UKC

Parents of Climbing Children Should Take Heed

© Mick Ryan
Dr. Craig P. Smith

This has been read 5,220 times
Climbing stresses your body. If you're an adult this isn't so much of a problem, but if you're an infant or adolescent, then in certain circumstance climbing can cause severe problems.

A recent review of the scientific literature pertaining to 'young climbers' has recently been published in the British Journal of Sports Science by Audry Morrison and Volker Schöffl (Br J Sports Med. 2007 May 22; [Epub ahead of print]) and it makes very interesting reading. Morrison and Schöffl define young climbers as those aged between 7-17. Their conclusions are based on a critical review of the scientific literature and some of their important conclusions and recommendations are reproduced below:

  • Climbers aged <16 should not undertake intensive finger strength training (especially campus boarding and excessive finger training) and cannot participate in international bouldering competitions.

  • A force producing a ligamentous tear in an adult is likely to incur more damage in a growing youngster

  • The final pubescent growth spurt is associated with an increased risk of injuries and physeal fractures.

  • Up to around age 12, children have a limited capacity to develop an adaptive metabolic response to specific training, but possess an accelerated ability for motor development. This suggests the emphasis of training should be on climbing an increased volume and diversity of climbing routes to improve fluency and mechanical efficiency of climbing techniques, as opposed to increasing intensity.

  • Wearing excessively restrictive climbing shoes is not recommended in growing feet to help prevent foot injuries and deformities. Regular record keeping of street wear and climbing shoe size may be a useful strategy up to a minimum age of 15.

  • Climbers should be educated in the importance of an appropriate diet and timing of this intake on health and performance.

  • The age at which a climber should specialise in climbing is unknown. Knowledgeable and qualified personnel should carefully monitor training. Where training intensity is increased, it should reflect safe and efficacious exercises for a given gender and biological age, independent of the competition calendar.

  • More research on young climbers is needed

    Clearly, parents of climbing children should take heed of these recommendations.

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    Comments

    SonyaD
    26 Jun, 2007
    Hmmmmm, certainly 'over training' and the damage it can do to growing childrens tendons and ligaments is old news? And not squishing their feet into overly tight shoes is just common sense?
    Wonrek
    26 Jun, 2007
    As with all things in life common sense should be your guide. But there will always be a qualified 'expert' out there who can make a buck or two telling us what we already know. I mean what's wrong with getting the baby on a HVS wearing shoes three sizes too small anyway, it's not as though I'd ask him to attempt an E3 until he was at least six months or so!?! ;-) Cx
    Paz
    26 Jun, 2007
    SOMEONE THINK OF THE CHILDREN! " More research on young climbers is needed" And who's going to do that then? That's a certainly a very common conclusion that scientists arrive at. I'd have thought that train easy, or sensibly is better advice than don't train. Don't wear tight rock boots? Give me a break. The elite especially will still train, how else do 14 year olds climb 8c? Daniel Woods and Adam Ondra. Please carry on with what you're doing.
    Al Evans
    26 Jun, 2007
    Complete crap, all my three kids have climbed since they were about 6 one reaching the BICC finals and one coming 4th in BBC. They are now 17, 20 and 22 with absolutely no ill effects whatsoever.
    Alan James - Rockfax
    26 Jun, 2007
    Wow Al, the survey is categorical refuted by your sample of three. Three who may not have grown old enough for any of the negative effects to have taken hold yet. So much for science then. Alan
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