Is Hard Training Dangerous for Young Climbers?
September 2007A review of the scientific literature on young climbers was recently published by Audry Morrison and Volker Schöff in the British Journal of Sports Science. Morrison and Schöffl define young climbers as those between 7 and 17. They looked at 50 climbing studies and large-scale physiological studies of the development of youngsters, and although the authors point out that there is a “paucity” of research on young climbers, their review allowed them to draw some conclusions:
• Climbers under 16 should not do intensive finger strength training.
• A young person’s final growth spurt (usually around age 14 or 15) is associated with increased risk of injury. Growth charts (height and shoe size) may help in identifying spurts.
• A force producing a torn ligament in an adult is likely to produce more damage in a growing youngster.
• Up to around age 12, children have a limited capacity to benefit from intensive strength training, but possess an accelerated capability for motor development. This suggests training at this age should focus on volume and diversity of climbing routes to improve technique and movement skills, rather than pure strength.
• Wearing excessively tight climbing shoes is not recommended in growing feet to help prevent foot injuries and deformities.
• Climbers should be educated in the importance of appropriate diet and timing of meals for health and performance.
• Knowledgeable and qualified personnel should monitor young climbers’ training. When training intensity is increased, it should employ safe and effective exercises for a given gender and biological age, independent of any competition calendar.
The International Federation of Sport Climbing implicitly incorporates some of these guidelines in its rules, which prohibit international competition at the adult level for climbers under 16. But as the popularity of competition climbing grows—and as more 14- and 15-year-olds perform at an adult level—the pressure on talented young climbers to train harder is likely to increase.
The abstract for “Review of the Physiological Responses to Rock Climbing in Young Climbers” is available here. The full article can be accessed at this site for $12.
This article is based in part on reports at www.ukclimbing.com and www.thebmc.co.uk. The UIAA Medical Commission is planning further discussion of this topic at its meeting in Scotland in October 2007.
Dougald MacDonald