Fingertips and Rock Climbing

When rock climbing, two of your four main points of contact with the rock are your fingertips, the other two are your feet. Since your fingertips are exposed and under constant use while rock climbing, it is important to develop them so they are better able to hold you up and to take care of them while rock climbing.

  1. Strength Training

    • Many rock climbers employ some form of strength training to improve arm, hand and finger strength so they can rely more on their fingertips to keep a grip on a wall or rock. Static holds, from a pull-up bar, for instance, are a great way to strengthen fingertips and the rest of the arm. Another popular workout for fingertip strength is to take a dumbbell and roll it down to the edge of your fingertips, and then roll it back in to a closed palm.

    Injuries

    • Fingertips commonly sustain a certain amount of damage from rock climbing, especially if the climbing is sustained over a period of time such as several weeks. A typical fingertip injury for rock climbers is for the skin of the fingertips to become red and inflamed. Continued use may cause the fingertips to become white and the skin macerated. Finally, the skin may begin to split and dry out if the rock climber continues climbing.

    Shallow Ledges

    • One important use that fingertips serve when rock climbing is the ability to grip onto shallow ledges. On a large ledge, more of the finger can be employed for the hold unlike shallow ledges, so the strength of the fingertips is important. On a shallow ledge, the plasticity and malleability of the skin of the fingertips also is important. More malleable tissue results in more surface area contact, which can make a significant difference on a shallow ledge.

    Toughening Fingertips

    • To prevent injury, it is best to toughen the outer skin of the fingertips. This is especially true for outdoor climbing, where rough, uneven surfaces and potentially sharp rocks can do far more damage than the holds of an inside wall. One common way to build up tough skin is to apply medical alcohol to the area you wish to toughen up.