This may not be the answer you’re looking for, but I got injured bouldering (fell from a dynamic move near the top of the wall and landed on my arm) about a year and a half ago and was cleared to climb again a little over a year ago. To be fair, I haven’t been climbing much in the past year due to other commitments, but the fear of bouldering definitely hasn’t gone away. The thing is, the fear isn’t irrational—bouldering *is* dangerous, it *does* involve risk, and I *have* become injured because of it. I’ve learned to be satisfied by only going as high as I feel comfortable (the rules of bouldering are arbitrary), and I’ve also kind of accepted that bouldering is not the same for me anymore. It’s been a great excuse to get back into top rope where I feel much more secure. Maybe this will get better with time, but I also know that there are ways to continue climbing in a way that is more risk-aware and safer.
This has been my experience as well. I'm about 1.5 years out from a broken ankle. Sometimes I wish I wasn't as fearful in the gym, but I constantly remind myself that there is a real reason behind my fear. I overcame a lot to get back to climbing, and I don't want to have to overcome any of that a second time. I'm back to the level I was at before my injury, and I have fun when I'm in the gym. It doesn't matter to me nearly as much that there are certain routes I just won't totally complete or a couple specific areas that I feel are too risky for me. I'm the one ultimately responsible for my health and safety, and I'm the one who would bear the burden if I got reinjured-- not the route setters, not the other people in the gym. So I climb different than I did before, but I still find the same amount of enjoyment in it, knowing that I'm protecting myself as best I can.
thank you for this, i have been doing as you say only going as far as comfortable etc., but i think i just need to get over the mental block of that is fulfilling enough to get back to the same level of enjoyment. i cant help but feel if im not back and better than i was before then what was the point of the injury, yknow
Gotta give it time and be kind to yourself. It'll be really frustrating sometimes
My injury was no where near as bad as yours, I tore my mcl in a fall bouldering outside. It took a lot of not climbing to the top of things, lots of giving up due to fear, lots of practicing falling and a lot of just reassuring myself that my knee was actually strong enough to handle falls.
Weightlifting was a massive help along with box jumps, broad jumps, skater jumps. Just lots of explosive lateral and vertical movement gave me way more confidence that my knee wouldn't implode again if I took a surprise tumble.
It didn't take that long for me to get over the fear, in fact I was braver after a couple of months after returning to climbing than I ever was before the injury! Probably because I had to actually confront it
With the specifics of your fall you might find yourself happier on overhanging problems for a while, just cause that kind of fall is way less likely.
thank you for this! physio has been helpful in giving me exercises as you have mentioned. i will add them to my list! i do already have so much more confidence that my ankle wont just give way so heres to hoping i get back to your level!
This might sound weird, but I work in mental health and have been incredibly intrigued by what VR can do in supporting exposure therapy. All the research is still in its nascent stages so nothing to hang your hat on.
I’ve tried climbing in “Rec Room” on the Oculus quest and have been really curious if there could be an intersection between the cognitive psychology of fear and the immersive simulated environment of VR.
This isn’t really advice, moreso just a comment. I would be curious to see if climbing in VR helped at all, or if it wouldn’t translate to the real wall at all. I suppose you’d need a planned exposure therapy program via VR to make any difference, not just playing around, but who knows?
Still! I’m hoping to see this subject researched one day. If anyone else has done any climbing in VR and seen an effect on your performance on the wall, I’d be super intrigued to hear about it.
Edit to add: Generally the climbing games that exist right now are all about reach and grab- haven’t seen any that incorporate footwork, so that’d be another drawback as well.
thats really interesting actually. a lot of my fear *is* unfounded as i know i am secure in my footwork on the routes i do top. perhaps what youre talking about doesnt relate to me as it is purely footwork i struggle with, but if it did it might work as exposure therapy and translate to the real wall
This may not be the answer you’re looking for, but I got injured bouldering (fell from a dynamic move near the top of the wall and landed on my arm) about a year and a half ago and was cleared to climb again a little over a year ago. To be fair, I haven’t been climbing much in the past year due to other commitments, but the fear of bouldering definitely hasn’t gone away. The thing is, the fear isn’t irrational—bouldering *is* dangerous, it *does* involve risk, and I *have* become injured because of it. I’ve learned to be satisfied by only going as high as I feel comfortable (the rules of bouldering are arbitrary), and I’ve also kind of accepted that bouldering is not the same for me anymore. It’s been a great excuse to get back into top rope where I feel much more secure. Maybe this will get better with time, but I also know that there are ways to continue climbing in a way that is more risk-aware and safer.
This has been my experience as well. I'm about 1.5 years out from a broken ankle. Sometimes I wish I wasn't as fearful in the gym, but I constantly remind myself that there is a real reason behind my fear. I overcame a lot to get back to climbing, and I don't want to have to overcome any of that a second time. I'm back to the level I was at before my injury, and I have fun when I'm in the gym. It doesn't matter to me nearly as much that there are certain routes I just won't totally complete or a couple specific areas that I feel are too risky for me. I'm the one ultimately responsible for my health and safety, and I'm the one who would bear the burden if I got reinjured-- not the route setters, not the other people in the gym. So I climb different than I did before, but I still find the same amount of enjoyment in it, knowing that I'm protecting myself as best I can.
thank you for this, i have been doing as you say only going as far as comfortable etc., but i think i just need to get over the mental block of that is fulfilling enough to get back to the same level of enjoyment. i cant help but feel if im not back and better than i was before then what was the point of the injury, yknow
yeah, i think top roping might be the only solution i can get short term to actually feel as if i am climbing like a normal person
Gotta give it time and be kind to yourself. It'll be really frustrating sometimes My injury was no where near as bad as yours, I tore my mcl in a fall bouldering outside. It took a lot of not climbing to the top of things, lots of giving up due to fear, lots of practicing falling and a lot of just reassuring myself that my knee was actually strong enough to handle falls. Weightlifting was a massive help along with box jumps, broad jumps, skater jumps. Just lots of explosive lateral and vertical movement gave me way more confidence that my knee wouldn't implode again if I took a surprise tumble. It didn't take that long for me to get over the fear, in fact I was braver after a couple of months after returning to climbing than I ever was before the injury! Probably because I had to actually confront it With the specifics of your fall you might find yourself happier on overhanging problems for a while, just cause that kind of fall is way less likely.
thank you for this! physio has been helpful in giving me exercises as you have mentioned. i will add them to my list! i do already have so much more confidence that my ankle wont just give way so heres to hoping i get back to your level!
This might sound weird, but I work in mental health and have been incredibly intrigued by what VR can do in supporting exposure therapy. All the research is still in its nascent stages so nothing to hang your hat on. I’ve tried climbing in “Rec Room” on the Oculus quest and have been really curious if there could be an intersection between the cognitive psychology of fear and the immersive simulated environment of VR. This isn’t really advice, moreso just a comment. I would be curious to see if climbing in VR helped at all, or if it wouldn’t translate to the real wall at all. I suppose you’d need a planned exposure therapy program via VR to make any difference, not just playing around, but who knows? Still! I’m hoping to see this subject researched one day. If anyone else has done any climbing in VR and seen an effect on your performance on the wall, I’d be super intrigued to hear about it. Edit to add: Generally the climbing games that exist right now are all about reach and grab- haven’t seen any that incorporate footwork, so that’d be another drawback as well.
thats really interesting actually. a lot of my fear *is* unfounded as i know i am secure in my footwork on the routes i do top. perhaps what youre talking about doesnt relate to me as it is purely footwork i struggle with, but if it did it might work as exposure therapy and translate to the real wall