How to avoid injuries in rock climbing and become more resistant to strains and sprains
- A small niggle in the finger or forearm can sideline a climber for months, so prevention is better than cure
Falls and whippers in climbing grab viewer’s attention, but in reality most injuries are small strains and sprains in tendons and muscles. It is not very glamorous and can seem a little pathetic to miss a climbing trip because your finger hurts, but the pain is real and the road to recovery can be long.
Here’s a few tips to prevent common injuries in climbing:
Climbing is the best training
Seeing YouTube montages of the world’s best climbers bearing all their weight by their finger tips on a hangboard can encourage others to try the same. But the best have been climbing for years, and this method is to give them the extra 10 per cent they need to send the hardest routes in the world.
Hangboard sessions are best avoided if you are in your first couple of years of the sport. The best strength training is just to climb a lot. Head to the gym or the crag regularly and soon your muscles and tendons will get stronger and more resistant to injury.