Climbing Prehab vs. Rehab: Why Injury Prevention with Personal Training Is the Most Powerful Treatment We Have

If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past decade working as an Athletic Trainer in all the

different environments I’ve worked in, it’s this: waiting until something hurts to address it is a

recipe for long-term setbacks. That lesson hits especially hard in climbing: where injuries can

sneak up quietly, then sideline you just as you're finding your flow.

As a climber, I get it. You want to keep progressing, send your projects, and feel strong on the wall. But what a lot of climbers overlook is that your fingers, shoulders, hips, and tendons don’t just get stronger by accident. They need support, balance, and preparation. And that’s where prehab comes in.

In this blog, I want to break down what I’ve seen in both the clinic and on the climbing wall when it comes to prehab vs. rehab to share why I believe injury prevention through personal training is the most powerful form of treatment we have. Whether you’re a new climber or a seasoned crusher, working with a trainer who understands your body and your sport is a game changer.

Rehab Helped Me Recover—But Prehab Kept Me

Climbing

I’ve worked with all types of athletes ranging from collegiate sports to professional dancers to industrial workers doing physically demanding jobs for 10+ hours a day. Across all those

populations, the patterns are surprisingly similar: people often don’t start caring about

movement quality, joint health, or mobility until something starts to hurt. I’ve seen torn

shoulders, wrecked backs, overloaded tendons, and everything in between.

And now, I want to bring that same level of care and insight to climbers.

I’ve worked with people dealing with classic overuse injuries like finger pulley strains, shoulder impingements, and climber’s elbow. All of which could’ve been prevented with better movement prep and smarter training.

I’ve also experienced it myself when I was younger. I used to skip warm-ups and climb through tweaks. I wasn’t intentional in my warmups and just assumed I’d always be fine. That mindset lasted until I overdid it with my elbow and couldn't grip strong without pain for almost a year. Rehab got me back, but it’s been prehab that kept me from landing there again. And this is exactly where personal training can make the difference: by helping you stay accountable, intentional, and informed every step of the way.

So What Is Prehab, Exactly?

Prehab, short for prehabilitation, is all about building resilience. It’s about strengthening the stuff you don’t think about until it’s already inflamed. It’s designed to keep your body from breaking down in the first place.

On the other hand, rehab is what happens after the breakdown.

It’s pain management, tissue healing, and gradual return to movement. I’ve helped hundreds of people through the rehab process. And while I’ll always love helping someone rebuild after injury, I’d much rather help you avoid the injury altogether.

In the sports world, we used prehab routines to reduce ACL tears, manage shoulder wear-and-tear, and keep athletes game-ready. In work settings, I coached workers on posture, load management, and joint control to prevent chronic overuse. And in climbing, I see a massive opportunity to borrow those same principles and apply them to the wall.

Why Do Climbers Get Injured So Often?

Climbing is inherently demanding both physically and neurologically. But most injuries aren’t

freak accidents. They’re the result of repetitive strain, poor technique under fatigue, or missing pieces in the body’s support system.

The Most Common Ones I See:

• Finger Pulley Injuries

• Shoulder Impingement

• Medial Epicondylitis (Climber’s Elbow)

• Low Back and Hip Pain

What all of these have in common is that they start small, and they build over time. And climbers often don’t realize what’s happening until they’re forced to sit out.

Why Prehab Is the Most Underrated Training Tool in

Climbing

Prehab doesn’t just reduce injury risk; it improves your climbing. Seriously.

When you train your shoulders to move with control, your lock-offs become smoother. When

you mobilize your hips, you get more reach from high steps and drop knees. When you build

tendon capacity in your fingers, crimps feel more secure and less terrifying. When you develop body awareness and movement quality, you climb with more intention, fluidity, and confidence.

Most importantly, prehab keeps you climbing. As someone who’s worked with people rehabbing injuries for months at a time, I promise: investing a few days a week in your movement is 1000x better than being forced to stop completely because of a preventable injury.

How My Experience as an Athletic Trainer Informs My

Climbing Coaching

My background isn’t just in climbing; it’s in evaluating movement, managing injury risk, and

developing strategies for people whose bodies are their tools.

In the sports world, I worked with athletes recovering from surgery and returning to competition. I saw how a targeted prehab plan could shave weeks off their recovery and protect them from repeat injuries.

In the ergonomic work setting, I led injury prevention programs for manufacturing teams, helping workers build strength and control for repetitive tasks, awkward positions, and heavy loads. Very similar to the demands of climbing.

Now, I see the opportunity to blend all of that experience into personalized training. I help

climbers not only move better, but move smarter, with strength that supports their goals and

habits that protect their joints.

What Should Prehab Look Like?

Here’s the thing: I’m not going to give you a generic routine.

Why?

Because prehab isn't a one size fits all. Your history, goals, movement patterns, and climbing

style all shape what your body needs. What works for someone projecting a v10 might not work for someone who’s a beginner recovering from an injury.

What I can tell you is this:

• Prehab is simple but strategic

• Your warm-up is part of your prehab

• You can fit it into your week easily

• It should evolve as your climbing evolves

  
  

That’s where having a coach can make all the difference. With personal training, you don’t just get a list of exercises. You get a process, a customized plan, and someone to make sure you’re doing the right things, the right way, at the right time.

Let’s Build Your Prehab Plan Together

If you’re reading this and thinking,

“Okay, I know I should be doing something, but I don’t know where to start...”

You’re not alone.

That’s where our personal training team comes in.

At Skyhook Bouldering, we work with climbers of all levels to help them build stronger, more

resilient bodies. Whether you’re recovering from a setback or want to prevent the next one, we’ll work together to:

• Pinpoint movement limitations or imbalances

• Develop climbing-specific mobility and stability

• Create a personalized plan that fits your schedule and goals

• Integrate strength, control, and injury prevention into your climbing sessions

And the best part? You don’t need to be injured to start. In fact, that’s the whole point.

Here’s Your Next Step

If you’ve ever dealt with nagging pain, plateaus, or injury frustration, let’s change that. You don’t need to train harder; you need to train smarter.

Book a session with me or one of our personal trainers at Skyhook. Let’s build the foundation your climbing deserves.

Stop by the front desk, or click here to contact us about availability for your first session. As a reminder all members get 1 FREE personal training consultation.

Because strong sends start with smart movement.

Final Thoughts

Rehab will always be there if you need it. But if you ask me, the best kind of injury recovery is

the one you never have to do.

That’s the power of prehab and I’d love to show you how to make it part of your climbing life.

See you on the wall!

Written by: Ju Kim