Episode #39: Climbing Injuries: A Perfect Storm Brewing
Eric Hörst's Training For Climbing Podcast
The Perfect Storm of Connective Tissue Injuries in the Upper Extremities
Climbers are at risk of overuse injuries in the upper extremities. The sport involves high force movements on tiny structures. We use our tendons to store and release energy every time you do a dead point or lunge. If we can understand this perfect storm of factors we can take action to manage the risk reduce our odds of getting injured.
This is fourth in a series on sinew training with a specific focus on climbing injuries and prevention. Incidence of climbing injuries is growing, and overuse injuries to the fingers, elbows, and shoulders are common among beginners and expert alike.
Eric lays out the perfect storm of factors that make upper extremity overuse injuries so common. You will learn countermeasures to reduce your injury risk and increase tendon health and finger flexor pulley strength.
If you engage in hard finger training, frequently push your physical limits, and/or occasionally experience tendon or joint pain, then this podcast will be game-changer for you!
RUNDOWN
0:24 – Intro to this episode and a quick recap of the previous episodes in this series. Be sure to listen to the first three podcasts in this series:
- Episode #33: Sinew Training #1 - Intro to Training for Stronger Tendons and Ligaments
- Episode #34: Sinew Training #2 - A Revolution in Finger Training for Climbers
- Episode #36: Sinew Training #3 -Training to Increase Tendon Strength, Muscle Power, and Connective Tissue Health
1:45 - Overuse injuries are incredibly common...almost every avid climber will experience tweaks (or worse) in their fingers, elbows, and/or shoulders. So the information covered in these podcasts is game-changing if you want to reduce injury risk and climb better.
3:20 - Eric introduces the three parts of this podcast...the 3 factors that combine to form a perfect storm for climbing injuries.
7:10 - Latest information from the Climbing Medicine Symposium in Squamish Canada in August.
10:24 - The latest data on types of climbing injuries and the injury trends over the last 20 years.
15:36 - A "Perfect Storm" brewing for climbing injuries. Understanding the storm will empower you to reduce injury risk and return from injury more quickly. There are 3 factors combining to build this storm.
17:00 - Perfect Storm Factor #1 - Climbing involves repetitive high-force loading on small body parts...including tiny tendons and ligaments in the fingers.
21:25 -Perfect Storm Factor #2 - Climbing is an addictive activities...and so we tend to climb a lot and rest too little. Furthermore, how your muscles feel (recover) isn't a good gauge of tendon recovery--we often climb again when our muscles feel recovered, yet the connective tissues take longer to recover from hard training/climbing. A vicious cycle of collagen breakdown in connective tissues begins...
33:10 - Perfect Storm Factor #3 - Poor nutritional habits and/or undernourishment. Deficiency in collagen-specific amino acids (Glycine & proline) are at the heart of the matter--if you're deficient in these two amino acids, then you're not synthesizng collagen optimally...and you may be in a chronic state of net collagen degradation...and on the fast track to injury.
41:45 - Not all proteins are created equal..in fact, the amino acid profile of foods varies widely...and most non-animal products are low in glycine and proline.
44:00 - The importance of consuming enough glycine and proline during periods of physical and mental stress, injury, and illness. Consuming 7 - 10 grams of glycine per day is a wise goal for serious athletes.
46:30 - What foods and supplements are highest in glycine?
50:50 - Vegan sources of glycine.
52:00 - The most glycine-rich food on the planet? Gelatin...and the more refined version (more easily mixed and digested) is Hydrolyzed Collagen.
54:40 - The research that changed my life....and how it reveals that we can possibly double collagen synthesis in our tendons, pulleys, ligaments. This is revolutionary information for serious climbers!
58:00 - Learn about the specific coupled training-nutritional intervention shown to target glycine and profile from hydrolyzed collagen to a specific body part...your fingers...injured pulleys...elbows...shoulders...knees...whatever. This really works!
1:00:00 - Why it's ideal to consume hydrolyzed collagen on an empty stomach before finger training, climbing, or rehab. Also learn about Eric's 6-minute finger workout you can do every day.
1:02:00 - Tips for those wanting to rehab an injury as fast as possible.
1:03:00 - Learn about Supercharged Collagen and why this is the most advanced collagen protein on the market....and the only product designed from specifically for power athletes.
1:06:00 - 6 things you can do to AVOID the perfect storm!
1:18:40 - Final thoughts on the power of this information...and how it can change your climbing for the better for many years to come.
1:19:00 - Help spread the word...please SHARE with a friend and please WRITE a review.
ABOUT PHYSIVANTAGE:
- I formed PhysiVantage to make research-based, athlete-tested supplements that will benefit passionate climbers who place great demands on their bodies! Visit PhysiVantage.com and save 10% off non-sale items with the code “save10” at checkout.
- Need more Power Endurance? Want faster recovery during and between boulders or routes? Try out the research-based Endure X pre-workout/per-performance drink mix.
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For a comprehensive study of Training for Climbing, check out the 3rd edition of Hörst's best-selling book!
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Check out Eric’s TRAINING FOR CLIMBING YouTube channel.
Music by: Misty Murphy
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