Anterior cruciate ligament rehabilitation and return to sport in rock climbing athletes: a practical concept paper

Background Acute ACL tears are becoming increasingly common among rock climbing athletes, particularly those who engage in bouldering. Hypothesis/purpose The purpose of the paper was to develop a rehabilitation and return to sport protocol for rock climbing athletes after an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Study design The protocol is designed in 6 phases and emphasizes the importance of sport-specific postoperative rehabilitation protocols that address the unique needs of rock climbing athletes and stresses the need for sport-specific training prior to returning to full activity. Methods The proposed rehabilitation protocol follows the stages of typical postoperative ACL protocols but with an emphasis on climbing-specific demands, such as eccentric landing mechanics and penduluming into a wall during lead climbing. Results Climbers will be able to utilize the protocol to return to rock climbing. Conclusion This paper highlights the need for further research on the topic and provides a foundation for future studies examining ACL tears in climbing athletes.