Clinical Management of the Rock Climbing Athlete: Finger Injuries

Online Continued Education for the Healthcare Provider

Launching May 1st

Course Description

This online, self-paced continuing education course is designed to provide licensed rehabilitation professionals with a comprehensive, evidence-informed approach to the evaluation and management of finger injuries in rock climbers.

The course emphasizes the unique biomechanical demands of climbing and their relationship to common injury patterns. Participants will learn to systematically assess climbing-related finger injuries using a structured clinical framework, including subjective examination, objective testing, clinical assessment, and treatment planning.

Content includes common and clinically relevant pathologies such as flexor pulley injuries, flexor tendon injuries, tenosynovitis, capsulitis/synovitis, collateral ligament injuries, lumbrical strains, and growth plate injuries, as well as less common conditions encountered in climbing populations.

  • Course Format / Delivery Method

    Online, self-paced (asynchronous)

    Instructional Methods:

    • Pre-recorded video lectures

    • Case-based instructional modules

    • Structured clinical framework application

    • Module-based quizzes (5 questions each)

    • Comprehensive final examination

    Course Date and Location

    Start Date: May 1, 2026
    Location: Online (Teachable platform)
    Format: Self-paced; participants may complete the course at their own pace

    Course concludes with a comprehensive final examination.

    Learning Objectives

    Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

    1. Identify and differentiate common finger injuries in rock climbers based on anatomy, mechanism, and clinical presentation.

    2. Analyze climbing-specific load demands and grip positions to determine injury mechanisms and tissue-specific loading patterns.

    3. Perform a structured, climbing-specific subjective examination.

    4. Conduct a comprehensive objective examination of the hand and fingers.

    5. Integrate findings to formulate accurate clinical assessments and differential diagnoses.

    6. Develop and implement evidence-informed treatment plans.

    7. Design safe, progressive return-to-climbing programs.

    8. Apply a standardized clinical framework across a range of climbing-related finger injuries.

    9. Demonstrate clinical decision-making through case-based scenarios and course assessments.

  • Kevin Cowell, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS, FAAOMPT

    Kevin Cowell is a physical therapist specializing in the evaluation, treatment, and performance optimization of climbing athletes. He is the founder of The Climb Clinic, a specialty physical therapy practice with locations in Boulder and Golden, Colorado, dedicated to serving climbers and mountain athletes.

    Kevin works with climbers across the full spectrum of ability—from beginners to elite and Olympic-level competitors—and serves as one of the Team Physical Therapists for USA Para Climbing and the Arc’teryx Climbing Team. 

    He holds a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), is a Board-Certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist (OCS), Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), and a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists (FAAOMPT).

  • Target Audience

    This course is primarily intended for licensed rehabilitation professionals, including physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, occupational therapists, and other clinicians involved in the evaluation and treatment of musculoskeletal conditions.

    It is also appropriate for strength and conditioning coaches and other professionals working with rock climbers who have a foundational understanding of human anatomy, biomechanics, and injury management.

    Level of Instruction

    Beginner to Advanced

    Prerequisites

    Participants should have foundational knowledge of musculoskeletal anatomy, evaluation, and rehabilitation.

  • Course Schedule / Time Allocation

    Total Course Time: 12.0 Hours (720 minutes)

    Module Structure (Modules 2–12)

    • Injury Overview

    • Subjective Examination

    • Objective Examination

    • Assessment

    • Plan (Rehabilitation and Return to Climbing)

    • Quiz (5 questions)

    Module Breakdown

    • Module 1: Introduction to Rock Climbing Injuries – 35 minutes

    • Module 2: Pulley Injuries (A2/A4) – 50 minutes

    • Module 3: Flexor Tendon Injuries (FDP/FDS) – 50 minutes

    • Module 4: Tenosynovitis – 50 minutes

    • Module 5: Capsulitis / Synovitis – 50 minutes

    • Module 6: Collateral Ligament Injuries – 50 minutes

    • Module 7: Lumbrical Strains – 50 minutes

    • Module 8: Joint Capsule Injuries – 50 minutes

    • Module 9: Cartilage Compression Injuries – 50 minutes

    • Module 10: Ganglion Cysts – 50 minutes

    • Module 11: Dupuytren’s Contracture – 50 minutes

    • Module 12: Growth Plate Injuries – 50 minutes

    • Module 13: Other Finger Injuries – 35 minutes

    Assessment Methods

    • 13 module-based quizzes (5 questions each)

    • Case-based clinical reasoning questions

    • 30-question comprehensive final examination

    Participants must successfully complete all quizzes and the final examination to receive course credit.

    Additional Learning Activities

    Case-based reflection and clinical integration: 70 minutes

    Total Time Summary

    • Modules: 620 minutes

    • Final Exam: 30 minutes

    • Additional Learning: 70 minutes

    Total: 720 minutes (12.0 hours)