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Getting back to climbing post injuries/surgeries (Read 3836 times)

benj_d

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Not sure exactly what I'm after- advice/encouragement?

I've been bouldering twice indoors after being given the ok, here's what's happened...

Oct15 slap tear in my right shoulder, had some physio, started climbing again, got worse so stopped climbing and eventually had surgery Aug16.

During that time not climbing while out for a walk in Apr16  I hung off some coastal sandstone on my 'good arm'. The rock snapped off, my left index extensor tendon also snapped and left me with an open dislocation(rather gory). Got surgery via a&e and lots of physio.

So that finger doesn't fully bend and lacks strength a lot, ends up quite painful by the end of a session. Shoulder feels alright I guess but is still gaining strength. Finished an indoor session tonight wondering if it's worth it and if I actually enjoyed it. Anyone have any experience or advice that might help?
« Last Edit: January 25, 2017, 11:01:45 pm by benj_d »

webbo

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What else are you going to do with your life.

Palomides

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To start with can I just say : open dislocation... YUK!!!! and OUCH!!!!

Anyway, sounds like you're at the start of rehab. For me it's worth it to continue. Even if you never get back to climbing as hard as before there's so many other good things to do. Yeah, it's worth it.

Schnell

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That's pretty awful look you've had, sorry to hear. I've had lots of injuries in the past and struggled with psychology of the whole thing too. I don't have any game changing pieces of advice, just a few thoughts. Dave Mc's Make or Break has some discussion of the psychology of recovery which I don't remember in that much detail, went something like: for people invested in a sport being injured is going to affect your mood and it helps to recognize that and be open about it to people. Also think of the rehab process as work, something you've got to get through to get yourself back to fighting form.

For me I find it really frustrating not climbing but also just the lack of physical activity, so it helps not to rely too heavily on climbing to get yourself out and about, go do something else as well and combine with rehabbing yourself gradually. One other thing that works for me is to change the style of climbing that you do significantly to something with lower impact for a while, a lot of people inc. Dave Mc would say something like 'go easy trad climbing' for a while, basically something where your enjoyment is not so closely related to being at your physical peak. Personally I find going to an indoor bouldering wall one of the worst things to do if I'm injured, route climbing is lower impact and I'm bad at it so I'd prefer to do that for a bit.

Pewtle

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I can completely sympathise - I had a similar shoulder problem in Jul last year, and its only recently I've begun pulling at full strength again.  Sounds like you have had a worse tear than me though..

The Dave McLeod tactic of doing different stuff mentioned above was really helpful to me.  I was super bummed out, but started specifically training aerobic capacity and just enjoying moving over lots and lots of easy rock, and that got me out of the house and gave me the dopamine release.

Sasquatch

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So that finger doesn't fully bend and lacks strength a lot, ends up quite painful by the end of a session. Shoulder feels alright I guess but is still gaining strength. Finished an indoor session tonight wondering if it's worth it and if I actually enjoyed it. Anyone have any experience or advice that might help?

Blown two pulley in last 4 years.  1 - take your time, and make steady progressions.  I thought the FB and easy end climbing the best way to continuously push the finger harder and harder.  It was uncomfortable every time I climbed, but two days later it was better and the progression was always up. 

I think the harder question is the "enjoyment" factor.  Coming back from an injury is not type 1 fun.  It hurts, it's depressing to feel like you're starting over, and is generally a sufferfest.  If you persevere, you will likely get back to enjoying climbing. 

i.munro

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FWIW I had a run of injuries 3 years back , not as bad as yours but the last resulting in surgery.
While unable to climb I was reading Dave Mac's stuff about his run of injuries and how he felt that a contributing factor was climbing in warm/humid conditions. This rang a bell with me as the walls I'd been using were both overheated and unventilated.

I've been religiously avoiding these since - climbing indoors only at walls with some ventilation although this means a (much) longer journey to the wall. So far so good - as the man said.

benj_d

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Thank you all. Some nice helpful comments there

mrjonathanr

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Of course it's worth it. The reasons why you enjoyed climbing have not changed and the enjoyment won't diminish, you just need determination to recover previous form. I have probably spent more time over the past 30 years injured than not injured, but that doesn't change a thing. Do the work, reap the rewards.

SA Chris

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You adapt to injuries and make do.

I think the most important thing to do with a comeback is to forget where you were before you stopped, and just enjoy where you are. For example, I've come to accept my thumb will never regain full range of movement and will hurt after a session and have to work around it. Anything involving full crimps for my right hand is impossible, but my open hand strength is way better than it was now.

 

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