Rock climbing is a physically demanding sport. When you go climbing, almost every body part is included in the work - wrists, arms, shoulders, hands, spine, pelvis, knees, ankles and feet. If you are not careful, injuries can happen easily. Follow these 7 tips on preventing climbing injury.

Although physically demanding, climbing is a liberating activity at the same time. You are basically conquering a piece of earth that has dominated the area over billion years. Hills of Bosnia and Montenegro provide great challenges which will inspire you to overcome obstacles in your daily life. Of course, safety is number one concern. So in order to enjoy rock climbing to the fullest, make sure you follow these climbing tips.

#1 Do not go all out every time you climb

Pushing yourself to the limits every time you go climbing can feel good for the mind, but the body does not feel that way. When your muscles are fatigued, climbing instead of resting can cause too much strain on the muscles and tendons.

So, if you really want to conquer that project, take some time off to rest. Getting an injury will delay the victory much longer than taking rest. If you are on a road trip, comprise your time of 2 days of climbing, followed by at least one day of rest.

#2 Take care of your tendons

Tendons are the connective tissue which attach muscles to bones. They really do not like climbing that much, as it is easy to injure them this way, especially in your hands. Human body was not made to climb. Hanging on your hands puts enormous stress on our joints and tendons.

When you are climbing by supporting your weight on your hands most of the way, make sure to use strips of tape to support your finger tendons.

#3 Cross train with some other activities

Limiting yourself to just one thing is never a good option. Imagine eating just one thing for your whole life. Your body would be malnourished. Even if you eat potatoes, you would be miserable (remembera Matt Damon in Marsian!)

The same thing goes for climbing. By doing other sports, you will have a more balanced muscle development. You could try rafting, trekking, mountain biking. Or you can just go lifting weights. Just think of any activity that does not work the same muscles as rock climbing.

#4 Avoid making extreme climbing moves

Stay away from doing dangerous climbing moves. There are some climbing movements which can cause more stress to your body than others. You could probably get away with riskier moves in your young and strong body. However, as you get older, you should definitely avoid doing moves which can strain your elbow, tweak your finger or cause rotator cuff injury in your shoulder.

#5 Warm up before climbing

When doing any physically demanding activity it is good to warm up by doing dynamic stretches. Warming up your joints and muscles will make it easier to conquer that project you've been working on.

After the climb, you should take time to stretch your muscles - hands, shoulders, lats and fingers. This will help build the muscles.

#6 If there is pain - It’s time to stop

Do not push through the pain. It does not matter whether it is in your finger or elbow, stop climbing right away. If you are doing top rope climbing - let it go and lower yourself down. Check for signs of injury, if you feel pain or an ache, do not try to climb some easier route.

No pain no gain is a saying that sounds really nice and motivating. But you do not want to feel pain doing most basic movements because you wanted to finish the climb.

#7 Tendon injuries take time to heal

Torn tendons are not a simple injury because the requier a year or even more to heal and rehabilitate. If you are suspecting that you have a torn tendon, go see a doctor. It would be best to see a sports medicine specialist and take his advice.

Tendons receive much less blood than muscles, which prolongs the healing process. Even a small tear can require months to heal. But the thing is, even if you feel like you can go climb, stay adherent to the doctor's advice.

Follow these tips that will allow you to enjoy your favorite activity for as long as possible. Check our offer and come to Tarasport so we can conquer the walls of Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina together.