To the average person, when asked about the most common injuries that may occur in the sport of rock climbing, images of breaks, bruises and other bodily traumas are likely to be top of mind. However, to the rock climbers themselves, the reality is closer to sprains, strains and other forms of tissue trauma or inflammation, and for good reasons. Let me explain.
The sport of rock climbing is quite unique in that it poses a dualistic challenge to the muscles, tendons and ligaments within the body of the climber. On one hand (pardon the pun), a climber relies on fast, forceful motions to get from one position to the next. On the other hand, there is a need for precision within those motions, so it is highly common for those same bodily structures to undergo long periods of time under tension while the path of the climber is dialed in. While there is a different type of demand on these dynamic structures in the above situations, it is the combination of these demands that sets the climber up for any one of many overuse injuries.
With that in mind, a climber’s commitment to both a proper warm up and a proper recovery routine becomes an essential tool in their goal of improving their performance while simultaneously reducing injury risk. For that reason, while there are thousands of products on the market catering to the needs of a rock climber, it is important to find the right tool that can not only provide a high level of effectiveness but works fast while thoroughly addressing the different goals of the climber’s pre- or post-workout routine. A good example of this is the Cryo-Thermo Massager.