Although we tend to think of rock climbing as being most stressful on the upper body, toe pain is surprisingly common in climbers. This sport puts a lot of stress through the toes, from jamming our feet into small shoes to edging on tiny footholds. The most common location of toe pain is at the...
Wrist mobility and stability are crucial to helping prevent injury for rock climbers. The joint between the radius and the carpal bones (the wrist) is a common site for stiffness, especially considering the demands that climbers place on their wrists and fingers. Stiffness to the wrist joint can lead to pain at the elbow, wrist,...
How many times have you seen someone whose posture looks like this while belaying? Neck pain is a common in rock climbers. Although climbing itself can lead to neck pain, the most common cause is spending prolonged periods belaying. We refer to this as “belayer’s neck”. Belayer’s neck is a colloquial term to describe a...
The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles that coordinate movement and provide dynamic stability of the shoulder joint. These muscles are crucial for rock climbers who put extreme stresses through their shoulders, often in awkward positions that can cause bone structures to rub or impinge on the rotator cuff muscles. Because of this,...
Clear vision relies on seamless communication between the vestibular organ (in your inner ear) and your eyes. This allows your eyes to almost instantaneously adapt to changes to your head and body position. This is called your vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) and problems with this reflex are a common cause of dizziness and motion sickness. In...
Clear vision relies on seamless communication between the vestibular organ (in your inner ear) and your eyes. This allows your eyes to almost instantaneously adapt to changes to your head and body position. This is called your vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) and problems with this reflex are a common cause of dizziness and motion sickness. In...
Normal movement at the shoulder is distributed between motion at the shoulder (glenohumeral) joint and movement of the scapula. Although there is variability with how shoulders move, normal arm movement is made up of a ratio of glenohumeral joint movement to scapular movement that is between 2:1 and 2.4:1. A normal shoulder will move 180o...
Many of us suffer from some degree of motion sickness. This can be triggered by large motions such as sitting in the back seat of a car while zipping around a windy Colorado mountain road, or can be triggered by more subtle things like moving through a grocery store or checking your phone while walking....
Are you or someone you know experiencing vertigo? Vertigo is the sensation of the room spinning around you, or the sensation of your body spinning within the room. It is often a debilitating feeling and can cause nausea and falls. Dizziness and vertigo can be caused by a variety of factors and it’s...
Most climbers are aware of the importance of finger flexor strength. But how strong are your finger EXTENSORS? Finger extensors are the antagonist muscle group to the finger flexors and are critical to providing support and stability. Strengthening this muscle group is key component to a finger rehabilitation program, particularly in rock climbers who put...