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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/climb-crimp

Which climbing grip do doctors link to most finger pulley injuries?

The crimp grip, fingers bent sharply on a small edge.

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  1. Open hand grip
  2. Pinch grip
  3. Crimp grip ✔

Why: Medical studies on NIH's PubMed say the crimp grip is the mechanism behind finger pulley injuries. It puts big forces on the pulleys. Finger pain that lasts means see a doctor.

Huh, didn't know that: In a crimp, the middle finger joint bends sharply while the fingertip joint bends back.

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Why did the crimp get a bank account? To save its edges.
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References

Answer: Crimp grip. Medical studies on NIH's PubMed say the crimp grip is the mechanism behind finger pulley injuries. It puts big forces on the pulleys. Finger pain that lasts means see a doctor.

  1. PubMed: Finger Flexor Pulley Injuries in Rock Climbers pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33966972
    The "crimp grip" used in rock climbing is the mechanism for these injuries.
    Checked 2026-10-12.
  2. PMC: Gender Differences in the Morphology of the Finger Flexor Pulley System pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12138156
    grip position in which the proximal interphalangeal joint is flexed and the distal interphalangeal joint is hyperextended
    Checked 2026-10-12.

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