© 2005 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd & British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Functional ankle control of rock climbers
1 Kantonsspital Liestal, Switzerland
2 Praxisklinik Rennbahn, Switzerland
Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr Schweizer
Kantonsspital Liestal, Orthopaedic Department, Rheinstrasse 26, Liestal 4410, Switzerland; ankaluz{at}active.ch
Objective: To evaluate whether rock climbing type exercise would be of value in rehabilitating ankle injuries to improve ankle stability and coordination.
 View larger version (148K): [in a new window] Figure 1 During rock climbing, the foot has to be held isometrically in many different positions. Supinated (A) and pronated (B) position of the ankle of a climber with a typical climbing shoe. Slope (C) and tip (D) stand with extension or flexion. Consent was obtained for publication of this figure.
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 View larger version (85K): [in a new window] Figure 2 Stabilometry: subject performing a one leg stand on a three point force plate while the postural sway is recorded continuously by a personal computer. Consent was obtained for publication of this figure.
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Methods: A group of 25 rock climbers was compared with a group of 26 soccer players. All were male, uninjured, and exercised three to four times a week. Active ankle stability was evaluated by one leg stand stabilometry (measurement of migration of the centre of gravity) and measurements of maximum strength of ankle isokinetic concentric flexion and extension (Cybex).
Results: The rock climbers showed significantly better results in the stabilometry and greater absolute and relative maximum strength of flexion in the ankle. The soccer players showed greater absolute but not relative strength in extension.
Conclusion: Rock climbing, because of its slow and controlled near static movements, may be of value in the treatment of functional ankle instability. However, it has still to be confirmed whether it is superior to the usual rehabilitation exercises such as use of the wobble board.
Keywords: ankle; functional stability; rehabilitation; rock climbing; soccer
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