The 3 Most Important Things to Do to Avoid Climbing Injuries

It seems like just about every rock climber gets a rock climbing injury at some point during their climbing season. In fact it is more common than not and if you think about it makes sense.


Think about all the stress that a rock climber is putting not only on their finger joints and tendons, but your elbows, shoulders, knees, feet and ankles. Rock climbers are constantly pushing themselves to the limits and it isn't uncommon to have a climber rock climb several days in a row without rest. With all this abuse our body can only take so much especially when you realize most climbers don't get enough sleep and they do not eat a very balanced diet. Obviously there are those that do, but in general most don't.



Another big contributing factor to rock climbing injuries is a lack of preparation before climbing. Very few rock climbers actually prepare their bodies to rock climb by warming up and stretching.



So let's go over the 3 essential things you must do to keep yourself climbing injury free during your rock climbing season.



Preparation - preparing your body for the mass amount of stress you are going to put on it is absolutely critical. You should warm up by doing a light jog or doing 100 or so jumping jacks. This will warm you muscles up and get the blood flowing in your body. Once your body has been warmed up it is important to start stretching. Focus on stretching your major muscle groups and the common areas for climbing injury. Be sure to stretch your fingers, forearms, back, shoulders, chest and legs. You should stretch for at least 15 minutes before you actually climb.



Cool down- After your climbing session you have just put your body through a lot, especially if you boulder. You need to cool your body off by doing some easier climbing for at least 15 minutes. After you finish with the easier climbing you should really do some light jogging or ride a stationary bike for 10 minutes and then stretch for 10-15 minutes. This will allow you to cool down properly and will increase your recovery time.



Nutrition- by eating healthy foods and staying away from junk food and processed foods you will be feeding your body the right nutrients to heal and recover. Some foods you want to focus on are superfoods like cacao, goji berries, blueberries, lean protein and vegetables.



By adding these 3 essential things to your climbing routine you will really benefit not only physically but your mental capabilities.







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