Comprehensive guide to common climbing injuries, their symptoms, causes, and prevention strategies
Pain at base of finger (proximal phalanx), Swelling and tenderness, Difficulty with crimping
Recovery Time
6-12 weeks
Frequency
Very Common
• Pain at base of finger (proximal phalanx)
• Swelling and tenderness
• Difficulty with crimping
+1 more
Ulnar-sided wrist pain, Pain with wrist rotation, Clicking or popping sounds
Recovery Time
8-16 weeks
Frequency
Common
• Ulnar-sided wrist pain
• Pain with wrist rotation
• Clicking or popping sounds
+1 more
Pain on lateral elbow, Pain with gripping, Weakness in grip strength
Recovery Time
4-8 weeks
Frequency
Common
• Pain on lateral elbow
• Pain with gripping
• Weakness in grip strength
+1 more
Pain at middle phalanx (middle finger segment), Swelling and tenderness, Difficulty with crimping
Recovery Time
8-16 weeks
Frequency
Common
• Pain at middle phalanx (middle finger segment)
• Swelling and tenderness
• Difficulty with crimping
+1 more
Deep finger pain, Inability to flex DIP joint (tip of finger), Swelling and tenderness
Recovery Time
8-16 weeks
Frequency
Moderate
• Deep finger pain
• Inability to flex DIP joint (tip of finger)
• Swelling and tenderness
+1 more
Lateral pain in finger joint, Instability with side-to-side movement, Swelling around joint
Recovery Time
4-8 weeks
Frequency
Moderate
• Lateral pain in finger joint
• Instability with side-to-side movement
• Swelling around joint
+1 more
Swelling and stiffness in PIP joint, Pain with passive motion, Limited range of motion
Recovery Time
6-12 weeks
Frequency
Moderate
• Swelling and stiffness in PIP joint
• Pain with passive motion
• Limited range of motion
+1 more
Pain along flexor tendon, Swelling and tenderness, Pain with finger flexion
Recovery Time
4-8 weeks
Frequency
Moderate
• Pain along flexor tendon
• Swelling and tenderness
• Pain with finger flexion
+1 more
Chronic joint pain, Stiffness in morning, Limited range of motion
Recovery Time
Ongoing management
Frequency
Moderate
• Chronic joint pain
• Stiffness in morning
• Limited range of motion
+1 more
Inability to extend DIP joint (tip of finger), Pain at DIP joint, Swelling and tenderness
Recovery Time
8-12 weeks
Frequency
Moderate
• Inability to extend DIP joint (tip of finger)
• Pain at DIP joint
• Swelling and tenderness
+1 more
Inability to extend PIP joint, Hyperextension of DIP joint, Pain at PIP joint
Recovery Time
12-20 weeks
Frequency
Moderate
• Inability to extend PIP joint
• Hyperextension of DIP joint
• Pain at PIP joint
+1 more
Pain on the front/lateral shoulder, Pain with overhead reaching and pulling, Pain with cross-body movements
Recovery Time
6-12 weeks
Frequency
Moderate
• Pain on the front/lateral shoulder
• Pain with overhead reaching and pulling
• Pain with cross-body movements
+1 more
Dull ache in lateral shoulder, Pain with resisted external rotation, Pain with lowering arm from elevation
Recovery Time
8-16 weeks
Frequency
Moderate
• Dull ache in lateral shoulder
• Pain with resisted external rotation
• Pain with lowering arm from elevation
+1 more
Medial elbow pain, Pain with gripping and wrist flexion, Tenderness over medial epicondyle
Recovery Time
4-8 weeks
Frequency
Common
• Medial elbow pain
• Pain with gripping and wrist flexion
• Tenderness over medial epicondyle
+1 more
Radial wrist/thumb pain, Pain with thumb abduction/extension, Swelling over first dorsal compartment
Recovery Time
6-12 weeks
Frequency
Moderate
• Radial wrist/thumb pain
• Pain with thumb abduction/extension
• Swelling over first dorsal compartment
+1 more
Lower back ache, Stiffness with flexion/extension, Pain after high volume sessions
Recovery Time
3-6 weeks
Frequency
Moderate
• Lower back ache
• Stiffness with flexion/extension
• Pain after high volume sessions
+1 more
Anterior knee pain at inferior pole of patella, Pain with jumping/dropping, Stiffness after rest
Recovery Time
8-16 weeks
Frequency
Moderate
• Anterior knee pain at inferior pole of patella
• Pain with jumping/dropping
• Stiffness after rest
Deep shoulder pain with overhead activity, Clicking/catching sensations, Pain with biceps loading (underclings, lock-offs)
Recovery Time
12-20 weeks
Frequency
Moderate
• Deep shoulder pain with overhead activity
• Clicking/catching sensations
• Pain with biceps loading (underclings, lock-offs)
+1 more
Top of shoulder pain, Pain with cross-body adduction, Point tenderness over AC joint
Recovery Time
4-8 weeks
Frequency
Moderate
• Top of shoulder pain
• Pain with cross-body adduction
• Point tenderness over AC joint
Medial knee pain, Pain with valgus stress, Tenderness along MCL
Recovery Time
4-8 weeks
Frequency
Moderate
• Medial knee pain
• Pain with valgus stress
• Tenderness along MCL
Retropatellar pain with squatting/steps, Pain after sitting (theater sign), Crepitus without locking
Recovery Time
6-12 weeks
Frequency
Moderate
• Retropatellar pain with squatting/steps
• Pain after sitting (theater sign)
• Crepitus without locking
Radial wrist pain after fall, Anatomic snuffbox tenderness, Pain with thumb axial loading
Recovery Time
8-12 weeks
Frequency
Moderate
• Radial wrist pain after fall
• Anatomic snuffbox tenderness
• Pain with thumb axial loading
Ulnar-side MCP thumb pain, Instability with pinch, Swelling at MCP joint
Recovery Time
4-8 weeks
Frequency
Moderate
• Ulnar-side MCP thumb pain
• Instability with pinch
• Swelling at MCP joint
Numbness/tingling thumb-index-middle, Night symptoms, Weak pinch/grip
Recovery Time
6-12 weeks
Frequency
Moderate
• Numbness/tingling thumb-index-middle
• Night symptoms
• Weak pinch/grip
Neck pain/stiffness, Pain with looking up, Headache referral
Recovery Time
3-6 weeks
Frequency
Moderate
• Neck pain/stiffness
• Pain with looking up
• Headache referral
Pain at the base of thumb during gripping, Tenderness over sesamoid bones, Pain worse with pinch grips
Recovery Time
6-8 weeks
Frequency
Moderate
• Pain at the base of thumb during gripping
• Tenderness over sesamoid bones
• Pain worse with pinch grips
+1 more
Finger catching or locking, Painful clicking when bending finger, Stiffness in finger joint
Recovery Time
8-12 weeks
Frequency
Common
• Finger catching or locking
• Painful clicking when bending finger
• Stiffness in finger joint
+1 more
Inability to bend fingertip, Pain at fingertip, Swelling and bruising
Recovery Time
12-16 weeks
Frequency
Moderate
• Inability to bend fingertip
• Pain at fingertip
• Swelling and bruising
+1 more
Pain at base of finger joint, Swelling around PIP joint, Difficulty bending finger
Recovery Time
8-12 weeks
Frequency
Common
• Pain at base of finger joint
• Swelling around PIP joint
• Difficulty bending finger
+1 more
Visible lump on wrist or hand, Pain with wrist movement, Weakness in grip
Recovery Time
8-12 weeks
Frequency
Common
• Visible lump on wrist or hand
• Pain with wrist movement
• Weakness in grip
+1 more
Pain on thumb side of forearm, Swelling 4-6 cm above wrist, Crepitus with wrist movement
Recovery Time
8-12 weeks
Frequency
Moderate
• Pain on thumb side of forearm
• Swelling 4-6 cm above wrist
• Crepitus with wrist movement
+1 more