After a sports injury it is normal to feel apprehension or concern about re injury when returning to practice or competition. In our Boulder Physical Therapy practice, our Physical Therapists utilize objective tests to quantify strength, power, and function asymmetries following an injury or surgery to ensure a patient is ready to return to their...
CrossFit gets a bad reputation for having high rates of injury. I have heard many Physical Therapists and Orthopedic Surgeons say things such as “CrossFit keeps me in business.” This could not be further from the truth and is a lie the healthcare profession needs to stop propagating. My hypotheses for why people repeat ignorant...
CrossFit has often been described as a cult, and that is not entirely inaccurate. A cult is a social group (community) that is defined by its “unusual” religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs, or its common interest (health and wellness) in a particular personality, object, or goal (fitness). The practice of these beliefs is commonly associated...
The pectoralis minor muscle is situated on the front of the chest and attaches the scapula to the rib cage. When this muscle becomes chronically tight it can pull the scapula anteriorly, creating a posture where the shoulders are rounded forward. This posture is often seen in rock climbers and tightness of the pec minor...
Hamstring strains come in three grades of severity from a less severe strain to a complete tear. They often occur during sports when an athlete accelerates or quickly changes directions on the court, field, or ice. Physical Therapy consisting of activity modification, education, and gradual progressive strength training remain the first line treatment for grade...
Pain from an epiphysial growth plate fracture will likely be located on the dorsal surface of the long finger as pictured.
Although we tend to think of rock climbing as being most stressful on the upper body, toe pain is surprisingly common in climbers. This sport puts a lot of stress through the toes, from jamming our feet into small shoes to edging on tiny footholds. The most common location of toe pain is at the...
Wrist mobility and stability are crucial to helping prevent injury for rock climbers. The joint between the radius and the carpal bones (the wrist) is a common site for stiffness, especially considering the demands that climbers place on their wrists and fingers. Stiffness to the wrist joint can lead to pain at the elbow, wrist,...
How many times have you seen someone whose posture looks like this while belaying? Neck pain is a common in rock climbers. Although climbing itself can lead to neck pain, the most common cause is spending prolonged periods belaying. We refer to this as “belayer’s neck”. Belayer’s neck is a colloquial term to describe a...
The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles that coordinate movement and provide dynamic stability of the shoulder joint. These muscles are crucial for rock climbers who put extreme stresses through their shoulders, often in awkward positions that can cause bone structures to rub or impinge on the rotator cuff muscles. Because of this,...