Pulley injuries are the most common type of finger injuries among rock climbers. To minimize the impact of a pulley injury on your climbing goals, it is important to understand the anatomy of the pulley system, the mechanism of injury, and how to prevent and treat finger injuries.

Every climber understands that having strong shoulders is crucial. Many climbers focus on strengthening the larger, mobilizing muscles of the shoulder with exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups, and shoulder press; but neglect rotator cuff muscles that stabilize the joint.