As the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics kick off in France, an organization of eight American athletes will try to triumph in new h8s and speeds in two climbing competitions. These are only the second Summer Olympics to feature competitive climbing events. But in Utah, gambling has been booming for decades, along with increased attention to climbers’ health, education, and healing.
“Climbing is becoming more widely available because of gyms and outdoor recreation programs,” said Katey Blumenthal, DPT, OCS, SCS, an orthopedic physical therapist at University of Utah Health. “There are so many high-quality climbing gyms now. People don’t want to go to outdoor climbing spaces to learn how to climb or improve their skills. “
Nearly a decade ago, Blumenthal helped identify the Climber’s Clinic at the University of the University of the University of U. “And many climbers would be frustrated if they heard doctors tell them to avoid climbing. “
Blumenthal noted that other people who know the game and work in rehabilitation medicine understand that the musculoskeletal formula has the potential to become more resilient. “You have to rest and train as hard as you train, and that’s a difficult idea for highly motivated people. other people,” Blumenthal said.
“My goal was to create a clinic run by climbing doctors, not only for this population to thrive, but also to teach doctors,” Blumenthal added. “We are also committed to studies and try to have as many other doctors as possible in our clinic. possible, from nutritionists to physical doctors, rehabilitation doctors, surgeons and social workers. “
The clinic’s work has never been more important and consequential as the number of elite climbers flocking to Salt Lake City for exercise and competition increases. USA Climbing centralized its operations in Salt Lake in 2019 and will build a national training center in the Salt Lake Valley in 2025.
The continued expansion of Utah network paints and local partnerships with organizations such as USA Climbing and the U. S. Olympic CommitteeThe U. S. has given Blumenthal the opportunity to paint with elite athletes before, during, and after competition. Education now focuses on physical and intellectual health.
“I think the main cause of chronic musculoskeletal injuries in climbers is intellectual health,” Blumenthal said. “Much of our physical education now includes cognitive strategies. When running with elite athletes, it is vital to perceive the appropriate amount of load for their body, which can be very difficult. “
Taking advantage of the latest recent studies and enjoying competitive climbers is a guiding principle for Climber’s Clinic professionals like Blumenthal. They are passionate about art and athletes.
“Our goal is for climbers to obtain the highest level of orthopedic and athletic rehabilitation that is compassionate, sport-specific, evidence-based and interdisciplinary,” Blumenthal said. “Ultimately, we need other people to look for what adds positive meaning and value. ” to their lives and communities. “
The quality of care presented at the clinic is very important to Blumenthal. He said this is to help doctors be informed and better understand sport-specific considerations, such as climbing, that are excluded from the core sports and orthopedic physical therapy curriculum.
Hand and finger treatment is sometimes considered a specialty and requires studies beyond a doctorate in physical therapy. But “in the treatment of climbing, we need to be as familiar with the hand and hands as we are with the hip, back and ankles,” Blumenthal said. “In climbing, the way you use the position of your feet and hips can actually be your hands. That is why it is vital to perceive the total biomechanics of climbing and the influences of the kinetic chain from feet to hands. “
A challenge for Climber’s Clinic researchers is to detect tactics to prevent injuries in athletes. Blumenthal cautioned that as the sport grows, adjustments to regulations and policies may be one of the most effective tactics for treating serious injuries.
These adjustments are already slowing down at the Olympic festival level. In Tokyo (2020), athletes competed in 3 disciplines, adding bouldering, lead and sprint. The final scores reflected the combined effects of the 3 festivals and the climbers with the lowest scores won. the first Olympic medals in the history of sport climbing.
Two separate climbing competitions will be held in Paris this summer, with Olympic medalists crowned. One will combine bouldering competitions and leadership opportunities and the time will only come with a speed test.
Blumenthal applauded this renewal in the Olympic climbing competition. “Speed climbing is a completely different type of climbing and requires completely different training,” he said. “Tokyo was a very difficult year as bouldering climbers and leaders also had to focus on improving their speed climbing skills. “
In another move aimed at changing policy, the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) recently raised the age at which climbers can compete in elite bouldering to 16 years old. “The IFSC raised this age in part because of the expansion plate threat. injuries”, Blumenthal. saying. “Therefore, there is greater pressure on public health policies and measures for larger climbers. “
Competitive is an especially horny game for young people of all ages and genders. About 39% of all climbers are under the age of 18, according to officials at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. This has sparked heated debates within the game to make it safe for these young athletes not to suffer from energy deficiency or eating disorders.
“Climbers will say it’s a body-to-strength relationship sport: The lighter you are relative to your strength, the bigger you are,” Blumenthal said. “It can be very negative and be an encouraging message. “
A positive progression in this endeavor in recent years has been the acceptance of weightlifting as a complement to climbing. “Weightlifting and strength progression are key to reducing the threat of injury, but also to building the strength needed to climb,” Blumenthal said. “There are many more elite climbers doing weightlifting today than there were five years ago. “
The Climber’s Clinic in the U. S. and doctors like Blumenthal are taking the competitive game to new heights alongside the young athletes competing in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. “There’s an absolute love and fondness for the game beyond the competition, and it’s very endearing,” Blumenthal said.
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