Introduction

Abstract

Rock climbing is a new sport which keeps developing. The increasing number of climbers in climbing facilities accounts for that phenomenon.

These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

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Rock climbing is a new sport which keeps developing. The increasing number of climbers in climbing facilities accounts for that phenomenon.

This enthusiasm has led to an increase in hand injuries – the hand being obviously the most exposed part of the body in climbing and consequently the most fragile.

Fingers are not supposed to be used so harshly and roughly. The intensive repetition of specific tough movements may lead to progressive or sudden traumas or microtraumas on the different structures of the hand.

According to Salomon and Vigier (1989), “climbing is a quadruped activity whose aim is to reach the top of a more or less vertical and various support or the end of the route, moving up and using only the available holds on the support, all that in a safe way.”

In all categories – bouldering and difficulties – whether on sight or after work, performances keep rising. In 1980, Patrick Edlinger was successful – 7B+ − on his first try at “La polka des Ringards” in Buoux.

Nowadays, 8c is currently achieved by men. Climbers don’t hesitate to go around the world in order to find or try new routes especially the most extreme ones.

These performances put fingers under a constant and intensive strain which sometimes leads to inadequate climbing habits such as the lack of stretching or warming up.

The quest for performance implies taking risks. But those risks may be reduced if the sportsman learns how to be careful and changes some of their habits. Indeed, the only way to lower the occurrence potential injuries is to be well informed and get into good habits.

The opening of several climbing facilities has led to the emergence of a new public which just like the one usually attending sports gyms comes over to practice on their free time. And due to their limited time, the new members regard warming up as a waste of time.

This new behavior is the cause of potentially more serious lesions. Indeed, refusing to respect the basic principles of any physical activity – a progressive warming up, stretching exercises, good hydration, and gradual practicing after a long-term stop – may generate digit disorders.

This book is not only a source of information for climbers but also a means to make people aware of the peculiarity of rock climbing.

It also aims, at first, at describing the specificities of the lesions, then learning how to adjust one’s way of life to improve healing, and finally making the return to practice easier. Understanding the doctor’s diagnosis is another interesting point to focus on.

The training has to be personalized, and the recommendations have to be adapted to each sportsman or sportswoman.

The chosen examples of sportsmen going back to training are part of an empirical reflection though resulting from a mutual research between scientists and sportsmen. This is why the content of the book can’t be taken for granted even if most of the fundamental principles are respected.

We accept no responsibility for recurrences or new lesions once back to practice.

In fact, the most credible information that will be passed on to climbers is a better knowledge of their own body and the search for pleasure.

The purpose of this book is absolutely not to urge climbers to make their own diagnosis and treatment. Actually after a lesion, a sportsman has to see a doctor immediately. A hand specialist would be more appropriate, since they will be the most competent to make a precise diagnosis of the lesion and prescribe the required cure.

Medical and paramedical staff is the other topic developed in this work. Far from the idea of giving them advice, they need to be informed about the particularities of this activity.

Indeed, in rock climbing, according to the posture, the grip, or the handhold, the strain felt by the finger bones may change. Consequently, it’s difficult to understand and give technical or physical information to sportsmen who go back to training after a hand injury if the staff is not aware of the specificities of rock climbing and more particularly the strain constantly endured by the hands.

1.1 Different Terms Will Be Used Throughout This Publication

• The posture is the position of the fingers. In rock climbing, two main postures are possible: the open hand posture or the crimp grip.

• The grip is the way the climber clings to the hold – with two-finger or one-finger pocket for instance.

• The hold is the part used by the climber to keep going upward. Holds can be small edges or buckets. They can also be added supports in climbing gyms, CG.

We hope that climbers and coaches will find useful information on rock climbing in this book. Knowing how the body and the hand bones work, climbers will become aware of the fragility of their “handy tool” and will eventually change their climbing habits reducing likewise the risks resulting from their practice.

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