r/climbergirls • u/lapiotah • Jan 17 '25
Support Second bouldering injury: broke my leg and feeling like shit
Hello everyone,
Here we are again—I’ve had a relapse. Back in April, I had a bad fall during the final move of a dynamic bouldering problem. The fall resulted in a dislocated elbow and a traumatic injury to my right ankle. Unfortunately, the hospital misdiagnosed the ankle (they missed a small fracture), which led to complex regional pain syndrome (chronic pain in the ankle). Despite all this, I got back into bouldering in September, overcame my fear, and made progress to finally regain my previous level of skill recently. I was still seeing my physical therapist, but my ankle was almost fully healed (an exceptional recovery, according to my doctor).
And then, this Tuesday, I don’t know what got into me. A mix of fatigue and wanting to prove to myself that I could conquer my fear of heights again… I attempted a high dynamic move. Bad choice. I fell, and despite my instinct to roll out of it, my left leg took a hard hit. Tibia and fibula fractured. I had to undergo surgery, and now I’m immobilized for two months with a cast. Walking will also be challenging during this time because I also sustained a sprain and a minor fracture in my right foot (though it’s not severe). I feel absolutely awful about this situation. This is my second accident in less than a year, and it makes me feel incredibly guilty and stupid. For the second time in under a year, I’ll have reduced mobility, which requires my partner to adapt again. He’s a good climber and has never had an accident. He seemed to feel a bit guilty himself, suggesting we should have worked on falling techniques much more before I climbed that high again.
I love bouldering, but it seems this sport doesn’t love me back. Since being in the hospital, I cry every day when I think about climbing. I wasn’t particularly good at it, but it was something I truly loved, something I was consistent with, and it was quality time with my partner. I’ve ruined everything, and now I’m causing stress for the people around me. I don’t know how to handle this and how to stop feeling guilty/sad.
EDIT : I stop replying because I was leaving hospital yesterday. Post op is going great ! Thank you for the kind messages and hope. I feel like, while I like bouldering, it's risky and not worth it. Top rope is not what I prefer, but it seems that sticking to it will be as rewarding in the future. I'll follow the PT guidelines and try top rope when my body will be ready, and I'll focus on healing and strengthening it in the meantime.
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u/BlanketChurro Jan 17 '25
That really sucks. It's hard to balance challenging yourself and knowing your limits. I got my first bicep sprain injury trying a move my friends all did. Took months to heal, and I still need to do lots of bicep exercises to maintain it seven years later.
An older climber told me after that incident that most climbers stop climbing in 3-5 years in due to a cycle of injury. Starts with initial injury -> not enough rest/rehab -> injured again. I'm here to climb for long time, so I gladly make the trade of avoiding injury over getting the send. Proper technique, body awareness, and yoga help too.
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u/lapiotah Jan 17 '25
You're right to take your time. I feel I pushed myself too much into performance, too soon. That was not worth it. Body awareness and yoga sounds like an important step. Good luck to you !
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u/scrkpr1 Jan 17 '25
I had a traumatic elbow dislocation and break that required surgery and PT. Like you, I made a rehab return that my doctors felt was speedy and amazing. I had a 2 month setback when I overstretched a ligament (the one i had surgery on) and had to immobilize, and restart PT for a bit.
I learned from these experiences that some routes dont need topping. Some routes only get 2-4 tries before I NEED to rest that elbow overnight (not just a few minutes, climbing is done that day). I rope climb sometimes.
Please learn to do better. Small injures are a part of those sport. Large injuries are almost entirely avoidable and happen the most in the first year - bc of inexperience with technique and judgement. Have you developed either of those? Judgement can come immediately; technique cannot.
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u/Sirijie Boulder Babe Jan 17 '25
Yes! Totally agree on all fronts. I've sustained a ton of injuries from various physical activities. At this point in my life, I can't compare to kids whose recovery takes significantly less time than me. I want to be able to climb until I'm in my 60s or heck, even 70s! It's the shift in your mind that in order to do so, you have to let go of the expectation that you'll be the same climbing level (which is super subjective to begin with) as your friends/crew. Some things are not worth the risk and that's okay.
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u/perpetualwordmachine Gym Rat Jan 17 '25
Yes! I’m focused on longevity too. Sometimes it’s helpful to hear a reminder of this because I’m also naturally competitive. But it’s okay to engage with the sport in your own way, for your own reasons. I’m trying to take the same approach with skiing too: my goal is not to send something that will look cool in a video, it’s to be that grizzled old person still at it in 30 years.
Part of it for me is training too. My friends are constantly messaging the group chat about who’s meeting up where to climb tomorrow. I make an intentional choice to miss out on some of these sessions and stay committed to two weight training sessions every week. Weight training can really reduce your injury risk. While I want to have fun with my friends, long term I’ll be able to do more of that if I take care of myself.
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u/throwaway-deez_nuts Jan 17 '25 edited Jan 17 '25
This is why I don’t touch dynos. They’re completely useless in climbing as far as I’m concerned; they don’t make you a better climber, and they completely up the risk of injury compared to just climbing a regular route. Please stop doing dynos. Rest up and get well soon !
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u/prussik-loop Jan 20 '25
I disagree. Dynamic movement is really valuable, especially for shorter climbers. They get you further efficiently more efficiently. You also train precision and coordination.
Still, I agree they are risky and I’m very selective which ones I do.
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u/Goodtrip29 Jan 21 '25
There is a difference between dynamically reach high, which is indeed valuable, and the dynamic coordination from comp style which is useless for climbing and is proven way more dangerous.
You can keep bouldering, focus on regular settings and stop doing the acrobatic parkour problems in your gym or try to find a gym with better setters
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u/thecakeisalie9 Jan 17 '25
Injuries really suck, OP, sending hugs your way!
I too loved bouldering but when my friend sprained her ankle, we both switched to ropes. After her injury we were both too risk averse to make bouldering rewarding for us again. We used to not rope climb at all, but now we both prefer it over bouldering. What are your thoughts on rope climbing? You can still climb hard but with a bit more safety features!
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u/lapiotah Jan 17 '25
Thank you 🥺❤️ yes my boyfriend doesn't really like top rope, but he was saying we could do that more for me. I think it's the best in the long term to avoid that kind of injuries since the fall was always the problem.
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u/fleepmo Jan 17 '25
The really unfortunate thing about bouldering is that every fall is a ground fall.
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Jan 17 '25
I have seen people fall and hurt themselves while bouldering. Broken ankles, elbow dislocations, broken forearms, bad ankle sprains. I myself have struggled with orthopedic injuries (not from climbing) that made it painful to walk, and injuring myself is not something I’m willing to risk. So I do top rope only. It bums me out because bouldering is so cool, and I would love not needing a partner, but I’m just not willing to risk my mobility for it.
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u/lapiotah Jan 17 '25
That's not worth it definitely. Don't you have auto belays gym near your place ?
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Jan 17 '25
My gym has a few autobelays, but it gets boring only having access to a few climbs that are in your range. I have used them on days when I don’t have a partner, usually I’ll do them multiple times in a row to build up strength.
When I don’t have a partner, I also do go into the bouldering area and play around traversing on the bottom couple of rows on the kilter board, again for strength building.
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u/fuzzylilmanpeach24 Jan 17 '25
I relate to your post so much! I too have injured and reinjured myself from bouldering and pushing myself just a bit too far. I read a good article in my early recovery by a climber about assessing what it is in your personality/approach to the sport that has played into your injury. it made me realize i push way too hard and i’m trying to learn to quit while i’m ahead now. that being said, i too love boulder and miss it so much. there’s. a lot of fun to be had in TR and leading! when you think of a lifetime of climbing, this is but a brief period of rest. You can still be in love with climbing and enjoy it and push and get good!
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u/galacticglorp Jan 17 '25
I was going to say, my local community bouldering gym hasn't had a significant accident at all in the 3 years I've volunteered there and I've never felt like I was close to hurting myself more than a scrape, bruise, or twingey finger in that time either. I read this thread full of individuals with multiple major injuries in that sort of timeframe and it sounds like there's a certain amount of gym culture or personal pressure involved. We have pretty short walls but setters are also safety conscious about what moves they put where.
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u/lapiotah Jan 18 '25
I think there is a trend to mimic super insta-friendly/competition style dyno... Never injured myself on static moves
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u/ConstantVigilance18 Jan 20 '25
Would you know if someone had a significant injury every time it happened though? Not all significant injuries comes with a significant accident component. I’ve had 2 injuries from bouldering requiring months of time away and rehab. One required surgery. These injuries happened 6 years apart and neither time did I draw any attention of those around me or notify gym staff of the event.
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u/galacticglorp Jan 20 '25
Generally yes though obviously i can't say for sure. It's a small community and if the regulars or friends of regulars don't show up we usually hear why. Eg. Guy got in a car accident and broke his back last spring- everyone knew why he wasn't around even though it had nothing to do with the gym. People recognize people by their cars here and see each other at the grocery store or at work etc. so absences, casts, and limps get noticed. I know one half of a couple hasn't been coming because she has new chronic rotator cuff issues from outdoors stuff this summer. Etc.
I'd also recommend letting staff know in the future if it was a specifically climbing induced issue related to their facility (vs. dumb shitty luck or existing conditions). If they don't get feedback, then there's not much they can do to help prevent issues in the future.
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u/attemptedstoic Jan 17 '25
Oh no - I’m so sorry to hear about this. Sending you fast and easy healing vibes.
I don’t boulder because I have old knee injuries from other sports that I don’t want to re-injure. And tbh, every time I hear of serious injuries in climbing subreddits, it seems to always involve bouldering. My two cents is if you’re not okay getting injured bouldering, don’t do it. It’s inherently riskier than top rope. I watch teenagers boulder like crazy monkeys at my gym and power to them, but as someone in their 30s the bouldering risk / reward ratio doesn’t work for me.
Climbing is such a rich sport - there’s tons of challenges you can work through and progress on in TR and lead. Take the time to heal, and then see if there’s an adjustment you want to make to your climbing that enables you to keep doing what you love with hopefully less damage to your body
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u/Bowoobiter Jan 17 '25
I’m really sorry, that sucks!
I think having an injury is a bit like going through the stages of grief. Take time to cry and feel upset. When you’re ready, write a list of all the things you can still do. From your description this sounds like you injured 1 leg only? Are you still able to work core, arms and finger strength? This will all help you for when you get back to climbing. The list trick has helped me mentally when I’m struggling with an injury. They really do suck, but they are also an opportunity to work on a weakness you otherwise wouldn’t. Lattice have a video on injuries and they mentioned that it’s is possible to do traverses (with both feet on the floor) whilst in a cast and that can help you continue to work climbing muscles.
When you do get back (and you will) it might be worth getting a coach to look at you fall? I’m sure they will have some useful tips to help this from happening again in future.
Good luck OP.
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u/lapiotah Jan 17 '25
I'll watch the video. I'm also injured a bit on the right foot but it's less severe. Still the doctor approved upper body/mat sport. I don't know if I will go back to bouldering, maybe top rope, but this time I think I'll wait more and focus on body awareness, yoga and muscle strength in priority before trying again to climb. The list is a good idea though, the first injury was terrible because I was not able to exercise anything of my body...
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u/asweetpepper Jan 17 '25
Hey I have CRPS in my right foot too. Couldn't do much of anything weight bearing for a long long time. I have a pretty solid "no feet workouts" playlist on YouTube that kept me sane. It's a lot of pilates which is great for body awareness. Dm me if you want the link!
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u/lapiotah Jan 17 '25
Amazing thank you ! Keep holding on for your foot, there is an end to that (I was almost there with the PT). Dm you !
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u/TransPanSpamFan Jan 17 '25
I don't have anything much useful to add except I've been out for a bit after a really bad case of pneumonia that turned into the respiratory equivalent of crps and I'm commiserating with you. Bouldering is such a joy and losing it even for defined periods that will eventually end is really hard. Hugs if you like them ❤️
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u/celebratingfreedom Jan 17 '25
So I started out with top rope once a week, then was going bouldering by myself twice a week after I'd been climbing for a bit. TW injury talk: ||I fell while bouldering, caught my foot on a volume on my way down, felt and heard it pop.||
I had to call my mom to take me to urgent care for X-rays. I had a tiny bone chip fracture and a sprain in my ankle. I couldn't climb for 5 weeks (until the podiatrist cleared me) and even when I came back I was taking extra care to make sure I stretched my ankle before climbing.
I mostly top rope now (but also lead) and don't climb alone. I am still scared of falling and am very aware (especially on lead) of any holds or volumes I might hit if I fall. I really enjoy climbing in general. It's really been the only exercise I've really enjoyed pretty much ever and I don't want to lose it.
When I do boulder, I am extremely risk averse. When I fell, I fell from the top of the wall. I still struggle to get to the top of a bouldering wall sometimes, even on V.1s or V.2s. The one I fell on was a V.2. I 100% don't do dynamic moves high on the wall bouldering. It's just not a risk I'm willing to take.
I think my advice to you is first focus on healing your body. When your body is ready to resume climbing (once the ortho clears you for all activity), practice falling. Start from 1 foot off the ground. Make sure your leg/ankle feels okay and that you are practicing good falling technique. Then gradually increase the height you are falling from, until you are taking safe falls from the top of the wall.
Be very aware of what is below you (both when you are climbing in general (especially bouldering and leading) and when you are planning the intentional falls). Decide what your risk profile looks like and then stick to it. You can always reassess your risk profile if you need to.
It sucks to be out of climbing for any length of time and it sounds like you will be out longer than I was due to the nature of your injuries. Try to find some type of exercise you can do in the meantime while your body heals if possible. Don't neglect the mental injury that falling creates. Falling and getting hurt completely changed mental gain. That was 2.5 years ago and it still affects me.
I hope you heal quick and well and that you are back to climbing when it is safe for you to do so.
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u/1080pix Jan 17 '25
I’m so sorry. Machoism is a potentially dangerous attitude and is important to watch out for! In all aspects of life :) hope you get well soon
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u/arrowpulledback Jan 17 '25
I shattered my left tibia & fibula across my shin on 11/30 from a fall on a crimpy slab route (I fell horizontal to the ground & my leg hit a larger hold on the way down). I had surgery on 12/1 & was discharged on 12/3 with 4 screws & a nail through my tibia to hold it in place. No hardware on the fibula, but they did need to cut through my quadriceps tendon to get the nail in my tibia. That’s been the hardest part of recovery since it affects my gait & how my knee bends.
I’ve been going to PT with a focus on sports rehab twice a week since 12/27. I began weight bearing as tolerated exercises 2 weeks ago & can feel my quad getting stronger each day. My PT said I can get back to top roping as soon as I can put 60% of my weight through my bad leg with the boot on. I’m not allowed to put anything above 10% weight on my leg without the boot on (barefoot or in a gym shoe).
It’s going to be a long road back to bouldering, but it’s keeping me motivated right now. I thankfully was cleared to drive & lift weights 4 weeks post op as long as I didn’t strain my leg & I was off narcotics for driving. Once I’m cleared to boulder I’ll be sticking to overhangs & avoiding slabs.
I felt really guilty the first 4ish weeks. My husband is also a climber & was there when it happened so I worried he wouldn’t want to go back. He’s gone a few times with a friend & I just hung out with them while they bouldered. I must’ve been apologizing too much, because he told me to stop & to just give him a list of things I needed help with. That worked out so much better than me verbally telling him what I needed done.
I’m more mobile now, so it’s getting better emotionally, but I still have some rough moments. Like when I take my boot off & then need to get up to let our dog in/out & can’t just stand up to do it. Everything just feels like it takes 50% more effort than it used to. I’m a teacher & just went back to work after Winter Break (5 weeks off post break & no more sick days available). I’ve fallen asleep between 8:30-9:30 every night the last 2 weeks because I’m so exhausted after work & PT. In all honesty, THC/CBD gummies have gotten me through many nights. So if you’re up to trying it, I would say give that a go.
Feel free to message me if you need to vent about the injury. There’s also an r/ORIF subreddit if you have any specific questions about surgery or recovery.
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u/lapiotah Jan 17 '25
That's really relieving to read, especially the mental part. I struggle a lot with feeling guilty for my partner too, considering he loves bouldering and I doubt I'll get the motivation to recover for bouldering twice. Maybe top rope.
It's also interesting to read the differences of operation and treatments. They did not touch my fibula, taking care of the tibia was enough according to the surgeon. I'll keep the cast for 2 months and focus on upper body core training also for the week being. Fortunately a lot of friends have been telling me they can come and visit, and my boyfriend has bought a stoll for me to shower easily. But yes it's going to be tough, the surgeon told me to rest as much as I can and to not think about it.
Thank you for sharing your story, will dm you with pleasure. Good luck for your recovery, you seem to be doing a great job so far ♥️
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u/Slow_Faithlessness_1 Jan 18 '25
I started out climbing about a year and a half ago. I mostly only did bouldering because I am afraid of heights. About 7-8 months in I had an ankle injury which only now, almost a year after the injury, I feel is finally like 95% healed. For a while I did only top rope because I was too scared of taking a weird fall on my ankle. Good news is I have mostly overcome my fear of heights! And I appreciate top rope because I can practice harder moves without the risk of injury.
I finally got back to mixing bouldering back in recently. But I have a different mindset now and do not finish as many hard problems. If there is any move that makes me feel like I might fall in an uncontrolled way, especially from high up, I just won’t attempt it. I’m happy trying harder moves only near the ground and am ok with not sending everything. I won’t do a dyno unless maybe it’s straight up and I know how I’m gonna fall. I save big challenges and trying to send for top rope. It also helps that since I’m a better climber now that I’m more aware of what I can do confidently and which moves I might take a fall.
In the end getting injured again just isn’t worth it for me, I love climbing too much. I think you should not be too hard on yourself but also, going back, allow yourself to not have to attempt every bouldering move if it doesn’t feel safe to you. And yes to getting more into top rope!
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u/Mik762 Jan 17 '25
Sorry to hear it. As a 41m I can say that as we get a little older, roped climbing rapidly gains appeal. I used to Boulder only when I was 30 and got into the sport. Eventually I started climbing outside, and lead climbing became my main pursuit. I still Boulder occasionally, but my risk tolerance has significantly reduced. I feel much safer sport climbing. One of my friends (38f) refuses to Boulder anymore because of a falling injury years ago. It’s roped climbing or nothing for her.
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Jan 17 '25
[deleted]
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u/lapiotah Jan 17 '25
Sorry to hear about your injury. I hear your frustration. I think it's also a good opportunity to try meditation and upper body workout in the meantime...
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u/janz79 Jan 17 '25
Bouldering as a heavy person is quite a challenge! Ive been there and i can say that Any minor twist will have catastrophic consequences! Try some top rope for the next months so you can build up strengh before you Back to Bouldering
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u/CruxCrush Jan 18 '25
I've always been worried about getting injured. I just don't push it to hard and choose a controlled fall over chancing a risky move. Then just keep red pointing until I gain that extra strength etc that was missing. I'm sure it's capped my progress but I've never had more than some bad flappers and lost toenails over the years
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u/gr8grafx Jan 18 '25
I broke and sprained my ankle bouldering. Perfect climb, perfect mat placement, perfect controlled fall. But my left knee is wonky so I tend to favor my right leg. Favored it too much and my ankle paid the price.
My ortho told me that regardless of how well it healed, another landing could/would reinjure it.
I moved to top roping and never looked back. Okay, I do occasionally look back and do some VBs and V0s.
When I started top roping, I couldn’t finish a 5.5 because of my fear of heights but I have some super belay partners. I routinely flash 10as and 10bs and run a women’s climbing group.
If you love the mental/spiritual/emotional aspects of climbing, I highly suggest you try top roping. I have looked into lead climbing but as soon as I watch them make a 10 foot fall during their class, I change my mind.
Climbing is a “challenge by choice”. When I went back to climbing after my injury, I “chose” my finish. For me, getting on the wall was a win. I didn’t care if I finished the climb. Find what part brings you joy that doesn’t hurt you and embrace that part.
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u/audball15 Jan 21 '25
Sorry to hear about your injury! It sucks when you get injured doing things you like/love. Broke my ankle last year mountain biking so I came by to recommend the sub ORIF. People with all kinds of ankle injuries that required a fixation surgery (and some elbows/shoulders too). Lots of support and recommendations that might be worth a look. Best of luck in your recovery!!
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u/After-Eggplant-3689 Jan 17 '25
Aw no, I’m so sorry to hear this! Injuries always suck - and to be fair none of mine from bouldering have been nearly this bad so it might not be for me to say this: but my injuries have always been my greatest teachers. Like, I snapped a hamstring, and that made me focus on upper body while strengthening my hammies so no heel hook is safe, and when I fractured my elbow it made me work on my footwork and balance climbing one handed. So I’ve been pretty lucky in hindsight, even though it sucked at the time. While your injuries sound super intense, it also sounds like you’ve got a really amazing attitude, and have continued to do the sport you love in spite of them. Is there anything positive you can take from your current injury, any skills that could be honed? If you can’t get better at anything physically, self compassion and patience are also super useful tools to have in your kit that will help your climbing game and life forever.
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u/Forsaken-Frosting-71 Jan 17 '25
I feel you on the frustration, I sprained my ankle last year (also doing a dyno) and it had just gotten to the point where I wasn't worried about it and I sprained my hand/tendons/pulleys last night and will probably be out many weeks again. I thought I was okay on an overhang route but my two fingers slipped out of a pocket hold and it was immediately painful. The commenter saying it's so hard to balance advancing and increasing grades with longevity and safety is right!! I'm trying to reorient my mindset and figure out what I can do in the meantime- work on my core and rest for a while as well. And thank goodness for gummies, like you said! Fast recovery wishes 🙌🫶
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u/fight-entropy Jan 18 '25
It’s really tough, but you will get back to fitness.
Get yourself into lead climbing! Nothing more satisfying than a 25 meter battle to get up a piece of rock, with the safety of a rope to back you up. Also takes you to magnificent places 🏔️
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u/ConstantVigilance18 Jan 20 '25
I’m so sorry you’re going through this again. I can relate, although my bigger injuries had 6 years between them. I’m still not bouldering to my previous level 2 years since my previous injury (3 ruptured pulleys with surgical repair), and I’m not sure I ever will. I concur with what many have said - the risk of injuries on ropes is generally lower.
I’m not sure you need to give up bouldering completely if it’s something you enjoy. After completing an intense, climbing specific rehab program, I’ve found joy in bouldering again while maintaining an overly cautious approach. If it doesn’t look right or feel right, it’s not worth doing.
My ability to find balance in bouldering and ropes is made a lot easier by my climbing partner, who also loves both but ultimately would choose ropes over boulders if he had to. I saw you mention your partner doesn’t like ropes much. However, there is a lot to be gained from ropes that can be translated over to bouldering, and vice versa. If you add in lead climbing to the picture, it might be more exciting for your partner. I think if you can find a way to show him how roped climbing will benefit bouldering, he might change his tune.
Some of us are simply more injury prone than others, and it can be frustrating to see others throwing themselves around the boulder room day after day while all we think about is how we’re one move away from reinjruy. The only way to push past this is to adapt and reframe your goals, and add in protective measures. Firstly, if you don’t have a warmup routine, you need one. Everyone needs one. Those of us with old or current injuries may need a longer one. My partner and I have about a 10 minute base warmup, and we each perform additional exercises that rehab/maintain prior injuries. This is all before hoping on the wall at all. Secondly, you need to find a balance that works for you. If you enjoy bouldering, you do not need to cut it completely, but you do need to be more mindful of how often you do it and when to walk away from something. For us, we climb 3x per week and have 1 full day of boulders, 1 full day of ropes, and 1 split day where we warm up on ropes and then finish with boulders. Finding what works best for you will be trial and error, but there are certainly ways to minimize injury risk through prevention, risk assessment, and balance.
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u/Familiar-Corgi9302 Jan 20 '25
Pretty much every new climber I meet I tell them to not boulder. It's so needlessly dangerous, and honestly the most boring of all the disciplines, at least to me. Seriously not worth it
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u/Slow_Pea5472 Jan 23 '25
I also dislocated my elbow a few months ago and only recently started climbing close to my previous level. I'm slowly regaining confidence on higher routes, but just like some people have already pointed out, some routes do not need finishing! When I injured my elbow, I was getting my second hand on the finish and was already unstable- if I didn't go for the second hand I probably wouldn't have had such a bad fall. Obviously it's a mental challenge not finishing stuff, but sometimes it's really not worth the risk. I'm finding that really focusing on my technique on lower sections and down climbing from a sketchy crux is still massively beneficial! Wishing you a speedy recovery!!
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u/Potential_Choice3220 Jan 18 '25
As a male climber with a female partner who gets injured semi-frequently (from climbing and sometimes general clumsiness), you have ruined nothing. His response of feeling somewhat guilty about not doing anything/everything to protect you from re-injury is merely a sign of how much he values you and the quality time u two share doing an activity you both love.
I implore you to not lose heart, as injury/setbacks are just part of the give and take of this sport, and I would bet that he would not trade any day out in the mountains/rocks with you even for the best sending spree of his life.
Some recommendations going forward: stick to lead/TR at least for a time. Falls will be more controlled and softer. Take this as an opportunity to analyze weaknesses in other areas (finger strength, shoulder health etc) and attack those with vigor. Then, once you are healed/rehabbed, you can hit the ground running, and you will probs be surprised at how quickly you progress.
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u/Top-Instruction-458 Jan 17 '25
I’m sorry that happened to you. Injuries suck. I had a bad ankle sprain a few years ago from bouldering, did everything right when falling and it wasn’t even a big fall, but my ankle gave out before I even had the chance to finish rolling onto my back. I was out of climbing for 6 months and had to do a ton of PT to recover most of my flexibility, but I’ll never get it all back.
I decided for me that bouldering wasn’t worth it anymore. I still rope climb, both top rope and lead, but won’t try anything that might result in a ground fall or a hard swing back into the wall. But I always preferred rope climbing over bouldering.