If injuries are getting in the way of your climbing routine and you’re interested in preventive measures, then you might enjoy these 6 recovery toys for climbers. These tools can help you avoid various climbing-related injuries but should not replace the medical advice of a physical therapist, orthopedist or chiropractor in the event of an injury.
1. Armaid – $140
I’ve had an Armaid now for about 2 years, and I absolutely love it. Ask anyone else who owns one, and they’ll likely tell you the same thing. This brilliant contraption allows you to massage your own forearms before and after climbing to help relieve tight forearm flexors. This toy is a must-have for any climber! If you’ve never seen an Armaid before, watch the video below for a demonstration.
2. The Stick – $25
The Stick is well-known within the running community, but it can also be very useful for climbers. You can use it to loosen up tight neck muscles, hamstrings, quads, calves, or IT bands without a second pair of hands. And as someone who loves giving massages but never receives them, I LOVE tools that allow me to massage my own muscles. This recovery toy is also available in various sizes, so if you travel frequently, you can opt for the smaller 17″ travel size.
3. Foam Roller – $9-20
If you have tight quads, glutes, IT bands, or lower back muscles, then a foam roller might be exactly what you need. Foam rollers are available in various sizes and densities, so you can order softer or stiffer rollers as needed. For a comprehensive look at the various ways to use a foam roller, see the video below.
4. TheraBands – $12
TheraBands, or resistant bands, can help you achieve muscular balance by allowing you to strengthen antagonist muscles. You can get these bands with varying resistance, or go with a combo pack so you have one of each thickness. Dr. Jared Vagy is a climber and physical therapist who wrote a great eBook about performance training and injury prevention with resistance bands from TheraBand. Get his $10 eBook here.
5. Lacrosse Ball – $2
Lacrosse balls are extremely affordable and very dense, so they are PERFECT for trigger release therapy. If you have sharp pain or stiffness in one small area, then you can use a lacrosse ball to relieve that tension without any other equipment needed. You can use a lacrosse ball to break up knots in your pecks, back, glutes, shoulders, foot arches, and forearms. If your budget is tight, definitely get yourself a lacrosse ball!
For a slightly creepy demonstration of a few upper body lacrosse ball exercises, watch the video below.
For a few lower body lacrosse ball exercises, see the video below. The demonstration begins at 1:40.
6. Acupressure Rings – $11
I just found out about these babies this year, and they’re absolutely amazing! Acupressure rings release tension by applying pressure to certain points on the fingers, which can help bring some life back to those tired and sore fingers. See the super high def video below for demonstration.