Rock climbing places intense and unique demands on the body, which can easily lead to injury. Until recently, there was very little information available to the average climber on how best to manage or prevent injuries.
People would spend months or even years experimenting with trial and error, or endlessly trawling the internet for advice. Fortunately, as the sport of climbing has evolved, more people have begun to specialise in this area of physiotherapy – myself included.
With extensive expertise in the specific issues encountered by climbers, I can quickly identify the problem and help you get back to your project.
When it comes to dealing with climbing injuries, nothing beats seeing a physiotherapist who understands the sport; with over 20 years’ climbing experience, I’m deeply passionate about helping people to return to the activity they love. I’m also a specialist in treating shoulder, elbow, hand and foot injuries: all areas of the body that are commonly injured in climbers.
My holistic approach takes account of various factors, such as lifestyle, training volume and technique, to help you get back to climbing as soon as possible. As part of the treatment process, you might be asked to keep a diary so that we can track your progress or identify patterns that might be causing your injury. It’s likely that we’ll also look at your functional strength and movement – this could be on the bouldering wall, in the gym or on the finger board.
Common climbing injuries I treat include pulley tears; finger tenosynovitis; elbow tendinopathy; shoulder instability, pain and stiffness; finger joint pain; knee injuries; ankle sprains. I also provide rehabilitation for more serious injuries, such as ACL rupture and traumatic shoulder dislocation.
