For many climbers, even looking at a photo of a small two-finger pocket or a mono makes their fingers hurt. It’s also true that pockets put a lot of strain on our tendons and the other connective structures in our fingers and hand. Because of this, injuries on pockets are very common.
However, just because injuries on pockets happen doesn’t mean you should avoid them all together. Depending on where you climb and your climbing goals, you are going to run into pockets you simply need to use. Through training and proper pocket-pulling technique, you can minimize the risk of injury as much as possible.
To give you some information on exactly why pockets can be dangerous as well as some tips on how to grab pockets in a more ergonomic way, here’s an article by physical therapy student Matt DeStefano from The Climbing Doctor Blog.
“Very commonly, climbers use an opposing flexion/extension finger posture when pulling on pockets. The holding finger’s proximal phalanx is in relative extension compared to the adjacent fingers’ phalanges, which are in relative flexion (see images below.)… But just because you are stronger using this posture doesn’t mean that you should always use it, especially if it adds a potential for injury.” – Matt DeStefano
Avoiding Injuries on Pockets:
In his article, DeStefano spends a bunch of time talking about the anatomy of the fingers/hand and explaining how the stress pockets exert make these structures susceptible to injury. Whether you have injured a finger in a pocket before or not, this is valuable information. After all, as climbers, we should really value our fingers and the more knowledge we have about them the better!
Additionally, to help us all avoid pocket injuries, DeStefano also makes a suggestion about how we can change our pocket pulling technique to reduce the risk of injury. While this technique probably isn’t applicable in all situations, it’s certainly worth experimenting with if you climb a lot on pocketed limestone.
Click through below to read the full article and learn more!
More from Dr. Jared Vagy:
If you like what you see here, be sure to check out the Injury Prevention Guide Dr. Vagy wrote for us. It is full of detailed information and practical advice about how to prevent all kinds of climbing injuries.
Full Article: Avoiding Injuries on Pockets – The Climbing Doctor
(photo courtesy of Matt Pincus | @mpincus87)
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