Hand and wrist strengthening for rock climbing
The rock climbing population often see injuries in the hands, wrists and arms that include tendonitis, pulley sprains, and ligament tears. This post provides a few exercises to help strengthen muscles in the hand along with those that cross the wrist to help stabilize the complex system of joints. Targeted training in these areas can prevent overload on certain tissues, decreasing the risk of injury.
Hand training:
Finger muscles to train other than the finger flexors:
Interosseous
Action: pull the fingers together / apart. This muscle also flexes the fingers downwards towards the palm while keeping the rest of the finger itself completely straight (think of a pinch grip).
Lumbricals
Action: with the Interosseous muscles the lumbricals flex the fingers downwards towards the palm while keeping the rest of the finger straight.
Finger Extensors
Action: open the fingers up , release grasp, extends fingers and the wrist.
Here is a link to some products I like to use for these exercises:
Some ideas for training these finger muscles.
Wrist training:
Some exercises for targeted training of the muscles that cross the wrist that don't cause the finger flexors to engage.
Use an open grip to lengthen the finger flexors which makes them less able to recruit during the training (when a muscle is lengthened or shortened it becomes weaker).
Use a band or other ‘line of pull’ to recruit the muscles you are looking to use, or inhibit the ones you’re not.
Some ideas for training the wrist.
If you’re a climber and are dealing with an injury to your wrist or hand, Physical Therapy is a great tool to help you heal quickly and get back to climbing. I offer climbing specific muscle and strength testing of the upper extremity and fingers to determine your personalized weaknesses. I also guide climbers through safe modifications to climbing while injured, so you don’t have to stop doing what you love while healing. Reach out via email emily.noe@gmail.com with questions. I’m always happy to chat!