Climbing related medical research- what do you want to know?

Hey all, I want to know more about what the climbing community wants to know more about. I'll be doing a small independent research project for medical school, and want to focus on medical issues important to climbers. So, if there's something you've always wanted to know, throw it out there! No medical knowledge necessary- one of the things I want to study is what knowledge people already have, and what areas additional knowledge could be helpful. Anything goes. Climbing and relief of anxiety/ptsd symptoms, regaining full strength after a pulley surgery, what injuries does warming up really avoid, whatever's been on your mind!

Interested in any psych or neurochemistry research on parallels of chemical addiction and climbing, or climbing as addiction recovery. Can climbing "replace" the dopamine and seratonin chemistry of opiates? Anecdotally, maybe, but with the current state of affairs and addiction in America you may be able to get funding to study this..

What is wrong with us.

Why do I feel weak? I´m only 64 FFS.

+1 for addiction.

Effects of long term exposure to:

Aluminum dust (or whatever the black stuff that comes off the rope onto my hands is)

Chalk and drying agents

Teflon and/or other rope dry-coat chemicals.

Beta spraylords

germsauce wrote:Effects of long term exposure to: Aluminum dust (or whatever the black stuff that comes off the rope onto my hands is) Chalk and drying agents Teflon and/or other rope dry-coat chemicals. Beta spraylords

There is definitely a lack of strong scientific study on the effects of inhaled magnesium carbonate. We are all subjected to high doses of this stuff, particularly in gyms. Nothing has yet proven it to be unsafe, beyond maybe one study that showed that it can have short-term effects of aggravating existing respiratory illness, but to my knowledge that's it. But there are very few studies at all, so its a bit of a mystery.

More diagnostic criteria for acute hand injuries based on presenting symptoms and treatment efficacy like icing versus contrast baths etc for pulley injuries, flexor strains, tendonsynovitis etc. some stuff on eccentric contraction and pain with positive results would be cool to! Let me know if you need subjects! I'm in the medical field as well and interested in this stuff

Joe

I'd be interested in the long term effects of crimps on finger joints as well as tendons and also the one about addiction. I might even expand that one to include other mental illnesses such as depression, bi-polar disorder, anxiety, etc.

Also curious about the black aluminum/dirt residue on the ropes because I often eat without washing that stuff off and I can taste the stuff. I've come to enjoy the taste, but I don't know if its the most healthy thing in the world.

Jim Titt wrote:Why do I feel weak? I´m only 64 FFS.

SO, to answer the question;
How about a study of the growth differential of muscle and tendon. Climbing hard is all about tendons, well at least many limitations are related to tendon issues. Tendon repair, tendon strength, tendons.

Muscrat wrote: No you're not, 64's don't know what FFS is!

Tylerpratt wrote: FFS= For fuckings Sake

Changing in fear of height before vs after climbing. (still scared of heights but not as bad than when I first started climbing)

Does climbing increase your ape index if you start at a young age.

Ben Snow wrote:Hey all, I want to know more about what the climbing community wants to know more about. I'll be doing a small independent research project for medical school, and want to focus on medical issues important to climbers. So, if there's something you've always wanted to know, throw it out there! No medical knowledge necessary- one of the things I want to study is what knowledge people already have, and what areas additional knowledge could be helpful. Anything goes. Climbing and relief of anxiety/ptsd symptoms, regaining full strength after a pulley surgery, what injuries does warming up really avoid, whatever's been on your mind!

JayMorse wrote:There is definitely a lack of strong scientific study on the effects of inhaled magnesium carbonate. We are all subjected to high doses of this stuff, particularly in gyms. Nothing has yet proven it to be unsafe, beyond maybe one study that showed that it can have short-term effects of aggravating existing respiratory illness, but to my knowledge that's it. But there are very few studies at all, so its a bit of a mystery.

May not work for a short term research project, but...
- long term effects of chalk dust exposure on the lungs. There are a lot of filthy gyms.
- long term effects on fingers. For example, I have some weird fluid build up in/around a couple finger joints. I'm thinking it's probably caused by an injured tendon sheath or something like that. I can still climb without pain. I'm thinking the answer in the long term is just OA...

Jim Titt wrote:Why do I feel weak? I´m only 64 FFS.

Muscrat wrote: really? (someone is missing the irony in some posts) And it's For Fucks Sake, not fuckings, btw.

Tylerpratt wrote: For Fuckings Sake is one hell of a lot better than fucks sake.