The finger is comprised of a number of joints, muscles, tendons, and many pulleys!Visualized here is your index finger! In the next posts we will will focus on 3 things: Flexor tendonsAnnular pulleysProximal Interphalangeal joint (PIP)There are many other components to the finger that are important to climbing. Injuries to these areas such as the joint capsules of each phalanx, each knuckle (capsule tissue injuries/capsulitis), the lumbrical muscles (another finger muscle injury source!) and the volar plates. (super super important for ADOLESCENT climbers! Attn: coaches) stay tuned.

posted on August 17, 2017 by | No comments

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Swipe ️ to see all the climbing grip types. Climbers use their hands in a multitude of ways. This series of will demonstrate the various positions of climbing and grip types.Back to basics. Different hold positions.full crimphalf crimpopen crimppocketnarrow pinchfat pinchopen handPay attention to the positions of each grip and think about the angles between the MIDDLE knuckle in each hold type. This joint is the Proximal Interphalangeal joint or the PIP for short. Notice how the finger position in the pocket is very similar to a half crimp position? Sometimes even the open crimp/open hand position! Only on fewer fingers. The pinch grips are the SAME as the open grip position! Some of you advanced or pro climbers say Dr. Jon! That ain&;t all of them!… Well then here&;s a more exhaustive list but they all use the same concepts as above! What about slopers?Slopers use an open hand grip type to ensure maximum surface area contact for a friction based gripWhat about underclings? a jug hold with open hand/ half crimp grip stylesWhat of a Gaston? This along with the mantle is more of a pushing grip instead of pulling. Gaston is often in a half grip positionMantle is a open hand max surface area friction moveThe absolute best grip in terms of climbing longevity and strain on the fingers hand and pulleys is the OPEN HAND grip type. Remember this. Think about why it may be the case! My next post will showcase some of the anatomy of the finger focusing mainly on the pulleys! Stay tuned.

posted on August 16, 2017 by | No comments

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A Winging scapula is a result of weakness of the Serratus Anterior muscle or damage to the long thoracic nerve which supplies this muscle. The result is a protruding shoulder blade into the back.Test yourself – While wearing a tank top:Put yourself in a pushup position against the wallLean forward into your handsAsk somebody to take a picture for you.Do you notice a bump on one side versus the other?If you don&;t have a friend – go into the washroom and take a look at your shoulder heights.Do you notice one shoulder significantly lower than the other?If you do. You have scapular winging. This can affect your ability to lift, pull, or push objects. The reason is because scapular winging is a muscular imbalance which results in malpositioning of the shoulder blade. This disrupts the Scapulohumeral rhythm – which is the optimal ratio of movement when you lift your arm from your side above your head. If this is a result from a long thoracic nn entrapment Active Release Therapy or ART can definitely help with this nervous entrapment. Proper positioning and movement of the scapula is critical for full and normal shoulder range of motion. Without it, your scapular is SICK! (Scapular malposition, Inferior medial border prominence, Coracoid pain and malposition, and dysKinesis of scapular movement) SICK scapula or scapular dyskinesis refers to an injury resulting from overuse and fatigue of the muscles that stabilize and provide motion for the scapula.To counteract it we want to:. Treat the underlying soft tissue adhesionsStrengthen the affected musclesGrease the groove and provide stimuli to maintain the positioning and movement of the scapula

posted on May 30, 2017 by | No comments

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&;Creamsicle toss&; this covered in the chalk and blood of my brothers before me.Beta tip:If you don&;t have the accuracy or desire to throw to a pocket/crimp (that you cant see because the red hides it!) use momentum and power to skip right past it. The next hold is a jug. I&;d rather throw an extra 4 inches than smash my hand a hundred times.Maximum effort climb but as fun as it gets!Thanks for the support and angles @heyyitscheryl Chris! Leen! Rudy! ction

posted on April 29, 2017 by | No comments

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This guy came in super grumpy. Sucks when every breath you take causes shooting pain. He woke up with pain into the mid back after heavy lifting and house renovations and presented with pain on every. Single. Breath. he had some pretty bad fascial adhesions along his right T34 and a seriously pissed off right rib (more specifically a costalvertebral joint or CVT)We got right down to it and in a single THB session including:.Cup&Pull (top left)Instrument assisted soft tissue (IAST top right)CVT adjustment (bottom left)Assisted rib mobilizationsAfterwards we had turned this guy from -> (bottom right)

posted on April 26, 2017 by | No comments

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This is a great upper body stretching and mobility exercise to help achieve: . Full range in the shouldersStrength StabilityMotor control and coordinationNice stretch. This is a fundamental exercise for many calisthenics movements including any and all ring work, front levers, back levers, muscle ups, and even handstands. Here I do an added pulse to activate my legs and really feel the extension through my shoulders. Doing &;Skin the cats&; will help you achieve:will target:.Shoulder stabilizersBackChestAbdominalsTo try this movement start with your legs in a tucked position to build the required strength and practice closer to the ground so that you can touch the ground. Gradually take your body over further and progress until you can move into and out of the hang unassisted. Grip the rings/bar in a deadhangKeep the arms straight and the legs bentbring your feet up and continue the movement until the feet pass over the arms and head into an inverted hangContinue to move your feet around and toward the ground and extendReturn to the start positionRinse and repeat as a shoulder prep before activity. markham toronto

posted on April 25, 2017 by | No comments

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A common climbing problem is pain on the inside portion of the wrist. Sometimes this pain can be a result to damage to the red circle – or TFCC, which is a cartilage structure on the pinky finger side of the wrist. It&;s function is to support and cushion the small bones of the wrist and stabilize the bones of the forearm (radius and ulna) when the hand grasps or the forearm rotates. It&;s important to strengthen the wrist in more than just flexion and extension. When doing this exercise you are working your wrist using radial and ulnar deviation. Keep in mind the following:Stabilize the forearmSmooth, steady controlled motionGrab closer to the CENTER of the stick for an EASIER exercise Grab closer to the END of the stick for a HARDER exercise Rinse and repeat 20 times as part of your warm up or for sets as an integral part of wrist maintenance series

posted on March 22, 2017 by | No comments

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Broomstick rotations or Pronation and supination of the arm.Another wrist mobilization and a strengthening exercise I use as part of my wrist sequence. Supination is the motion similar to if you were to try and scoop up some water with your hand and have a drink or to tighten a screwdriver (Righty tighty). Pronation is the opposite motion.Using a broomstick perform this action in a SLOW and controlled setting and you&;ll feel your forearms working hard. The more midline to the stick you are grabbing the easier the movement. The closer to the end you grab, the more resistance you will feel. This happens because you are changing the centre of gravity of the object. Do sets of 20 reps for both arms and enjoy your bulletproof wrists. series

posted on March 21, 2017 by | No comments

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