Are you thinking of taking up climbing as a sport? It can be an exhilarating and rewarding sport. Like most, you probably think that falling is the biggest danger especially if youve never climbed before. With all of the modern climbing equipment, falling is actually one of the least likely accidents. Falling is a risk but there are many other injuries that are more common. You should be aware of these risks and how to prevent them before you get involved in mountain or rock climbing.
Gravity is something that our bodies are used to in normal day-to-day living but when you climb youre fighting gravity even harder. You use your fingers, hands, feet and limbs to fight the forces of gravity. To add to this, you are usually climbing in extreme temperatures and in jagged terrain.
Our bones are connected by thick tissues called ligaments. Theyre not as elastic as our muscles so when theyre stretched and put under strain they can tear or come away from the bone. This type of injury is called collateral ligament strain and for climbers it is most typically in the fingers. It is caused by repeatedly pulling your body up with just a few fingers. Even mild cases...