Special Report: How to Avoid Accidents While Rock Climbing
The sport of Rock Climbing has developed a lot over the past hundred years. In its early days, climbers used to make climbs that took up days. Nowadays, those kinds of climbs are just one of many different types of climbing one can participate in. Short
and difficult climbs have become popular in today’s fast paced world where weekend warriors can push their limits, make an extremely strenuous climb in one day, and get the same satisfaction that the elite climbers of old used to get by climbing Everest.
With hugely increased numbers of people who climb nowadays, the number of novices is huge too and novices often make mistakes. In rock climbing, mistakes can lead to injuries or death. That’s why it’s essential to take the proper precautions to avoid climbing
accidents. The nature of the sport is such that despite taking every possible precaution, accidents can still happen due freak weather, loose rocks etc.
Some of the most common rock climbing injuries while rock climbing:-
Climber’s finger: This is an often underestimated problem that can develop over the course of normal rock climbing. Often, a climber will have to depend solely on a single finger to support their entire weight. Frequent climbers can develop tears in their
finger tendons and later even complete rupture of the tendons that move the finger joints.
Upper crossed syndrome: While climbing, it is common to use body muscles in a disproportionate manner, creating imbalances and tightness in the muscles. This can be avoided by doing customised strength and flexibility exercises to correct the problem.
Lower extremity: Faulty climbing techniques and deficiency in hip flexibility can result in a lower extremity involving the knee joint.
Carpal tunnel syndrome: This is caused by compression of the median nerve from inflamed swollen tendons travelling in a limited space at the wrist level.
Hands and fingers should be in good shape. If any finger is injured, it is best to wait for it to heal before attempting any climbs.
Serious and dangerous injuries can occur for a variety of reasons, including: adverse weather, poor physical preparation and equipment failure. The most common injury is to the ankles when the climber falls vertically and doesn’t land properly. This can
be remedied by getting shoes that are designed to better absorb the impact of falls.
Every climber should ensure that he is physically and mentally fit enough to attempt any planned climbs. Endurance is a very important factor in any kind of rock climbing, as climbers sometimes have to stay in one place for an extended duration, sometimes
even minutes, depending solely on hands or fingers to support body weight.
Flexibility is another very important factor. Shoulders and hips have to be flexible enough to perform some key moves involved in climbing.
Climbing should only be done when one is fully rested and mentally stable. An unstable state of mind, being anxious/tense or jittery diminishes reflex times and judgement and can end in tragic consequences. Proper hydration and nutrition are essential as
well.
Before starting a climb, one should ensure that they are physically and mentally ready. It is a bad idea to underestimate the strength and stamina needed to climb and that often results in climbers stuck at some point in the climb and having to be rescued.
It is essential to have the proper gear and triple check each piece of equipment and get it looked over by another person to ensure that nothing has been overlooked.
It is a good idea to get familiarised with the mountain or wall one is going to climb and to scout out the surrounding areas, to get a ‘feel for the land’. Weather forecasts are a good source on which to decide whether to climb or not. If the weather seems
to be getting bad, such as rain or snow, it is wise to postpone the climb till the weather gets better.
Keeping all the points covered in this article in mind, one can safely assume that they are ready and prepared to climb. Accidents can still happen, such as avalanches and rockslides, but those are beyond anyone’s control, and that element of risk is part
of what rock climbing is all about.
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