Yong Kang TCM and Physio Clinic had the pleasure of sponsoring and supporting the first round of the (South East Asia) SEA Bouldering League at Boulder Planet over the past weekend! The SEA Bouldering League aims to raise the standard of Bouldering, and promote the sport of Bouldering around the region.
Starting with the first round in Singapore on the 17th and 18th of August, the qualifiers and finals were held across 2 days, with no fewer than 300 spectators and participants attending the event. The event, as mentioned, is a regional competition and it will be held in Thailand and Indonesia in the next few months - stay tuned for our event support and sponsorship in Indonesia!
"One cannot make an omelette without breaking a few eggs"
Unfortunately with competitive sport comes injury. Injuries can arise from various factors such as overuse, a sudden increase in training load, or in the case of Bouldering, pushing biomechanical limits of joints muscles and tendons.
Speaking from the perspective as a Physiotherapist, it is always insightful to see in-person the demands and movements of a particular sport. In most clinical situations, Physiotherapists do not get to see how patients get injured, unless they do the sport themselves. Watching the experienced climbers ranging from as young as teenagers all the way up to working adults shift their weight, leverage their physical positions and hang precariously with one arm from a hold - it was a learning experience being able to both spectate and provide injury management cover for the event.
Competitors getting a quick assessment of their pain and injuries
Chen Hao, our Tuina therapist was also present to lend his healing hands for the event
"Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes"
Over the course of 2 days, these are the main types of injuries I have seen:
Finger tendon sheath inflammation, chronic
Tennis and golfers elbow
Shoulder impingements
Lower back pain
The conversations I had with the climbers during the event gave a lot of insight into their injuries and sport as well. The most common mechanism of injury are overuse injuries in the climbers that I treated - too much, for too long with little downtime and recovery.
Primarily, sports massage, KT taping and advice were given to the climbers of the event. There were a couple of climbers who I had to refer on to our network of medical doctors as their injuries were deemed more serious that required management outside of the event. This was especially so in the first day of the competition during the qualifiers when the participants of the event were keen to prove themselves to get into the finals.
As the day progressed from the Youth category right through to the Open category, the number and type of injuries that I witnessed became more apparent and they were typically more severe in nature. During the category, the climbing wall would be packed with spectators. Between each category, our booth would be filled with people trying to seek help to perform better at their sport. With the ebb and flow of climbers in each category, I was able to interact and observe the dedication and commitment of the Bouldering community to the sport of Bouldering. With each attempt by participants to reach the top of the wall, the spectators were cheering them on. I was glad that our contributions from Yong Kang TCM and Physio clinic have played a role in getting some of the climbers to the top of the wall!
Check out some of the scenes at the event:
The calm before the storm.
One...more...block...
101% focus.
Google maps, Bouldering edition
Doesn't get cooler than an airborne fist pump!
Thank you to the route-setters, volunteers and officials of the event!
Showcasing a few of the category winners!
Event planning committee and sponsor support, from left to right:
Patrice, Marketing Director Boulder Planet
Ellayn, Head of Marketing Yong Kang TCM Clinic
Timo, Physiotherapy Clinical Lead Yong Kang TCM and Physio Clinic
Ruth, Marketing executive Yong Kang TCM Clinic
Ben, Director Boulder Planet
A huge congrats to all participants of the SEA Bouldering League on completing the event! While your skills were put to the test, your wrists, fingers, and shoulders might have taken a beating too. Don’t let those post-competition aches and pains hold you back from your next climb.
At Yong Kang TCM and Physio Clinic, we specialize in treating common bouldering injuries like wrist sprains, finger tendon strains, and shoulder issues, among other musculoskeletal conditions and sports injuries. Our personalised physiotherapy sessions will help you recover faster, improve flexibility, and strengthen those critical joints and muscles, ensuring you're back on the wall in no time!
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