The number one cause for climbing injuries is not warming up and cooling down properly. Our bodies are capable of doing many impressive things, but when we look at climbing we see our bodies having to do very powerful and unusual moves. This makes it even more important than normal to ensure we warm up correctly. Our bodies perform 20% better when warmed up properly. As an added incentive by warming up and cooling down your body your decrease your chance of injury dramatically.

Strong shoulders are not necessarily stable shoulders and if you are pulling down often, you could be a prime candidate for Shoulder Impingement Syndrome (SIS). Shoulder injuries often occur if you fall when rock climbing but don’t let go soon enough resulting in you to wrench your shoulder. Climbers are particularly susceptible to SIS because they are reaching overhead.

Rotator Cuff Impingement can start with a single injury such as a fall, but it more commonly starts with repetitive overuse activities such as cleaning or working with your arms overhead for prolonged periods.

That nagging pain that you may experience at the shoulder is likely inflammation of tendons of the rotator cuff getting pinched. With continued pinching and rubbing as it passes through between the bones, the rotator cuff tendon will start to fray and can eventually tear. Tears can also occur in a traumatic incident such as a fall. The secret to stopping SIS is preventative exercise. You need to ensure that you develop the rotator cuff muscles as these are the core stabilizers of the shoulder.

Three-quarters of elite and recreational sport climbers will suffer upper extremity injuries. Approximately 60% of these injuries will involve the hand and wrist, the other 40% will be equally divided between the elbow and the shoulder. While the shoulder is likely the most mobile joint of the body it is also one of the most vulnerable to injury. The shoulder is a ball and socket joint just like the hip. Unlike the hip, the socket is not deep. In fact, the “socket” of the shoulder joint is similar in shape to a saucer. This makes it far more likely to get damaged as it is susceptible to dislocation.

Rock climbing is a fun and enjoyable sport, but there are dangers. These can be mitigated by taking correct safety measures, but there will always be risks.
A few tips to reduce the chance of injury:
• Never try moves you think you are more likely to fail on than succeed. Slowly build up to high risk moves.
• Ensure that your diet is adequate for muscle repair.
• Always warm up and cool down.
• Take breaks between routes.
• Always consult a specialist if you are experience pain or discomfort as it could be a sign of something serious.

Venture Sport have a huge selection of incredibly well priced climbing gear.