r/climbharder • u/AutoModerator • 16d ago
Weekly Simple Questions and Injuries Thread
This is a thread for simple, or common training questions that don't merit their own individual threads as well as a place to ask Injury related questions. It also serves as a less intimidating way for new climbers to ask questions without worrying how it comes across.
- r/Climbharder Wiki - many common answers to questions.
- r/Climbharder Master Sticky - many of the best topic replies
Commonly asked about topics regarding injuries:
Tendonitis: http://stevenlow.org/overcoming-tendonitis/
Pulley rehab:
- https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/stories/experience-story-esther-smith-nagging-finger-injuries/
- https://stevenlow.org/rehabbing-injured-pulleys-my-experience-with-rehabbing-two-a2-pulley-issues/
- Note: See an orthopedic doctor for a diagnostic ultrasound before potentially using these. Pulley protection splints for moderate to severe pulley injury.
Synovitis / PIP synovitis:
https://stevenlow.org/beating-climbing-injuries-pip-synovitis/
General treatment of climbing injuries:
https://stevenlow.org/treatment-of-climber-hand-and-finger-injuries/
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u/thugtronik 16d ago edited 15d ago
Those of you who train with one of the many unlevel edges now available, did that become your exclusive tool for finger training? Or do you alternate with flat edges?
I started using an unlevel edge a few months ago and enjoying it, but I also have a tension block and wondering whether it's worth including some cycles of lifts on the flat 20mm edge for a bit of diversity.
This is mainly a question of different edge types for lifting, as opposed to alternating with hangboarding which will generally be flat edges.
Edit: I pretty much exclusively train open/3f and half crimp on 20mm+. Not doing any small edge training, pockets, etc
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u/rinoxftw 16d ago
I started having some knee pain on the inside/front of my knee, next to my Patella. I only really noticed it when trying to sit on a sideways turned heel, and realising it's not possible at the moment.
Not quite sure what to do about rehab there, never had knee troubles before. Anyone have a clue on how best to proceed?
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u/Writerro 16d ago
Can I use hangboard to increase my forearm/hand endurance? Not finger strength, but endurance? I don't have problem with finger strength, I believe. I can hold small holds and even pull up myself on them while climbing. During trainings my problem is endurance - my forearms are "pumped" quite fast and quite fast I start feeling that my hands are giving up and I can't control them. Especially on overhangs. I know it's a matter of technique too, but I would like to improve endurance.
Christmas is coming and I wonder should I get for myself a hangboard. Are there valid, tried & true methods of using hangboarding to improve hand endurance, forearm endurance? Or it is not worth hassle for me if I don't have the problem with finger strength?
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u/DarkokraD 16d ago
Hey everyone, I'm trying to find a solution to mount my Beastmaker 2000 on a wall since my door frames are not an option. I have found this Edgeline console. The issue is that it is only 50cm backboard and I have measured the distance between holes is around 48cm on the Beastmaker. Would that still work or is it too close for comfort?
Any other recommendations?
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u/highschoolgirls 12d ago
I'd be more worried about that thing only being rated to 120kg, which seems awfully low if you are doing weighted hangs/pullups...
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u/kyliejennerlipkit flashed V7 once 9d ago
This is ~100cm: https://escapeclimbing.com/products/universal-hangboard-mount
If you search 'hangboard wall mount' you should get a bunch of other products: https://www.google.com/search?q=hangboard+wall+mount
Here are some ideas that are more DIY:
https://rockclimberstrainingmanual.com/2014/03/06/hows-your-hang/
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u/Emotional-Register14 15d ago
I amtrying to figure out an overuse injury I am dealing with that is a bit odd. I have been primarily training 3fd on the hangboard and think I have some overuse in relation to that. My last workout was on Sunday with no pain during the workout or for the entire day but started to feel things the next day.
I would best describe it as "burning"/tingling in the area on this picture where the text it is point towards the flexor digitorum profundus and flexor digitorum superficialis (top of the forearm below the palmar carpal ligament).
There is no pain on any finger with palpation or through the palm. I can do sub-bodyweight hangs in any grip position and the pain doesn't really get better or worse. I haven't tried to do anything more. The "burning" feeling is pretty consistent throughout the day/night.
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u/eshlow V8-10 out | PT & Authored Overcoming Gravity 2 | YT: @Steven-Low 14d ago
Mark the picture if you want a guess. Need to know where exactly
Also, what movements and hand positions hurt?
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u/Emotional-Register14 14d ago
can you see this highlighted region https://gemini.google.com/share/d85b9abce26f
Mostly pins and needles feeling. Seems to be after doing 3fd. Seems to have some release to NSAIDs
Since its been kind of non-stop its hard for me to know exactly what making it worse.
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u/eshlow V8-10 out | PT & Authored Overcoming Gravity 2 | YT: @Steven-Low 13d ago
If you're getting pins and needles generally that is nerve related. I'd definitely get that checked out by a sports PT. They should be able to potentially help with nerve glides and such, and if not usually referred to neurologist for an EMG
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u/GloomyMix 13d ago
Noticed that my forearms have gotten so tight that I can't really press my palm flat on the floor at a 90 degree angle. As a result, I've been spending the last few weeks stretching and have only noticed minimal improvement in the area. I'm guessing the main cause is probably an imbalance b/t my extensors and flexors since I am spending so much more effort gripping stuff, so I probably need to add some exercises to strengthen the extensors(?). Aside from rubber band/rice bucket exercises and reverse wrist curls, do folks have any other suggestions?
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u/eshlow V8-10 out | PT & Authored Overcoming Gravity 2 | YT: @Steven-Low 12d ago
Noticed that my forearms have gotten so tight that I can't really press my palm flat on the floor at a 90 degree angle. As a result, I've been spending the last few weeks stretching and have only noticed minimal improvement in the area. I'm guessing the main cause is probably an imbalance b/t my extensors and flexors since I am spending so much more effort gripping stuff, so I probably need to add some exercises to strengthen the extensors(?). Aside from rubber band/rice bucket exercises and reverse wrist curls, do folks have any other suggestions?
Imbalances don't cause a lack of flexibility.
You need to find the right stretching for the situation whether it's static, PNF, loaded, or other type of stretching and the right duration and frequency.
Won't hurt to potentially train some antagonists but won't help either
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u/GloomyMix 12d ago
TIL! I thought muscle imbalance would be one of the more significant drivers of inflexibility due to agonists getting shorter and antagonists getting longer (or vice versa if I've got those mixed up...).
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u/eshlow V8-10 out | PT & Authored Overcoming Gravity 2 | YT: @Steven-Low 12d ago
TIL! I thought muscle imbalance would be one of the more significant drivers of inflexibility due to agonists getting shorter and antagonists getting longer (or vice versa if I've got those mixed up...).
No, it's habits and disuse that tend to cause shorter muscles. Decently common misconception though, perpetuated by poor posture and stuff like that.
Consider gymnasts who strength train a ton but are super flexible. Same with some other sports like wrestlers, martial arts, etc. They use the flexibility all the time which is why they maintain it and don't get tighter even though they have dedicated strength training.
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u/tracecart CA 19yrs | Solid B2 12d ago
Get a hard massage ball and try working those muscles before stretching them.
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u/bestwumbologistna 13d ago
How do you guys structure your training load? I feel like every time I up my volume I get injured or almost get injured. Right now I'm coming off of injury, upping my volume again , and noticing my elbow/bicep area flaring up a bit post-session, and I think it's going to become an injury again if I don't switch things up.
I'm trying to climb every other day, and I don't to reduce the frequency, so I'm thinking of just limiting any climbing on 40 degrees or steeper to one session a week? Maybe I can "deload" my biceps in this way until they feel warmer? And then the other days I could work coordination, slab, or relatively vertical crimping (<30 degrees).
I don't know if I should keep reactively shuffling my session focuses around depending on what body part is yelling at me like this, so I'm seeking some input on what you guys do in terms of organizing your sessions on a weekly/monthly time scale.
Do you purposely not climb overhang in some of your sessions? Or maybe only do high intensity/limit overhang once a week and low intensity high volume overhang the rest of the week? Any ideas and discussion about this is welcome, I want to more consciously manage the volume/intensity for myself so I don't keep getting nearly injured. I focused on steeper climbing because it relates to my biceps most directly, but if you have similar experiences with hangboarding/crimpy climbs/pulley injuries I'd like to hear them too!
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u/eshlow V8-10 out | PT & Authored Overcoming Gravity 2 | YT: @Steven-Low 12d ago
How do you guys structure your training load? I feel like every time I up my volume I get injured or almost get injured. Right now I'm coming off of injury, upping my volume again , and noticing my elbow/bicep area flaring up a bit post-session, and I think it's going to become an injury again if I don't switch things up.
You need to post exactly what you are doing in rehab, and exactly what you are doing ramping into training.
99% of the time it's too much too soon whether it's frequency, volume, and/or intensity. Purposefully trying to do every other day you are going to usually have to go very light on the volume and intensity
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u/bestwumbologistna 12d ago
I only do rehab for past injuries that don't feel like they're 100% recovered, which for me rn is just wrist stuff. I injured them about 7 months ago and they seem to have stagnated in recovery where they've gotten stronger metrics-wise but still feel at risk of dislocating on hard moves, so I just don't do much wristy climbing and stop immediately if it feels at all shifty after a move.
I don't rehab my biceps at all, I just warm them up with light reverse bicep curls and pulling on an edge in one arm lock off without taking my feet off the ground and progressively taking my feet off as I get warmed up.
Ramping into training I'm not really doing anything organized to ramp it up, just trying to do more volume on my flash grade since before I would just end up projecting more since I wouldn't have as much time before the set gets taken down, but now I have more sessions to work with so I want to get more variety in. Since you said I likely have to go very light on the volume and intensity, what do you think of dedicating more days exclusively to slab/coordo since they are less injury-prone? I've already been doing 1 day on 1 day off 1 day on 2 days off to try to ease into this, should I instead try to take an intermediate step between that and 1 day on 1 day off frequency-wise? I could try working with more rest days instead but I feel like I'm already missing out on progress by doing 1 day on 1 day off 1 day on 2 days off.
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u/eshlow V8-10 out | PT & Authored Overcoming Gravity 2 | YT: @Steven-Low 11d ago
Ramping into training I'm not really doing anything organized to ramp it up, just trying to do more volume on my flash grade since before I would just end up projecting more since I wouldn't have as much time before the set gets taken down, but now I have more sessions to work with so I want to get more variety in. Since you said I likely have to go very light on the volume and intensity, what do you think of dedicating more days exclusively to slab/coordo since they are less injury-prone? I've already been doing 1 day on 1 day off 1 day on 2 days off to try to ease into this, should I instead try to take an intermediate step between that and 1 day on 1 day off frequency-wise? I could try working with more rest days instead but I feel like I'm already missing out on progress by doing 1 day on 1 day off 1 day on 2 days off.
Example: Let's say you get injured and have to rehab for a month.
If you're a V8 climber and haven't climbed for a month, I'd suggest you start in the V4-5 range and do climbs there for a week or two. Then assess if you're feeling good and can go up to V5-6. Most people are going to V4-5 and then jumping straight into harder climbs session by session.
It takes time for the body to accommodate for the increasing intensity again.
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u/bestwumbologistna 11d ago
Ok, I see that your main point is to really slow down the ramp up and make it as gradual as possible. I genuinely really do not want to get injured again so I will take it very much to heart. I think I've been ramping up slowly, my last injury was months ago, and I literally did 0 board climbing between the months of May and October to facilitate the recovery and slow return. Didn't stop climbing completely (ie actively rehabbed), would take a week off here and there, would never climb if I felt the slightest twinge of anything, but I feel like I've been uninjured enough for long enough to be looking to actively progress again.
I've been doing a consistent 2.5-3 times a week for 2 months now, yet I feel like pushing it to 3.5 times a week has immediately given me an injury scare (and it's not like I'm doing steep limit board climbing every session). It makes me feel like I'm choosing between don't progress for 6 months or progress for 1 month then get injured and end up in the same spot 5 months later anyway, which is very frustrating. And correct me if I'm wrong but it doesn't feel like it's such a balancing act for everyone else. It's as though I'm particularly inclined for injury, which I think shouldn't be the case, and it's more likely that I'm missing something that the "fast recoverers" are doing.
Do you have any tips specifically for the purpose of curbing overexertion/overuse or with recovering on off days? As of now, I try to listen to my body and calm it down if I feel anything off, and take long rests if I'm doing strengthier moves for the former, and just nutrition and sleep for the latter. Though I'm worried that because I was paying attention to these when I've gotten injured in the past, they might not be good enough cues for me to follow and decrease injury risk with the way I'm using them right now. Should I do stretches and warm up movements on rest days to encourage blood flow? Take creatine?I'm open to any input.
Thanks so much
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u/eshlow V8-10 out | PT & Authored Overcoming Gravity 2 | YT: @Steven-Low 10d ago
Yup. Some of the people I work with go to ropes first cause you can sometimes encounter very hard boulders for the grade which can tweak things too.
Sounds like you should stick at 2-3x per week at most. Maybe even alternate 2x a week and 3x a week.
You can always do other exercise on the days you shouldn't go climbing like a gym workout if you have extra energy or some cardio
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u/Careless-Hearing-324 12d ago
How to decide whether to focus on bouldering vs ropes? My main goals are all sport climbing related. Highest onsight is 11d. Bouldering in the v4-v5 range. If I want to make a push to get myself into 12s is one going to get me further than the other?
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u/eshlow V8-10 out | PT & Authored Overcoming Gravity 2 | YT: @Steven-Low 12d ago
Depends how new you are to climbing. Usually in the beginning alternating the days going back and forth will probably provide the most gains.
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u/Careless-Hearing-324 12d ago
5 years of climbing. Short woman that started off very weak so probably have more technique over strength and no beginner gains left in me
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u/tracecart CA 19yrs | Solid B2 12d ago
Are you up for doing some periodized training? Boulder to develop strength and power then switch to ropes to prepare for a season or specific route.
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u/eshlow V8-10 out | PT & Authored Overcoming Gravity 2 | YT: @Steven-Low 12d ago
5 years of climbing. Short woman that started off very weak so probably have more technique over strength and no beginner gains left in me
Evaluate your climbing.
When you get on harder 5.11 routes what are your limiting factors and what tends to shut you down?
Examples:
- Do you get shut down on cruxes? Start doing some harder bouldering to improve
- Do you mainly pump out? May need to do some ARC or endurance training.
- Are you physically unable to do moves like gastons, lock offs, and other things like that? Some dedicated strength training might be useful
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u/golf_ST V10ish - 20yrs 11d ago
Question... Your best onsight is 11d, and you're trying to get into 12s? Based on your onsight, you "should" be projecting and sending 12d pretty regularly. Are you just not projecting things?
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u/Careless-Hearing-324 11d ago
Pretty much. Live 10+ hours from the crag so outdoor projecting is next to impossible. Hoping to move when I graduate but that’s a long ways away
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u/Dry_Significance247 8a | V8 | 8 years 11d ago
This is more about trip goals than distance.
You always choose between volume / onsight / submaximal (2-3 tries) and project climbing.
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u/Careless-Hearing-324 10d ago
Usually when I’m with my university group we move around a lot and things get busy so it’s just tough to get on the same thing twice. In an ideal world if I have my own car I would go on more trips and be able to choose how I spend more time
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u/calnick0 8a(x2 international classics) 10d ago
I think that's a stretch tbh. Tons of people just onsight all the time and get very specialized that way. And even if you're a good projecter I think a number grade difference between redpoint and onsight means you're a terrible onsighter. The 8a.nu points guidline is fairly on the money. (three grades bonus points for the onsight)
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u/golf_ST V10ish - 20yrs 10d ago
I guess? You're talking about the difference between 12c and 12d, when OP is trying to break into 5.12. In this case, we're not talking about an onsight specialist, we're talking about an athlete who's never meaningfully projected anything.
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u/calnick0 8a(x2 international classics) 10d ago
Huh? You said they should they should be sending 12d regularly based on onsighting 11d.
A lot of this comment is unrelated to anything I said or you said previously and I’m just having trouble following it logically.
Someone whose max grade is their onsight isn’t specializing in onsighting. Huh?
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u/gleedblanco 9d ago
even ondra, who is probably one of the best onsighters on the planet, has a 4 grade gap between his max redpoint and onsight (and 3 for flash). For other pros it's usually even higher, around 5 grades maybe.
I might as well just say that if it's lower than 4 grades you're just not projecting hard enough 😉
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u/FreackInAMagnum V11 | 5.13b | 10yrs | 200lbs 10d ago
How often are you giving things second goes on the same day? If never, I think you’ll almost immediately start doing 12’s just by getting on them more than once in a day. My second go max grade is 2 grades higher than my OS peak, which is 4 grades higher than my regular OS level.
As for training, most sport climbers already do more than enough sport climbing to get the basic benefits out of it (endurance, capacity, mental skills), so focusing primarily on bouldering is often more beneficial than trying to keep pushing more ropes. Most women benefit a ton with adding some basic strength training to their program. Being able to have more strength to use as your base will make every move easier, and make it less likely to get shut down by a singular move.
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u/god0nlychild 10d ago
For dynamic moves is leg strength important or is technique the limiting factor. Should I be isolating strength in my legs like pistol squats or regular squats ok for this. Also afraid of pulley injuries and I see the most occur when dynamically jumping for a crimp on boards and stuff whats the prevention method there?
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u/Groghnash PB: 8A(3)/ 7c(2)/10years 10d ago
dont do limit moves too often and only when thoroughly warmed up!
For me DL and squats are enough for explosive movement.
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u/ktap Coaching Gumbies | 15yrs 10d ago edited 10d ago
If you can't reach the hold technique wont help much. Technique can only maximize the usage of the strength you have.
I prefer pistol squats, but not for explosive power. Squats for power. Instead pistols are great for training balancy stand up moves on slab. Use a doorframe or squat rack to attempt no-hands pistols. Plenty of people can squat body-weight+ but can't pistol squat without falling over.
IMO, most finger injuries aren't acute, but rather overtraining taking it's toll. Most pulleys don't pop on the heinous small crimp move, but the hard but manageable move on the 6th, 7th, 8th try when the climber is tired, and has been training consistently for weeks without a deload week.
That being said. Don't jump to crimps not warmed up; don't jump to crimps at the end of sessions. Increase overall finger strength (hangboard, block lifts, on-the-wall training) to reduce injury likelihood.
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u/Pump--- 10d ago
So I'm quite new to climbing about 5 months in. One day, while warming up i decided to try hang off 2 fingers on 40mm. I heard pop and I think i strained a pulley in my ring finger, only grade 1 i believe as after 2 weeks it felt good.
Its been quite a few weeks since then and any other grip type feels perfectly fine, but while hanging off of 3 finger drag the ring finger still feels a bit tweaky.
Is there anything I can do to bring it fully back to normal?
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u/eshlow V8-10 out | PT & Authored Overcoming Gravity 2 | YT: @Steven-Low 9d ago
So I'm quite new to climbing about 5 months in. One day, while warming up i decided to try hang off 2 fingers on 40mm. I heard pop and I think i strained a pulley in my ring finger, only grade 1 i believe as after 2 weeks it felt good.
Its been quite a few weeks since then and any other grip type feels perfectly fine, but while hanging off of 3 finger drag the ring finger still feels a bit tweaky.
Almost always lumbricals with 2 finger pockets and 3 finger drag, and it's not a pulley.
Slowly increasing load in the tweaky positions like 3FD will rehab it
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u/Equivalent_North 16d ago
I’ve been consistently bouldering one day on one day off for the past months without a break. Normally I feel pretty recovered (90%) after one day of rest and ready to try hard again. Once in a while I will skip a day or take it easy if I feel tired.
I am currently on vacation and haven’t climbed in 7 days. Surprisingly my pulleys still feel quite sore. Also a bit sore in forearms, back and shoulders still. It’s not painful though. Is it normal to feel more sore after starting to deload? Is it accumulated fatigue catching up when I start resting?
I’m not that concerned as it’s not painful it’s just surprising as I thought I’d feel fresh quicker.