[comPiler]

My climbing injuries book is up for pre-order!
19 January 2015, 12:32 pm



Readers of this blog will of course know that I have been working on a book on climbing injuries for some years. It has turned out to be a much bigger book than I originally envisaged. It has been a huge project, but in a few weeks I will reach the finish line. The book is currently with the printers and some time in the next few weeks, many boxes of copies will arrive at my house. The final stages were a rather exhausting process, but I’m excited to release it and potentially help healthy climbers stay healthy and injured climbers to get back to the fray.

I’ll write a more detailed post about the content of the book when the stock arrives in early February. If you want to make sure you get a copy as soon as you can, we’ve put it up for pre-order in the shop here, and it’ll be in the post to you as soon as it arrives. I’ve also added the table of contents below so you have an idea of the breadth of the areas covered.

My aim was to write the manual on how to stay healthy as a climbing athlete that I wished I’d had when I was 16. The first priority was to base my writing on the cutting edge of sports medicine research, wherever it was available. The second was to include all the diverse aspects of injury prevention and recovery, and then present them in a way that allows you to see them in the whole context of your efforts to stay injury free. As with the world of training, too many injury texts focus on or overplay the importance of just one aspect of sports medicine.

Having spent around 4 years researching, thinking and writing the book, I do feel that if I’d had access to the information contained in it when I was a teenager, my health and climbing achievements over the past 20 years would have been significantly better. I hope the book can make this difference both for both youngsters who have yet to experience injury, and battle scarred climbers like myself.

Below is the table of contents, so you can get idea of the scope of the book. You’ll find the book in the shop here.

Section 1: Make or break

Why the treatments you have tried aren’t working, and what to do about it.How to use this bookThe real reasons you are injuredStress and injuryThe reason you are still injuredThe language problemThe practitioner problemThe sports medicine problemThe missing linkExceptional use: the luxury of doing your sport badlyPreventionYour visit to the doctor’sSummary

Section 2: Know pain, or no gain

Pain and how to read itSeeing the patterns in your painWhat is healthy soreness?Understanding your painGoing beyond reading only painSummary

Section 3: Removing the causes of injury for prevention and treatment

Are you only treating symptoms?What was the real cause?The big four: technique, posture, activity, restCorrecting techniqueCorrecting postureActivityHow to restWarm-up and injuryLifestyleNutrition

Section 4: Rehabilitation of climbing injuries - treating both causes and symptoms

Acute rehabilitationWhen to move beyond acute careGoals of mid-late rehabilitationModern understanding of tendon injuries and recoveryTherapeutic activity - basic exercisesTherapeutic activity - climbingProprioceptive trainingWalking the line of rehab ups and downsTherapeutic modalitiesSurgeryDrug and other emerging treatmentsWhen to stop rehab?Summary

Section 5: Psychology of injuries: dealing with the anguish of injuryFace it: it really is that bad!Take heartFinding motivation

Section 6: Young climbersWhat young climbers should knowToo much, too young: a warningWhat parents and coaches should do

Section 7: The elbowGolfer’s and tennis elbowBrachioradialis/brachialis strainOther elbow injuries

Section 8: The fingersDifferent grips in climbing and consequences for injuryPulley injuriesWhen and how to tape the fingersPainful finger jointsFlexor unit strainsDupuytren’s contractureGanglionsOther finger injuries

Section 9: The wristTriangular fibrocartilage injuryCarpal tunnel syndromeDe Quervain’s tenosynovitisOther wrist injuries

Section 10: The shoulderShoulder impingement/rotator cuff tearsBiceps tendon insertion tearsLabral tearsShoulder dislocationFrozen shoulderThoracic outlet syndrome Shoulder and neck trigger points

Section 11: Lower body injuriesFoot pain in climbersPlantar fasciitisHeel pad bruisingIngrown toenailsSesamoid injuriesHallux valgusMorton’s neuromaAnkle injuries in climbersCartilage/joint injuriesAnkle impingement syndromeAchilles tendon painKnee injuries in climbersMeniscus tearsAnterior cruciate ligament tearsMedial collateral ligament tearsHamstrings tearHernia

Section 12: Further readingFurther reading and referencesGetting access to good care

The author’s tale of woe and hope

Glossary of key terms

Thanks

ReferencesDave MacLeod

My book - 9 out of 10 climbers make the same mistakes

Source: Online Climbing Coach

[Muenchener]

I am totally buying this book.

I want to continue making progress at 50+, but I'm already seeing that I'm sailing quite close to the wind with regard to what my shoulders and elbows can take.

[kelvin]

Yup - makes sense for me with the trip coming up, as popping to see the physio won't be an option.

[fried]

What we oldies need is a training book for the over 40s. I find it really difficult to know when to push and when to rest. Shoulders and elbows are the usual culprits.

[Fiend]

+1

[chris j]

What we oldies need is a training book for the over 40s. I find it really difficult to know when to push and when to rest. Shoulders and elbows are the usual culprits.

+1

Now I'm hitting the big 40 this year I'm finally reading the books on good posture and movement mechanics that I really should have brought into my work outs 20 years ago. Probably a bit late to overcome all the ingrained dysfunction but the alternative seems to be an ongoing trail of shoulder and other joint problems...

[Muenchener]

Probably a bit late to overcome all the ingrained dysfunction but the alternative seems to be an ongoing trail of shoulder and other joint problems...

My ambition is to be able to lie on my back, with my lumbar flat on the floor, and lay my arms on the ground over my head. I have no idea how Long Term this goal is; several years of daily ashtanga yoga practice didn't achieve it.

[seankenny]

What we oldies need is a training book for the over 40s. I find it really difficult to know when to push and when to rest. Shoulders and elbows are the usual culprits.

+1

+1

[/quote]
Now I'm hitting the big 40 this year I'm finally reading the books on good posture and movement mechanics that I really should have brought into my work outs 20 years ago. Probably a bit late to overcome all the ingrained dysfunction but the alternative seems to be an ongoing trail of shoulder and other joint problems...
[/quote]

Any suggestions?

[jfdm]

In response to Seankenny,

I posted this in a few of the topic areas.
This may help/it might not?
But a good alternative to yoga and the like.

A good place to start is look at anything by Kelly Starrett.
http://www.mobilitywod.com/episodes/page/7/
There is a load of stuff on youtube as well as a few books.

He is massive in US, regarding stretching/ mobility, cross-fit etc.
He has performed in the US Olympic team in the canoe.
So knows a thing or two about stretching/training.

The foam roller is used mainly to aid recovery/increase range of motion

Hope this helps

jfdm

[seankenny]

Thanks, I have seen his site and actually own one of his weird blue crinkly balls (no sn**gering at the back of the class please). But find it a bit awkward to use, probably need to look at his page again.

[chris j]

I just started Kelly Starrett's book 'Becoming a Supple Leopard', which seems to distill a lot of the mobilitywod website goodness into something suitable for those who still prefer to stare at paper rather than a screen (and like carrying a hefty doorstop around)... Cheesy title but good so far. I've gone right back to basics and started with standing up straight and air squats, problems with ankle and hip mobility right there for me to start working out... Also lots of different parts of the body to massage with foam rollers, massage balls, barbells.

I also started another book 'Overcoming Gravity' which is a weighty tome and very dry. Basically a progression book for gymnastics and bodyweight strength training. Just about the first book I've read though where they devote a chapter on why you should keep the shoulder balanced and include pushing and pulling exercises (most climbers probably need to do a whole lot more pushing to counteract the effects of climbing). I've started to include a couple of the really basic exercises such as wall handstands and L-sits.

[chris j]

My ambition is to be able to lie on my back, with my lumbar flat on the floor, and lay my arms on the ground over my head. I have no idea how Long Term this goal is; several years of daily ashtanga yoga practice didn't achieve it.

I spent maybe 2 years attempting this, not getting closer than maybe 20 degrees from the floor, also doing yoga. Then I saw a physio back in the autumn who put my shoulders in the right position to start off and I more or less did it straight away (along with gaining 20 degrees+ or outward rotation) - that's what started me off on this quest to work out all my bad habits...

[seankenny]

I just started Kelly Starrett's book 'Becoming a Supple Leopard', which seems to distill a lot of the mobilitywod website goodness into something suitable for those who still prefer to stare at paper rather than a screen (and like carrying a hefty doorstop around)... Cheesy title but good so far. I've gone right back to basics and started with standing up straight and air squats, problems with ankle and hip mobility right there for me to start working out... Also lots of different parts of the body to massage with foam rollers, massage balls, barbells.

Thanks for the recommendation, this sounds good. I must admit the title put me off. Or rather my partner's probable reaction to the title.

[mrjonathanr]

My ambition is to be able to lie on my back, with my lumbar flat on the floor, and lay my arms on the ground over my head. I have no idea how Long Term this goal is

I do for me: that boat sailed long ago.. and my methods are similar ....

[Muenchener]

My ambition is to be able to lie on my back, with my lumbar flat on the floor, and lay my arms on the ground over my head. I have no idea how Long Term this goal is

I do for me: that boat sailed long ago.. and my methods are similar ....

I recall Shark saying that he can, and he climbs considerably harder than me and therefore (perhaps) has stronger lats etc.

@shark: what did you do to achieve this?

[Sasquatch]

Probably a bit late to overcome all the ingrained dysfunction but the alternative seems to be an ongoing trail of shoulder and other joint problems...

My ambition is to be able to lie on my back, with my lumbar flat on the floor, and lay my arms on the ground over my head. I have no idea how Long Term this goal is; several years of daily ashtanga yoga practice didn't achieve it.

Kind of like the debates about climbing coaches and what makes a good coach, I think Yoga instructors are the same deal. 

I did Yoga off and on for 3-4 years and never really saw much out of it.  Found my current instructor who is awesome (we call her the yoga dominatrix), and I've been seeing incredible gains.  And generally in places I wasn't expecting.  For example, I have ankle issues from years of playing footy.  This led to overly tight calves as I was always protecting my ankles.  This led to overly tight hamstrings.  By adressing the scar tissue and fascia issues in my ankles and calves, my hamstrings have opened up considerable.

I recall Shark saying that he can, and he climbs considerably harder than me and therefore (perhaps) has stronger lats etc.

FWIW, I can't do this yet, but am working towards it.  just shy of 40 though, so hopefully the ship hasn't sailed

[kelvin]

My ambition is to be able to lie on my back, with my lumbar flat on the floor, and lay my arms on the ground over my head. I have no idea how Long Term this goal is; several years of daily ashtanga yoga practice didn't achieve it.

So I just tried this and can do it pretty easily. Got my 20 year old lodger to try (you met him at Torbryan Chris) and he's nowhere near!

What I have learnt from yoga is that the poses like the cobra, I can do easily but anything forwards - I'm utterly stumped. I'm a decorator and a lot of my work is above my head and bending backwards, so I guess I'm a creation of my work habits.

[Muenchener]

You're right, it could well be more the work than the climbing. I've always had desk jobs, and I spend considerably more time at the office than I do at the crag.

[chris j]

So I just tried this and can do it pretty easily. Got my 20 year old lodger to try (you met him at Torbryan Chris) and he's nowhere near!

Does he habitually stand with his shoulders slightly forwards?

[tomtom]

I'm a couple of cm from hand touchdown on this... Never done yoga.

[kelvin]

He's a climbing instructor and a smoker - hands in pockets is pretty standard ;-)

[chris j]

I recall Shark saying that he can, and he climbs considerably harder than me and therefore (perhaps) has stronger lats etc.

Obviously different folk will have different issues but for me it was entirely putting the shoulders back into a neutral position in the joint before starting the maneouvre. In my habitual shoulders forward position the joint impinged and no amount of strength in the lats was going to pull one bone through another...

[Muenchener]

Definitely muscular in my case. An assistant gently pressing my elbows down can easily get my whole arm flat on the floor - my son is becoming expert at this - but as soon as the asssistant lets go, muscular tension gently pulls them back up into the air.

[chris j]

Interesting, tight pecs/front of shoulder?

[Muenchener]

Interesting, tight pecs/front of shoulder?

I'm feeling the stretch more in the lower thorax / serratus region. Doesn't necessarily mean that the problem isn't coming from higher up.