Date: Wed, 25 Jan 1995 11:59:44 CST From: Nick Parker Subject: Re: Climbing >From: smith john kenneth >Shoot me if this sounds impossible, but has anybody heard/seen/awed at, >or otherwise known of anybody with CTS who still rock climbs? .... be it >via new techniques or modified equipment. I'm a rehab engineer and am >curious as to the potential and need. There are no techniques or equipment to help in this area, but I've found that common sense and a good attitude can help. I've been rock climbing for about 20 years, alpine climbing for about 7, ice climbing for about 5, seriously using computers for about 12, and have had wrist/forearm problems for 3-4 years. My wrist problems have ranged from zero to very severe (not able to do much of anything with my hands). Most of the time I have some degree of wrist/forearm pain. It has been diagnosed as tendonitis. My nerve conduction studies did not reveal any significant nerve problem. I've also had problems with my joints (knees, shoulders, fingers, back) since the age of 16, diagnosed as non-rheumatoid arthritis. This comes and goes, and has ranged from mild pain to being barely able to walk or hold a tool. When I was a teenager, I developed the attitude that I wasn't going to let this problem rule my life, and that I was going to do the things I wanted to do. It would have been easy to blame someone else, but I think that attitude is self defeating. I believe I am responsible for myself, regardless of what cards get dealt. Amazingly, I've found that rock climbing does not exascerbate my wrist problems. Sure, I can feel it after I climb, but nowhere near as bad as if I use a paint scraper, paint a wall, use a screwdriver for too long, or keyboard for too long without taking the rest breaks I should be taking (especially if I'm cold). Those kinds of things can make me hurt for weeks, and climbing will only make me sore for a day or so. A couple of years ago I did a 400+ ft ice climb, then a mile high alpine ridge a few months later. Neither of these hurt my wrists. (Due to the possibility of severe embarrassment, I won't mention the fact that I broke my ankle walking on mostly level ground after the ice climb.) This past summer I climbed a moderate 1,000 ft rock climb, and it didn't affect my wrists at all. In contrast, during the same time period I flared up my right wrist helping paint the living room. Go figure. I attribute this to the fact that climbing does not involve a lot of identical repetitive motions -- each climbing move is a little different from the last. I've found that when done in moderation, and within my limits, climbing is a great workout that helps with hand/arm strength, overall muscle tone, and attitude. YMMV. Climbing is not for everyone, but for me, climbing is also the ultimate stress reliever. When I'm climbing I become incredibly focused. Nothing else enters my mind. Stress from work, etc, simply ceases to exist. I find it very refreshing. I certainly believe that the positive attitude I took toward my arthritis problem had a direct benefit when I developed wrist problems. I didn't try to blame someone else -- I took it upon myself to deal with the situation. I've found the following helps: Don't climb or train unless you are THOROUGHLY warmed up, this includes your fingers and forearms. This can't be stressed enough, and it gets more important the older you get. When I was 20 I could climb hard in freezing temps and never pull a muscle. Now I'm 36, and I WILL pull a muscle if I don't warm up, even in balmy weather. Stretch. I've found it best to stretch AFTER warming up with a walk, jog, bike, etc. Stretch gently, don't do hard bouncing stretches. Train before you climb. Don't jump into climbing "cold turkey", get your body ready for it. Train opposing muscle groups. Make sure you don't end up with an imbalance. Climb in moderation. Tendonitis is a fairly common problem for climbers who climb all the time. (That does not describe me, I've never had that much time I could dedicate to climbing.) Keep a good attitude. Physical problems are not necessarily a reason to give up on climbing. Willi Unsoeld climbed for years on artificial hips. Fritz Weissner rock climbed well into his '80's. Hugh Herr is a better rock climber than I'll probably ever be, and he has no feet. Ed Webster lost several fingers on Everest, but he didn't stop rock climbing. He (re)started on easy stuff, and has worked his way back up the grades. Pick climbs that make sense for you. Does it make sense to get on a sustained overhang while you're experiencing wrist pain? Would it be better to pick a more moderate climb? Improve your footwork and balance, this will allow you to use your arms less. I've found that the best training for this is a very steep friction slab, where there are no handholds -- it forces you to learn good footwork and balance. Improvements here will translate into less strain on your arms on all types of climbs. This type of climbing also involves minimal wrist strain. Concentrate on using your feet, even on overhanging climbs. If you haven't climbed in a while, start slowly on easy climbs. Don't feel bad about starting on a 5.4, and don't feel bad about maxing out on 5.8, or wherever. Do what feels right for you, and don't fall prey to peer pressure. Train on climbs with big hand holds -- they are less stressful than small holds. This holds true for climbing gyms and real rock. Vary the type of climbing you do. Climb jam cracks, face, friction, etc. Too much of one thing may cause a problem. Avoid small "crimper" holds and thin finger cracks if you can. These are very stressful on the fingers, even for top climbers who do not have RSI. Climbing gyms are notorious for causing problems in the last four points mentioned above. Gyms are primarily face climbing on relatively small holds, and they can have an intense social scene where you may feel pressured to to get on a hard climb that your arms just aren't ready for. I prefer to climb outside on real rock -- sun, sky, and fresh air have healing properties all their own... > From: Gary Shea > I wouldn't think of shooting you, but I did want to mention that > my first bout with hand problems, a stiffness and ache in my fingers > that's never gone away nor even reduced slightly, happened after > a winter of working many hours at a workstation in front > of a large single-pane window in an underheated basement with the > outside temp < 0F. I followed up the winter with a summer of > hard climbing. By mid summer I couldn't climb any more. My > fingers ached and were very stiff in all of the joints from > the base of the fingers out to the tips. If you did extensive keyboarding in a cold environment, then climbed hard for a whole summer without letting your wrists calm down, I can see how you could have developed quite a problem. I've never read a satisfactory explanation of why, but cold is a big deal. My pain is always much worse in the winter. Unless the statistics have changed recently, the group with the highest rate of wrist problems is meat processors. They work in a very cold environment, and make repetitive cutting motions for long periods of time. [None of the above should be construed as professional medical or climbing advice -- it is personal opinion only. Climbing, like driving to work, has some inherent dangers, including the possibility of death. Anyone considering climbing should get professional instruction, preferrably from a certified guide. In the USA, this means AMGA certification.] Cheers, Nick -- Nick Parker (nsparker@ingr.com) Design & Ergonomics Intergraph Corporation Huntsville, AL 35894-0001 Mail Stop: CR2901 Voice: 205-730-6208 Fax: 205-730-6239