedrichshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00376232032871443322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845824.post-48956092099182004482012-03-14T23:30:10.426+00:002012-03-14T23:30:10.426+00:00Hey Dave, excellent insight into tendon injuries. ...Hey Dave, excellent insight into tendon injuries. I just have a quick question. I've spend most of my time bouldering, My grade is about V5/V6, and about 7c+ sport, But i live in Ireland so dont get out sport climbing much, as a result my endurance is a real weakness for me. I decided to take up the goal of a big wall climb in Yosemite, i'm thinking of Leaning Tower maybe. This is my first big wall, and in fact i have very little experience in Multi pitch (2 climbs several years ago) And i know my endurance needs alot of attention, so i know i have to go on alot of sport and Multi pitch trips, But im wondering what is the best way to go about training for this? What components of my climbing should i focus on? Any advice you can give will be really appreciated, thanks.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00914399466797020024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845824.post-32917476540654549742012-03-12T11:06:32.510+00:002012-03-12T11:06:32.510+00:00Interesting stuff as usual.
Most discussion of ...Interesting stuff as usual. <br /><br />Most discussion of climbing (or other sports injuries) starts with the unstated assumption that pain is roughly proportional to tissue damage. Modern pain physiology teaches us that this is far from the truth, particularly in longer-standing injuries. Lingering pain from an old injury is usually put down to scar tissue; it’s at least as likely to be a neurophysiological effect (a softwear rather than hardwear issue). This is a probable reason why rest does not work for long-standing problems. <br /><br />Will you talk about pain physiology and the disconnect between pain and damage in the book?duncanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13639723516991980722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845824.post-37322774479351530552012-03-09T18:30:15.863+00:002012-03-09T18:30:15.863+00:00Hallelujah!
Rest is the most over-rated tactic in...Hallelujah!<br /><br />Rest is the most over-rated tactic in recovery. Tendons and cartilage don't really receive significant passive blood flow. Rather blood is pumped to the tissue as a result movement. So move those fingers and do everything that doesn't cause pain.Kylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04046561641550769438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845824.post-18538501690585488672012-03-09T15:52:40.280+00:002012-03-09T15:52:40.280+00:00Dave, amazing! Great post and great timing for me!...Dave, amazing! Great post and great timing for me! My latest pulley injury (A2 or 3 I think) caused by crimping to much on a road trip - odd injury in that I felt nothing acute climbing (slight inflammation last 2 climbing days) but after the trip and couple days off it was very swollen and hurt to crimp...that was 8 weeks ago. I was actually continuing to climb and train hard on open hand holds (which don't seem to cause pain if im careful not to role up the fingers, as you might on small pinch). After a few weeks of slow progress (pain climbing reducing slightly), the climbing/training eventually caused inflammation to re-occur, leading to frustration and approximately 1.5 weeks off climbing all together. Reading your post reinforces my original strategy and I think I may head straight to the gym this weekend. I still hope to project boulders by April/May (involving hard crimping, V9/10), do you think I should play safe and abandon this, sport climb for spring/summer and return to hard bouldering (crimping) in fall? Or just use pain as my guide - i.e. if it hurts dont do it?<br /><br />Thanks Aaronaaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00882270759861470125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845824.post-89648389632423864212012-03-09T14:03:48.660+00:002012-03-09T14:03:48.660+00:00Dave, intriguing. I have been suffering from -what...Dave, intriguing. I have been suffering from -what i think is- a tendon injury (inflammation?) in my ring finger around A0. This has been going on and off for the last year or so, mostly triggered by climbing loads on plastic. I have now taken a few weeks off from climbing (3 and counting), but the pain doesn't seem to diminish. Would you suggest starting (light) climbing again despite the persistent pain?<br /><br />Thanks in advance!BB Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00072672258090759734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845824.post-81622883640042099252012-03-09T13:04:02.512+00:002012-03-09T13:04:02.512+00:00Nice blog post. However, it left me with a few que...Nice blog post. However, it left me with a few questions.<br /><br />When you start out<br /><br />"traditional approach to a tendon injury such as commonly experienced by climbers"<br /><br />I firstly thought of pulley injuries; although I know many people with elbow and shoulder issues, pulleys seem to be something almost everyone has experienced (may I go as far as to suggest they're the most common climbing tendon injury?).<br /><br />but this:<br /><br />"Since your posture is probably contributing too, you need an excellent sports medic/physiotherapist who can thoroughly asses the mess of your wonky back and shoulders. If they are not too shocked by the horror of your shoulder movement, they will help you unload the stressed out muscles and tendons with proper alignment." <br /><br />Again, are you suggesting impropoer posture etc. enhance the risk of pulley injury or are you more specifically thinking of elbow and shoulder tendons? <br /><br />I'm really prone to them (A2, ring finger non dominant hand). The current injury is one of my most frustrating, not because I don't know how to manage it, simply because THIS time I thought I did everything right. I made changes to my training, I didn't flog the same problem repeatedly, I was ensuring hydration etc. and it just appeared after my best session for a number of years.<br /><br />I'd be interested in reading your thoughts on the comments I've made. If it can help reduce my A2 woes then I'm in!Paul Bennetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08512907751366445611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845824.post-10777973173774370482012-03-09T11:19:27.350+00:002012-03-09T11:19:27.350+00:00Hi,
Great piece of writing!
Actually I have just ...Hi,<br />Great piece of writing!<br /><br />Actually I have just been through 5 weeks of not doing any sport at all, due to a non climbing related accident. Now that I'm back I'm really motivated to climb again to get back into shape.<br />Would you say that 5 weeks had been long enough to weaken my tendons? I had opted to jump back in just where I had stopped, but after reading your post I am not that sure anymore...Chrihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13160671127412910077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845824.post-36299653730558255402012-03-08T21:31:56.873+00:002012-03-08T21:31:56.873+00:00Hi there
I'm a 19 year old student climber fr...Hi there<br /><br />I'm a 19 year old student climber from glasgow, who has been climbing (mainly bouldering) for almost 2 years now. I can climb around V4-5, or i could anyway. Recently my toes have become horrendously sore whilst climbing. I went to see a physio, and she told me to stretch my toes/legs. The joint on my big toe has basically seized up and it only moves about 10 degrees. The toe really hurts when any force is applied to it(it feels like a nerve or something), and I haven't been climbing for a few weeks now.<br />Have you heard of this before? I can't seem to find much information on it at all. I've just started ice bath treatment in the hope that this might work.<br /><br />ThanksAlihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06871359319122513235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845824.post-71105288496113118722012-03-08T20:47:06.418+00:002012-03-08T20:47:06.418+00:00Well articulated. This is fundamentally different ...Well articulated. This is fundamentally different than what is commonthought. It impresses me the vast number of misunderstandings we have about our own machinery.Nathan Bradfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12126245428093324619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845824.post-12159155677904899992012-03-08T19:24:00.021+00:002012-03-08T19:24:00.021+00:00Great write up.
I tore my hand last July and did...Great write up. <br /><br />I tore my hand last July and didn't touch rock or plastic for three months. After fully recovering, I seem to have strained a pulley in the other hand. <br /><br />I often wonder if at 25 I'm simply injury prone, or if I possibly lack some technique to climb without stressing my tendons as much. <br /><br />I've been told that possibly the reason why I have become injured so much is due in part to jumping 3 number grades in 2 years ending with 5.13. Perhaps my tendons have not been able to build up as most climbers have been climbing for much longer? Maybe also that smith rock is a tweaky place to call your home crag. <br /><br />-TaraUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01449719602108825043noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845824.post-71782251360879253252012-03-08T19:22:16.069+00:002012-03-08T19:22:16.069+00:00This comment has been removed by the author.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01449719602108825043noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845824.post-60666232586042719752012-03-08T15:55:41.541+00:002012-03-08T15:55:41.541+00:00Thank you for that treasure trove of knowledge.Thank you for that treasure trove of knowledge.benjaminleatonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06063290195419837804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845824.post-13936345149276134122012-03-08T15:38:58.436+00:002012-03-08T15:38:58.436+00:00Thanks for this post - perfectly timed as I've...Thanks for this post - perfectly timed as I've been having problems for a few weeks now with a damaged flexor tendon. Looking forward to reading your new book.Jacquiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10363831754348100367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845824.post-36070858957514442562012-03-08T14:21:12.039+00:002012-03-08T14:21:12.039+00:00Great piece, Dave. Your book will fill an critica...Great piece, Dave. Your book will fill an critical void--I'm sure it will be a must-read for all climbers!Eric Hörsthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10986663316031067447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845824.post-62480064391585576472012-03-08T11:30:19.279+00:002012-03-08T11:30:19.279+00:00Alan - yeah a change of scenery with lots of diffe...Alan - yeah a change of scenery with lots of different activities including lots of easier but still challenging climbs (for different reasons than small holds) is just about the best thing you can do to keep the psyche and heal fast. I have done exactly the same sort of thing myself many times. When I did a route called The Walk of Life (an E9 slab) My elbows had just been injured and I couldn't do a pull up. I probably would have struggled to do 6c+ at a climbing wall without pain but if I chose something that suited the situation I could still climb hard.<br /><br />Leon - I'll publish it as soon as it's finished. No idea when that will be but after a long layoff due to amongst other things a young baby I'm making fast progress now.Dave MacLeodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02442169589581067050noreply@blogger.com