Know Your Limits
Climbing with Injuries
Glancing at the competitive scene might fool you into thinking that competition climbers rarely get injured. The truth is that many of us are injured on a regular basis. Fifteen years of high output training and an obsession with competing has forced me to learn injury management techniques to minimize the impact on my season and career. Here are some tips from my experience on the national and international competition circuits.
Seek a professional opinion and don’t attempt to self-diagnose. A physiotherapist can perform tests beyond what you can research based on surface deep symptoms. If you can’t afford treatment on a regular basis, bite the bullet and shell out for an initial consultation. Getting a correct diagnosis and basic exercises could save you months of recovery time.
Always take advantage of the knowledge and experience that a professional can share. Ask about safe ways to massage or stretch to keep blood f lowing in the injured area. Ask about active rest activities to maintain your sanity and satisfy your cravings for exercise if you need to take a break from climbing. Ask about preventative exercises to add into your routine post-recovery. Consider also identifying and working on muscular imbalances in areas that could break next.
Think about what you’re training for and how your injuries might impact your goals. Minor injuries may not immediately warrant time off but eventually your body will need time to recover. Occasionally I push through minor injuries and delay recovery time if I have a string of competitions lined up. It’s a dangerous game hoping that I don’t have to climb anything that pinpoints recovering injuries. If I do, I’ll look for alternate beta. The same theory applies to recreational climbers planning road trips or trying to maximize their outdoor season. Talk to your professional to lay out a timeline and assess the risks before collectively deciding on a recovery plan that accounts for your goals.
You should also consider an expanded timeline of seasonal goals versus career goals. No competition or trip is worth breaking your body. There is a joke on the circuit that you are a winner every time you walk away from a competition uninjured. In the long run, we all just want to climb for as long as our bodies will allow.
Injuries are often the result of bad movement that turns into habit. Be aware that when you climb with an injury, it’s common to subconsciously alter your movement patterns to avoid pain. Keep it conscious by constantly evaluating how your entire body feels on the wall, not just the areas you know are broken. Dealing with injuries only gets harder when they start compounding, so always be willing to pull the plug if you feel something is off.
Ibuprofen is an effective anti-inf lammatory post climbing, but on the wall I prefer to avoid anything that dulls my pain sensors. When you’re injured you need to enhance your senses to know when you’re pushing too hard. If you can’t climb without pain killers, then that’s a sign to take some time off.