It being winter here in the northern hemisphere, my social media feed is full of news and images of the white stuff – people climbing it, hiking across it, skiing down it (me, jealous much?!). I came across one such article (link at the end) dealing with nerves when skiing – and although I don’t ski (unless you count the time I pretty much … [Read more...]
Top tips to identify and deal with hypothermia
Ensuring you're properly prepared is important at any time of year, but in winter it is essential to ensure a walk in the snow doesn't lead to a miserable day or even a life threatening situation. Here's Womenclimb's top tips to identifying hypothermia as you head out this winter, and how to deal with it should the unfortunate happen. … [Read more...]
Returning to climbing after injury // Top Tips
Returning to climbing after an injury or recovery from surgery can be daunting, let alone frustrating and often maddening. Your mind is telling you to hop on the routes you were on prior to the injury but your body is unable to emulate how it worked before. … [Read more...]
How to Get Over a Climbing Fall
A fall can be nothing and everything depending on the outcome. Not many people enjoy falling and the aim of climbing is too often to complete your bucket list of routes, without taking a fall. Sometimes however, the artist makes a mistake - hopefully they get straight back on the rock to perfect the move, but other times they can’t walk away from … [Read more...]
What do you need in your first aid kit?
It is useful to carry some items to help deal with minor injuries when climbing. Emily Thompson, qualified Mountain Leader and Holme Valley Mountain Rescue team member, tells us what she would put in a first aid kit for a day out climbing or on the hill. Whether you're heading out alone for a day hiking or climbing for the with friends, it's … [Read more...]
What is Mountain Rescue??
If you live in an area of Britain with or near a national park the chances are you live in an area with a Mountain Rescue Team (MRT). Mountain Rescue is typically associated with areas such as the Lake District, Wales, and highlands of Scotland, but there are also teams operating in areas such as the South Pennines, Dartmoor and the Scottish … [Read more...]
15 Knee Surgery Tips for Climbers
There are all types of knee surgery, from ligament repairs and reconstructions to cartilage trims and kneecap scrapes. Two of the Womenclimb team have been in for knee surgery in the last 12 months (August 2015 and Feb 2016) for meniscus repair and ACL reconstruction respectively. They have put together their top tips to help climbers who have … [Read more...]
Climbing without an ACL
For my entire climbing life, I have climbed with an ACL injury. The Anterior Cruciate Ligament is one of a pair of cruciate ligaments in the knee, forming a cross shape with the Posterior Cruciate Ligament. It provides crucial stability to the knee, preventing the knee from twisting and rotating. You can find out more in this Youtube video about … [Read more...]
Climbing Injuries // Meniscus Tear Repair: Pt 1
The trials and tribulations of a meniscal repair - Knee Surgery Recovery In August 2015 Beth Thomas went into hospital to have a repair of torn cartilage (also known as meniscus) in her left knee. This article series is about her journey, from hospital to getting back to climbing. Thank you to Beth for sharing. We would love to hear your … [Read more...]
Climbing Injuries // Meniscus Tear Repair: Pt 3
In August 2015 Beth Thomas had a repair of torn cartilage (meniscus) in her left knee. This is the final article in the series that charts her journey from hospital to getting back to climbing. We would love to hear your comments about her journey - please tell us what you think about her story. If you want to read the first parts you'll find … [Read more...]