Injury Prevention in Grip Training

Hey sweet cheeks,

We’ve reached the final blog in this 5-part series, and today we’re tackling something crucial: injury prevention. If you’ve been following along with my previous posts, you’ll know that grip training is a key component of OCR success, a good indicator of general health – and just awesome. But, as with any intense training, there’s always a risk of injury. This post is all about keeping you strong, healthy, and injury-free so you can crush obstacle courses, do all the bouldering and lift weights all year long.

Common Injuries from Grip and Hand Training

When you’re training to improve grip strength – whether that’s for hanging obstacles, pull-ups, or monkey bars – the most common injuries come from overuse. The small muscles and tendons in your hands, wrists, and forearms are under a lot of strain during repetitive movements. Here are the most common injuries you’ll want to avoid:

• Tendonitis: This is inflammation of the tendons, often caused by repetitive strain. For grip training, the tendons in your forearms and wrists are particularly vulnerable. If left unchecked, tendonitis can turn into a more serious, long-term issue.

• Pulled Muscles: Pushing too hard, too soon, can lead to muscle strains, especially in your forearms, biceps, and shoulders. These areas are crucial for OCR athletes but can be easily injured if not properly warmed up or overloaded.

• Ripped Calluses: This is a minor injury, but if you’ve been training hard on the monkey bars or doing pull-ups, you’ve probably dealt with this one. While not as serious as tendonitis, ripped calluses can sideline your training for days or even weeks, depending on how severe they are.

How to Prevent These Injuries

The good news? Most of these injuries can be avoided with smart training, good technique, and proper recovery. Here’s what to focus on:

• Progressive Overload: As I mentioned back in Blog 1 about grip training, you need to progressively challenge your muscles but not all at once. Gradual increases in volume and intensity will allow your body to adapt without overloading your tendons or muscles. If you suddenly jump from 5 to 20 pull-ups in a week, you’re asking for trouble. Always follow the Milo From Croton story!

• Recovery: Your muscles and tendons need time to repair between sessions. In The Get A Grip Program, we’ve included an injury prevention workout that incorporates proper recovery techniques and exercises.

• Proper Warm-Up: A good warm-up is essential to preparing your body for the demands of grip-intensive workouts. In Blog 3, we discussed grip endurance training, but the importance of a solid warm-up applies to all forms of strength training. Before diving into heavy grip work, make sure your muscles are warm, your joints are mobile, and your mind is ready. Light resistance band exercises are a great way to get blood flowing to the hands and forearms before you start gripping heavy. You’ll have warm-ups with myself, Ida Mathilde and Nikolaj Dam in the 8-week Get A Grip Program.

• Hand Care: If you’re tearing up your hands with calluses, you need to take better care of your skin. Keep your calluses filed down to avoid tears, and moisturize your hands regularly. A lot of athletes underestimate the importance of hand care, but a small tear can knock you out of training for days, if not weeks. Trust me, you don’t want that.

Signs to Look Out For

It’s easy to get carried away with training, especially when you’re seeing progress. But your body often gives you warning signs when something isn’t right. Here’s what to keep an eye on:

• Persistent Soreness: Soreness is normal after a tough workout, but if it persists for more than a few days, especially in your tendons, that’s a sign you’re overdoing it. Back off your training and focus on recovery.

• Swelling or Tenderness: This can be a sign of tendonitis or a muscle strain. If you feel pain or tenderness in your wrists, elbows, or forearms, give your body time to heal. Don’t try to “push through” pain, as it could lead to long-term injury.

• Loss of Grip Strength: If you notice your grip is weaker than usual during training, it might be a sign your muscles are fatigued or that something isn’t right. This is often the first sign of overuse injuries, and it’s best to listen to your body before things get worse.

What to Do If You’re Already Injured

If you’ve already sustained an injury, don’t worry – you can still come back stronger. A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine shows that structured rehabilitation programs can help athletes recover from upper-body tendon injuries (Malliaras et al., 2013). The key is taking time to rest, following a proper rehab plan, and gradually getting back into training. This is SO MUCH easier said than done, but be patient Padawan, you’ll get there.

This is exactly why The Get A Grip Program includes an injury prevention workout. We want you to stay injury-free and strong, and that’s the secret sauce in the program – keeping you in the game all year long without overloading you early on.

Tennis and Golfer’s Elbow: The Most Common Injuries in Grip Training

When we talk about grip-intensive activities like OCR, pull-ups, and hanging obstacles, two injuries tend to come up the most: Tennis Elbow and Golfer’s Elbow. These overuse injuries are common in sports that require repetitive forearm and grip work. Let’s break down what they are, how they happen, and—most importantly—how to prevent them.

What is Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)?

Tennis Elbow occurs when the tendons on the outside of the elbow become inflamed due to repetitive strain. It’s called “tennis elbow” because it’s common in racket sports, but it can affect anyone who uses their grip and forearms frequently. OCR athletes and climbers are particularly vulnerable.

Anatomically, the extensor muscles in the forearm become overworked, which leads to micro-tears in the tendon that connects the forearm muscles to the lateral epicondyle (the bony bump on the outer side of your elbow). This results in pain, weakness, and sometimes even swelling.

What is Golfer’s Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis)?

On the flip side, Golfer’s Elbow affects the tendons on the inside of the elbow. While it’s more common in sports like golf, it’s also caused by repetitive grip activities, much like tennis elbow. The main difference is that Golfer’s Elbow impacts the flexor muscles of the forearm, which are responsible for gripping and pulling.

In this case, the tendon that connects the flexor muscles to the medial epicondyle (the bony bump on the inside of your elbow) becomes strained, causing pain, tenderness, and reduced grip strength. Sound familiar to OCR athletes? You bet.

How Do These Injuries Happen?

Both Tennis and Golfer’s Elbow happen due to repetitive strain on the tendons and muscles in the forearm. When you constantly grip, pull, or lift without allowing proper recovery, these tendons get overworked and inflamed. For OCR athletes, the constant hanging, pulling on obstacles, and grip-intensive movements are perfect breeding grounds for these types of injuries.

Preventing Tennis and Golfer’s Elbow

Prevention is the key to avoiding these injuries and staying in the game. Here are a few strategies to keep in mind:

• Strengthen Forearm Muscles: A strong forearm helps distribute the load more evenly across your muscles and tendons. Simple exercises like wrist curls (both flexion and extension) or reverse curls can help build strength in these areas. Incorporating these into your regular training routine can prevent overuse injuries.

• Increase Grip Endurance Gradually: As discussed in Blog 3, training your grip endurance is vital. By gradually building up your forearm’s capacity for sustained work, you can reduce the strain on tendons.

• Use Proper Technique: Always ensure you’re using proper technique when gripping and pulling during your workouts. Avoid “death gripping” everything—use only the grip strength needed for the task at hand. This reduces unnecessary strain.

• Rest and Recovery: One of the most overlooked aspects of injury prevention is recovery. Make sure you’re giving your forearm muscles and tendons time to recover between training sessions. In The Get A Grip Program, we’ve included rest days and recovery workouts to prevent overuse

How Long Do These Injuries Take to Heal?

If you do end up with Tennis Elbow or Golfer’s Elbow, don’t panic. Most cases can be treated with rest, rehabilitation exercises, and patience. Here’s a rough timeline for recovery:

• Mild Cases: With proper rest and rehab, you could see improvement in 2-6 weeks.
• Moderate Cases: For more serious inflammation or micro-tears, recovery could take 6-12 weeks.
• Severe Cases: In some cases, more aggressive treatments (like physical therapy or even surgery) may be necessary, leading to a recovery time of 3-6 months.

It’s essential to take these injuries seriously and avoid pushing through the pain, as this could lead to long-term damage.

Wrapping It Up

That wraps up our 5-part blog series! If you haven’t caught up on the previous posts, make sure to check them out:

1. Blog 1: Why Grip Strength Matters in OCR (and Everyday Life)
2. Blog 2: Hand Grip Strength
3. Blog 3: Grip Endurance Training
4. Blog 4: Transitioning Into OCR from Other Sports

Remember, smart training isn’t just about pushing hard – it’s about knowing when to rest, recover, and prevent injuries before they happen. If you’re looking for more than a grip training program, check out our 8-week OCR Program via the button below.

Stay strong and get a grip,
Leon