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angeleyes
Jun 16, 2011, 8:11 AM
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Registered: Feb 26, 2009
Posts: 58
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I'm nursing a rotator cuft injury in my right shoulder and have to back off or stop my climbing quite a bit for a while, save perhaps slab.
I'd like to do some exercises to maintain or even improve finger strength during my break. It sounds like perhaps the black gripmaster or power putty are the best options that won't invole the shoulder?
Since it's my right shoulder, I could perhaps do some hangboard activities with just my left arm which is weaker than my right anyway. However not sure how I'd accomplish that, I can't exactly do one arm pullups or even hangs.
thanks for any thoughts
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Jnclk
Jun 17, 2011, 3:32 AM
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Registered: Nov 21, 2007
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Assuming you've been properly diagnosed and do indeed have an rc injury, I wouldn't worry about your fingers right now. You should focus your energy on healing. If you aren't working with a PT yet, you should be.
You're going to have to ease back into climbing , so finger strength isn't going to be a limiting factor in your progression. Take it slow and you'll be climbing strong again before you know it. Don't cheat yourself on the PT (it works).
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joewtc
Jun 17, 2011, 10:38 AM
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Registered: Aug 27, 2009
Posts: 34
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I had a similar situation before and had to take 1month off.
I used the grip master (for strength and endurance) and the grip saver (endurance):
http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442620809&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302691913
http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442620809&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302691913
Examples:
- Strength: squeeze to the max for 10 reps, switch hands
- Endurance: time for 5min, squeeze one hand, repeat for the other hand for 5min.
Cons: My hanging max. strength has decreased when I came back climbing.
Pros: The concentric/eccentric exercises are a really good training for endurance and cross training/complement to the constant isometric/static hanging of fingers. I felt that my fingers are healthier/stronger and I can train harder after I come back.
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kaizen
Jun 17, 2011, 12:49 PM
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Registered: Apr 17, 2009
Posts: 154
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angeleyes wrote: I'm nursing a rotator cuft injury in my right shoulder and have to back off or stop my climbing quite a bit for a while, save perhaps slab. I'd like to do some exercises to maintain or even improve finger strength during my break. It sounds like perhaps the black gripmaster or power putty are the best options that won't invole the shoulder? Since it's my right shoulder, I could perhaps do some hangboard activities with just my left arm which is weaker than my right anyway. However not sure how I'd accomplish that, I can't exactly do one arm pullups or even hangs. thanks for any thoughts
Buy yourself a PS3. It will keep you entertained enough where you won't get so bored that you re-injure yourself as soon as your shoulder feels better.
When you're not playing, go for a run and get in better shape. Any physical gains and fat burning is sure to be better for your entrance back to climbing than some gimmicky "hand strengthening device," where the only thing that will improve is your ability to squeeze putty and/or that device.
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onceahardman
Jun 17, 2011, 2:44 PM
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Registered: Aug 3, 2007
Posts: 2396
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You won't maintain functional climbing strength in your hands if you can't move your shoulder.
BUT, You will be able to minimize the losses by generally continuing to move the hand and wrist. Also, you may be able to maintain some calluses and overall finger toughness by doing some pinch-grip kind of things with bricks, cinder blocks, rough-textured rocks, etc.
Remember, first priority is, get the shoulder better, You need proximal stability if you are going to have good function of a limb. The distal strength will return in time.
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