CLIMBING REHAB &
PERFORMANCE
with DR. LILY SWANN at THE CLIMB CLINIC
Whether you're a gym climber working through a nagging finger tweak, a Front Range trad or sport climber coming back from surgery, or a competitive climber trying to break through a performance plateau, our approach meets you where you are. You don't need a referral to get started — Colorado is a direct-access state, and we work with climbers of every level, from first-timers to Boulder's competitive team athletes.
Where do I start?
The Climbing Performance Snapshot is a comprehensive 15-point assessment of your climbing-specific mobility, stability, and movement control. You’ll gain valuable insight into your body’s unique needs and identify opportunities to move more efficiently and confidently on the wall. Your $25 payment can be applied toward a personalized Initial Evaluation with Dr. Lily Swann, a climbing clinician whose clinical expertise and climbing-focused approach will translate your results into actionable strategies for your rehabilitation, training, and performance goals.
Common Climbing Injuries We Treat
Climbing places unique demands on the body that most physical therapists never train for. At The Climb Clinic, our climbing-specific physical therapy is built around the movement patterns, grip positions, and load demands unique to the sport. We regularly work with climbers dealing with:
Finger and pulley injuries — Pulley sprains and tears, trigger finger, and flexor tendon irritation
Shoulder injuries — labral tears, rotator cuff strain, and shoulder impingement common in overhead and crimping-heavy movement
Elbow pain — climber's elbow (medial epicondylitis) and lateral epicondylitis from repetitive gripping
Finger and hand overuse — chronic tendinopathy from high training volume
Return-to-climbing after surgery — post-op rehab designed to get you back on the wall safely, not just "cleared"
Our Climbing-Specific Approach
Unlike a general orthopedic clinic, we assess and treat you on the wall — not just on a treatment table. Using our TB2 and Kilterboard system boards, we evaluate your grip strength, movement efficiency, and technique under real climbing load. This lets us catch compensation patterns and movement inefficiencies that a standard exam would miss, and build a rehab and training plan that translates directly to performance on rock or plastic.
Every plan blends:
Hands-on rehab — manual therapy, dry needling, and targeted mobility work
Sport-specific strength training — finger, shoulder, and core strength built for climbing demands
On-the-wall movement coaching — technique and load assessment using board training
Objective testing — finger strength assessment and ultrasound imaging to track real progress, not guesswork
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Recovery timelines vary significantly depending on the injury (a Grade I pulley strain heals much faster than a full pulley rupture), but most climbers can expect anywhere from a few weeks to a few months of structured rehab. We'll give you a specific, individualized timeline after your evaluation.
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Not necessarily. Our goal is to get you climbing in some capacity by modifying grip types, volume, or wall angle rather than full rest, unless the injury specifically requires it.
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Absolutely not! Climbing is for everyone, and we're so excited you're here. Whether you're top-roping for the first time or just started bouldering with friends, our approach is built around your goals and not a certain grade or experience level. A lot of the climbers we see are new to the sport and just want to move well and avoid injury as they get into it.
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Most PTs aren't climbers and haven't trained the finger, shoulder, and grip-specific demands the sport creates. Our team climbs, understands grip types (crimp, sloper, pinch, etc.), wall angles, and training culture, and we assess you on our system boards, not just on a treatment table. That means your plan actually reflects how you move and load your body on the wall.
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Yes — we regularly work with climbers from across the Front Range, including Denver, Louisville, and Lafayette, in addition to our Golden and Boulder locations.