I have multiple chronic illnesses, probably as a result of a genetic condition called Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which I was only diagnosed with at 22. I climbed before my diagnosis but took a multi-year break when my health declined, thinking climbing wasn’t possible, safe, or sensible anymore. And with a hectic university schedule, I simply didn’t have the energy capacity to factor climbing in.
But since graduating 5 years ago, I have been able to climb again, albeit inconsistently, and decided to switch from being a rope climber to a boulderer.
Whilst yes, a top rope is safer for my injury-prone body, I find bouldering a better solution for my fatigue. I can try hard whilst on the wall for a short period of time and then rest before going again. It reduces the need for muscle endurance, which due to my fatigue my body really struggles with. And it’s something that’s also incredibly hard to improve, especially with my current levels of energy. I also find I enjoy the mental problem-solving element of bouldering more satisfying than climbing a long route and I love the social element of it!
When my neck problems got worse and I realised I probably had a spinal CSF leak, I wondered if I should continue climbing. Climbing 2-3 times a week no longer felt good. In fact it felt like I was constantly coming down with the flu, dragging my body up a wall it didn’t want to get up. I also was told not to take falls for a while, as I was likely repeatedly whiplashing myself and later, was diagnosed with craniocervical and antaloaxial instability. As a girl who is a self-confessed bad downclimber this was hard!
Should I not climb at all? Or just climb less. After not climbing at all for a few months, I realised I felt empty without climbing in my life. I felt lost. Due to said CSF leak and neck issues, I am currently unable to work and whilst not climbing meant I didn’t have to deal with the payback in the days after, meaning I felt physically a little better, I missed it a lot.
So I decided to climb when I could. When I had the time available to recover. When I was feeling able to. I do a lot less volume in a session now and very much climb like a beginner but it makes me feel alive. It allows me to move my body in a way I enjoy and feel free from the constraints of my disabilities.
Climbing also has therapeutic benefits, in improving my strength, proprioception, balance, and coordination. This can all help day to day in making my daily activities a little easier. It’s taken a long time for me to find the balance between climbing but not so hard that I injure my body further. To climb in a way that serves my body. And yes that means climbing less hard and maybe taking fewer risks, as well as making full use of splints and tape when needed to help protect joints, but it is worth it to me because without climbing I feel lost.
It can definitely be difficult sometimes, especially dealing with society and the confusion as to why I can climb sometimes but I can’t work. And that really boils down to the fact that I climb during good hours and take lots of breaks between climbs. I then plan atleast 2 days to be able to rest following before my body gets back to it’s baseline level of energy. I can fit climbing around my body but finding a job that fits around my body and sheer number of medical appointments can feel impossible at times! Although I do keep looking.
We often don’t see representation of people with chronic illness or disabilities in your average climbing gym. Part of this is because a lot of disabilities are invisible and you probably won’t divulge your entire medical history to an acquaintance on the mats. This is the case for me. If I’m bouldering and need mobility aids to get to the wall that day, my wheelchair or crutches is likely out of the way somewhere. You wouldn’t necessarily link me to my wheelchair without seeing me in it because on the wall my disabilities are invisible.
And yes, this fact does sometimes have me feeling anxious about using mobility aids to get to a wall but at the end of the day climbing makes me feel free and I am going to keep doing it.
Spoonielivingfree 