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Top Areas for Climbing Injuries

Original Post
Ryan Graves · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2014 · Points: 5

Hey Mountain Project Community,

I was interested in taking a quick poll of the community regarding the following question:

Have the majority of climbing injuries you have experienced been limited to your shoulders to your fingers, or the rest of your body?

I'm taking this poll in order to gauge the percentage threat of injuries that climbers face!

Thanks so much.

Ryan Graves
Owner
Climbwerx.com

Brian E · · Western North Carolina · Joined Mar 2005 · Points: 348

The only injury I've ever had is some nasty tendonitis in my elbow. I'm resting, icing and stretching. Anyone have any other tips for dealing with it?

Rob Gordon · · Hollywood, CA · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 115

Reverse wrist curls for tendonitis. Till the tops of your forearms get pumped.

Most injuries are upper body, but I have also torn my LCL landing weird bouldering and pulled the occasional hamstring or calf heel hooking.

John Farrell · · Phoenix, AZ · Joined Jan 2009 · Points: 85

Trashed my left shoulder with a serious SLAP Tear which was surgically repaired.

Broke my right ankle which required two surgeries.

Other than that, nothing else that needed medical attention.

John...

Nate Watkins · · Cambridge, Ma · Joined May 2013 · Points: 45

i broke my right ankle bouldering.

Dan Austin · · San Francisco, CA · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 0

Sprained both ankles bouldering in the gym

Have had mild tendinitis/tendinosis, but fairly easily managed with rehab/prehab

Wilson On The Drums · · Woodbury, MN · Joined Dec 2010 · Points: 940

So I did this jump right after these guys
youtube.com/watch?v=0yV4YPM…
and hyper-extended my shoulder. About a month later I dislocated the same shoulder on a
layback/crack outside. Then after some rehab I dislocated the same shoulder bouldering in the gym and again after some rehab, again in the gym. I then had shoulder surgery, problem fixed. (that was 3 dislocations, 2x in the gym bouldering (every time after an ok from a Dr and a PT to get back on the rocks))
Next I strained an A2 pulley, BOULDERING in the GYM. Again did some rehab, problem fixed.
Finally about 2 weeks ago I took a bad fall, BOULDERING IN THE STUPID F*ing GYM, and boom, my lower back is pretty much blown out.
My 2 cents is that a lot of accidents happen bouldering in the gym. Weird positions/problems pulling hard on plastic for the same hard move over and over again. I've learned my lesson now (*hopefully) and will be sticking to working projects outdoors or enjoying moderate multipitch classics were I can get some mileage in and do what I love, climbing, not getting hurt. FML.

NickMartel · · Tucson, Arizona · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 1,332

I have been dealing with elbow tendonosis for the past 6 months or so...thats all

Jeff Young · · Bend, OR · Joined Oct 2008 · Points: 10

I totally thought this was going to be a regional discussion, i.e. what "climbing area" has the most injuries.

Anyway, I once bruised (thankfully didn't break) my calcaneus in a fall, damn you North Carolina and your ground up traditional ethics. I kid of course, love the adventure to be had there.

As far as the regional discussion goes its pretty interesting to speculate that the most common answer may be "the gym".

Bapgar 1 · · Out of the Loop · Joined Oct 2007 · Points: 90

I suppose it depends a little on whether you're thinking all injuries experienced by climbers or only overuse injuries. Then you could ask about type of climbing specifically... etc. Just saying that your question covers a lot of ground without any parameters to narrow it down.

If you want a general idea there are plenty of stats posted for the most common sports injuries that people seek out medical attention for.
Foot/Ankle injuries are by far the most common... probably true of climbing.

Jacob Smith · · Seattle, WA · Joined Aug 2013 · Points: 230

dislocated my ankle in a ground fall.
also broke seven ribs while descending from mt baker. technically this was a walking accident, but it happened in an alpine area on a climbing trip.

Edubs · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2014 · Points: 0

TFCC tear that took over a year to heal. Still isn't the same.

Hallux Rigidis (aggravated by climbing, but not necessarily caused by).

My friend had a sprained ankle, and forearm tendinitis.

Brendan Blanchard · · Boulder, CO · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 590

Mild elbow tendonitis in one/occasionally both arms. (Overuse, home PT) Outside and inside mileage.

Torn labrum in one shoulder. (Trauma, home PT, Pro PT, surgery, then more Pro PT) Bouldering inside.

Torn FDP junction in one arm. (Rest, healed over time) Bouldering outside.

Severely torn meniscus with ongoing arthritis from lack of impact dampening. (Outdoor bouldering fall/trauma. Two surgeries, Pro and home PT both times, ongoing Euflexxa injections and pending meniscal transplant) Bouldering outside again.

Hopefully no more to come...

Nick Votto · · CO, CT, IT · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 320

If you consider tendonitis an injury I've had it in both elbows for 10 years....but I don't really consider that an acute injury. Fingers are the only tears/strains I've ever really had besides that.

Nick Votto · · CO, CT, IT · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 320

Oh and PS almost every injury I've had has been sustained in the gym, even though I climb outside about 10x more....food for thought

Rob Dillon · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2002 · Points: 760

[the people whose climbing injuries were severe enough to end their lives will not reply here]

Actually incurred while climbing: shoulder, thumb, ring finger, elbow. And one lower-body injury perhaps more properly attributed to 'leaping without looking' than to climbing.

Oh and a 'running back to camp after an overcaffeinated emergency dump run' ankle injury, while on a climbing trip.

Abram Herman · · Grand Junction, CO · Joined May 2009 · Points: 20

Only real injuries (aside from just soreness in the shoulder joints) have been fingers.

Josh Olson · · Durango, CO · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 255

Back, knee, toes, nothing from the shoulders to hands. Yet.

Mark Lewis · · Salt Lake City, Utah · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 260

A climbing partner blew out his miniscus on both knees on separate occasions while rocking up onto a really high foot.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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