Conduct, Interpret, and Apply Climbing Research

In this in-depth interview, Norwegian physiotherapist, PhD researcher, and elite climber Gudmund Grønhaug explores the current state of climbing injury research, including what we know, what we assume, and where the evidence falls short. Drawing on his clinical background and years of firsthand experience in the climbing community, Grønhaug discusses why common injury statistics can be misleading, how the term “injury” is often misused, and what clinicians should consider when interpreting low-level studies. The presentation provides practical insights for those looking to better understand how to evaluate and apply climbing-related research in clinical practice.

Topics Covered:

• What are the most common injuries in climbing?
• What is our decision making based on?
• How to find relevant research?
• What to look for in the Abstract?
• What to look for in the Methods?
• What to look for in the tables?
• What to look for in the S&W?
• What are the most common injuries in climbing?
• What is the most common climbing injury?

Learning Objectives:

• Assess the distribution of chronic climbing injuries in an international population with gender-specific analyses and assess the impact of the person’s training focus or aim of training on those injuries.