Rock Climbing Injuries
Climbers' tendons, ligaments, and muscles are subjected to extreme strain. Injury may result from overuse of this. Climbers often get rotator cuff problems as a result of their repetitive tugging and reaching overhead. They may cause weakness, acute discomfort, and a reduced range of motion. A2 pulley sprains, a cartilaginous injury that produces a popping sound, pain, bruising, and trouble creating a fist, are among the frequent injuries to the wrist and fingers.
Shoulder Subluxation
The muscles in your shoulders and the supporting components of your elbow and wrist are heavily strained as you climb. Repetitive motions over time may irritate these tissues and result in damage.
The rotator cuff, a group of muscles and tendons that regulate your shoulder, is frequently injured by climbers. Frequent pulling or overhead actions can rip small tears in the rotator cuff tendons, reducing your range of motion and strength and producing either mild or severe pain.
Climbers are frequently injured in their hands and wrists. The triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC), a cartilaginous tissue in the wrist, can be harmed by excessive climbing.
Climbers who grasp tiny, crimpy grips with closed fingers and overextend their fingers cause injuries to the TFCC. This may put strain on the tendons, causing them to break or pop and to bowstring, which can result in discomfort, stiffness, and swelling.
Tendon inflammation
Climbers who try to grasp tight grips run the risk of overusing and damaging the tendons that run down into their fingers. This can cause excruciating discomfort and make it impossible to flex many finger joints. Climbers frequently sustain damage to the ligaments covering their finger joints, which can result in soreness and numbness.
Tendonitis, also known as tenosynovitis, is an inflammation of the tendons and sheaths that surround the fingertips. Climbers frequently get calluses on their fingertips, which can split apart and leave sensitive flesh exposed. By taking good care of your skin and including stretching in your climbing regimen, you can reduce the risk of damage.
Climbers also frequently sustain elbow tendon injuries. These include an injury to the sheath that contains the pulleys in the finger tendons (annular pulley injuries) and a condition known as tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis). Rest, ice, massage/stretching, and taping are the methods used to treat both.
Finger Trigger Syndrome
The tendons that run within and along the fingers are particularly stressed during climbing. These tendons constrict and become triggered or "locked" into a bent position when they become irritated and inflamed because they are unable to pass smoothly through the tendon sheaths that line your finger joints.
Although catastrophic injuries can occasionally cause this issue, overuse or repeated hand movements are the usual causes. In addition to observing how you move your hand, your doctor can diagnose a trigger finger by listening for the distinctive clicking sound that occurs when you bend and straighten the affected finger.
Simple remedies, such as ring splints, physical therapy, anti-inflammatory drugs, and maybe a cortisone injection, can frequently be found with prompt evaluation and treatment. Surgery can be necessary in extreme situations that don't improve with conservative measures. Your injured finger can regain its normal function once one of our surgeons repairs the torn pulleys. Depending on the severity of their injuries, patients can return to climbing after undergoing this operation in six weeks.
Shoulder Injuries
Climbing exerts considerable strain on the shoulder joint and surrounding muscles, regardless of the kind of climbing—bouldering or route climbing. Damage to muscles, tendons, and ligaments may result from this. Strains or tears to the rotator cuff muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and teres minor/major) are the most common type of shoulder injury. These four little muscles support the flexion, abduction, internal, and external rotation of the arm in addition to helping to preserve the ball-and-socket joint of the shoulder.
Repeated overhead and rotational motions during climbing can lead to the gradual tearing of these tendons, known as rotator cuff tendonitis, or, in more extreme cases, a complete tear known as shoulder impingement syndrome. Shoulder pain and weakness are the hallmarks of this. Overuse and climbing tougher routes are common causes of rotator cuff problems.
