Foot injuries in sport climbers: footwear and other associated factors

Introduction: Foot injuries are frequent among climbers. This may be due to several factors, such as the use of climbing shoes. Objectives: To perform a descriptive analysis of foot injuries in sport climbers and to examine their possible relationship with various factors, including the use of climbing shoes. Methods: 26 climbers participated in the study. General characteristics, foot pain during climbing, observed podiatric conditions and the reductions in the size (cm) of climbing shoes compared to daily footwear were noted. Results: All climbers presented foot injuries and most had foot pain. In addition, hallux valgus, grazes, and hyperkeratosis were related to the small size of climbing shoes. Conclusions: Foot disorders and foot pain are very frequent in sport climbing. Furthermore, along with other associated factors, the size of the reduction of climbing shoes increases the probability of developing various podiatric conditions.