Injuries to the upper extremity in rock-climbers

Abstract

Rock climbing and bouldering are highly popular upcoming sport disciplines. The majority of climbers perform their sport as a recreational activity in the indoor climbing gyms that can be found throughout the country. Different new pathologies like the closed flexor tendon pulley rupture of the finger and other syndromes caused by overuse appeared which should be known to physicians and therapists interested in sports medicine. The purpose of this article is to give an overview of the most common and most specific climbing injuries of the upper extremity as well as its diagnosis and treatment options.

Keywords:

• rock climbing
• sport climbing
• injury
• overuse
• degenerative changes
• upper extremity
• hand
• elbow
• shoulder