This book comprehensively discusses the medical aspects of sports climbing, a still young but emerging sport, which will be one of the disciplines at the Tokyo Olympics. Its rapid development from niche to popular sport has been accompanied by an increase in the number of climbing-sports-specific injuries and has attracted growing interest within the sports medicine community. Gathering expertise from around the globe, the book covers all aspects related to this discipline – from physiology, biomechanics and anatomy through upper and lower extremity injuries to cardiology, gynecology, pediatric and adolescent conditions. Following a coherent structure, each chapter equips readers with evidence-based diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines. Enriched by a wealth of pictures, this manual offers a timely and up-to-date resource for sports physicians, orthopedic surgeons and traumatologists, as well as trainers, physiotherapists and other health professionals involved in climbing.

A climbing medicine and wilderness first aid guidebook from a team of proven experts Climbing and mountaineering attracts millions of people around the world each year, but produces a unique set of challenges. The threat of danger is ever present, and professional medical help is often far away. Vertical Medicine Resources is a renowned climbing company providing medical training and consultation. In Vertical Aid, they have produced the most complete guide available for managing both emergencies and chronic injuries sustained during climbs. Researched and developed by professional healthcare providers and alpinists, the book includes helpful illustrations of common procedures and best practices, making it a practical and indispensable companion on any climbing, trekking, or alpine trip. It is replete with real-world-tested strategies, evidence-based medicine, and proven techniques. The diverse author team combines an EMS and emergency physician, a nurse, a physician assistant, and a nurse-trainer, who together have a profound depth of climbing, educational, and medical experience. With its unique combination of authoritative medical information and specific attention to the climbing environment, Vertical Aid is poised to become an authoritative resource for every climber, on every climb.

Death Grip chronicles a top climber's near-fatal struggle with anxiety and depression, and his nightmarish journey through the dangerous world of prescription drugs. Matt Samet lived to climb, and craved the challenge, risk, and exhilaration of conquering sheer rock faces around the United States and internationally. But Samet's depression, compounded by the extreme diet and fitness practices of climbers, led him to seek professional help. He entered the murky, inescapable world of psychiatric medicine, where he developed a dangerous addiction to prescribed medications—primarily "benzos," or benzodiazepines—that landed him in institutions and nearly killed him. With dramatic storytelling, persuasive research data, and searing honesty, Matt Samet reveals the hidden epidemic of benzo addiction, which some have suggested can be harder to quit than heroin. Millions of adults and teenagers are prescribed these drugs, but few understand how addictive they are—and how dangerous long-term usage can be, even when prescribed by doctors. After a difficult struggle with addiction, Samet slowly makes his way to a life in recovery through perseverance and a deep love of rock climbing. Conveying both the exhilaration of climbing in the wilderness and the utter madness of addiction, Death Grip is a powerful and revelatory memoir.

As Wolfgang Gullich said, getting strong is easy, getting strong without getting injured is hard . Sooner or later, nearly all climbers get injured and it will be injuries that ultimately dictate how far you get in climbing, if you let them. Unfortunately, the data shows it takes over a decade just to get small proportions of medical research adopted in regular practice. Sourcing reliable and up to date advice on preventing and treating finger, elbow, shoulder and other climbing injuries is challenging to say the least. You need to be the expert, because there are so many strands of knowledge and practice to pull together to stay healthy as a climber, and no single source of advice to cover all of these. The book draws together both the cutting edge of peer reviewed sports medicine research, and the subtle concepts of changing your climbing habits and routine to prevent and successfully recover from injuries. It is a handbook on how to take care of yourself as a lifelong climbing athlete. By spanning the fields of climbing coaching, physiotherapy, sports medicine and behavioural science, it goes beyond the general advice on treating symptoms offered by sports medicine textbooks and into much more detail on technique and habits specific to climbing than the existing climbing literature base. You will learn how your current climbing habits are already causing your future injuries and what you can do to change that. If you are already injured, it will prevent you from prolonging your injury with the wrong climbing habits and rehabilitation choices. You will learn how the ingredients of prevention and good recovery come from wildly different sources and how you have been using only a fraction of them. Fully referenced throughout, the practical advice for diagnosis, rehabilitation and prevention of climbing injuries is drawn from up to date peer reviewed sports medicine research.

This is the first book to explore in depth the science of climbing and mountaineering. Written by a team of leading international sport scientists, clinicians and climbing practitioners, it covers the full span of technical disciplines, including rock climbing, ice climbing, indoor climbing and mountaineering, across all scientific fields from physiology and biomechanics to history, psychology, medicine, motor control, skill acquisition, and engineering. Striking a balance between theory and practice, this uniquely interdisciplinary study provides practical examples and illustrative data to demonstrate the strategies that can be adopted to promote safety, best practice, injury prevention, recovery and mental preparation. Divided into six parts, the book covers all essential aspects of the culture and science of climbing and mountaineering, including: physiology and medicine biomechanics motor control and learning psychology equipment and technology. Showcasing the latest cutting-edge research and demonstrating how science translates into practice, The Science of Climbing and Mountaineering is essential reading for all advanced students and researchers of sport science, biomechanics and skill acquisition, as well as all active climbers and adventure sport coaches.

This technically oriented book on medicine as applied to extreme sports offers broad coverage of the field extending well beyond the usual focus on major trauma and acute injuries. In addition to the injuries and diseases associated with individual extreme sports, this book also addresses the topics of psychology, dermatology, ophthalmology, infectious diseases, physiology, nutrition, training, injury prevention strategies, rehabilitation, doping, treatment in hostile environments, and legal aspects. Innovative and less frequently considered topics are also discussed, such as recent advances in protective equipment and materials, the effects of exposure on whole-body vibration, and cold exposure risk management. More than 60 of the most authoritative experts from across the world have contributed to this book, drawing on their personal experiences and including practical examples whenever relevant. Both subject matter and illustrations have been selected with the utmost care, the latter including photographs of world-class athletes.The book’s multidisciplinary approach to the subject ensures that it will be relevant to a wide readership.

A climbing medicine and wilderness first aid guidebook from a team of proven experts Climbing and mountaineering attracts millions of people around the world each year, but produces a unique set of challenges. The threat of danger is ever present, and professional medical help is often far away. Vertical Medicine Resources is a renowned climbing company providing medical training and consultation. In Vertical Aid, they have produced the most complete guide available for managing both emergencies and chronic injuries sustained during climbs. Researched and developed by professional healthcare providers and alpinists, the book includes helpful illustrations of common procedures and best practices, making it a practical and indispensable companion on any climbing, trekking, or alpine trip. It is replete with real-world-tested strategies, evidence-based medicine, and proven techniques. The diverse author team combines an EMS and emergency physician, a nurse, a physician assistant, and a nurse-trainer, who together have a profound depth of climbing, educational, and medical experience. With its unique combination of authoritative medical information and specific attention to the climbing environment, Vertical Aid is poised to become an authoritative resource for every climber, on every climb.