Functional and Performance Determinants in Climbers: Examining the Role of Mobility, Stability, and Fatigue Across Proficiency Levels

NCT ID: NCT06830655

Last Updated: 2025-03-11

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 60 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-02-20
• Study Completion Date: 2028-02-29

Brief Summary

The primary objective is to understand how motor skills and fatigue affect climbing performance in indoor and outdoor climbers, also comparing elite and amateur climbers.

Aims:

• Assess differences in selected joint range of motion, isometric strength, and dynamic stability between elite and intermediate climbers.
• Evaluate the impact of the fatigue protocol on functional performance and cognitive outcomes across climbers of varying skill levels (intermediate vs. advanced).
• Examine the impact of general joint hypermobility, as indicated by Beighton Scores, on functional climbing performance.
• Association between cognitive factors (e.g., attention, memory) and motor skills.

Research questions:

• Do elite climbers have better joint mobility and balance than amateur climbers?
• How does fatigue affect performance and reaction time and cognitive function?
• Does having flexible joints (joint hypermobility) make climbers better athletes
• What are the performance differences between indoor and outdoor climbers?

This study will help identify key skills and physical traits that improve climbing performance. It will also explore how fatigue and flexibility impact safety and performance in different climbing environments.

Detailed Description

Detailed Description

This study investigates the functional and performance determinants in indoor and outdoor climbers, focusing on mobility, stability, fatigue, and skill level. The protocol will compare elite and intermediate climbers through various physical and cognitive assessments conducted before and after a climbing-specific fatigue protocol. The goal is to identify key biomechanical, physiological, and cognitive factors that influence climbing performance and fatigue resistance in both climbing environments.

Conditions

Fatigue; Joint Hypermobility Syndrome; Climbing Injuries; Cognitive Fatigue

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NON_RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: DIAGNOSTIC
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Professional Climbers

Pre- and post-intervention assessment of the fatigue protocol.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Fatigue Protocol

Intervention Type: OTHER

After the warm-up, each participant will be assigned the easiest route of their skill level on the "Kilter Board" with a 15-degree wall incline. Participants will start the route from the initial holds and finish it with the need to touch the top hold with both hands. They will be instructed to climb as quickly and smoothly as possible. After reaching the last hold, they will descend along the same route to the initial holds without touching the ground. The procedure will be repeated until the participant reports fatigue that prevents further climbing. Any stoppage by the participant during the protocol will not be allowed to last longer than 5 seconds, will be recorded, and categorized as either isometric contraction or rest time, depending on the nature of the stoppage, which will be established during records analyzing.

Amateur Climbers

Pre- and post-intervention assessment of the fatigue protocol.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Fatigue Protocol

Intervention Type: OTHER

After the warm-up, each participant will be assigned the easiest route of their skill level on the "Kilter Board" with a 15-degree wall incline. Participants will start the route from the initial holds and finish it with the need to touch the top hold with both hands. They will be instructed to climb as quickly and smoothly as possible. After reaching the last hold, they will descend along the same route to the initial holds without touching the ground. The procedure will be repeated until the participant reports fatigue that prevents further climbing. Any stoppage by the participant during the protocol will not be allowed to last longer than 5 seconds, will be recorded, and categorized as either isometric contraction or rest time, depending on the nature of the stoppage, which will be established during records analyzing.

Indoor Climbers

Pre- and post-intervention assessment of the fatigue protocol.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Fatigue Protocol

Intervention Type: OTHER

After the warm-up, each participant will be assigned the easiest route of their skill level on the "Kilter Board" with a 15-degree wall incline. Participants will start the route from the initial holds and finish it with the need to touch the top hold with both hands. They will be instructed to climb as quickly and smoothly as possible. After reaching the last hold, they will descend along the same route to the initial holds without touching the ground. The procedure will be repeated until the participant reports fatigue that prevents further climbing. Any stoppage by the participant during the protocol will not be allowed to last longer than 5 seconds, will be recorded, and categorized as either isometric contraction or rest time, depending on the nature of the stoppage, which will be established during records analyzing.

Outdoor Climbers

Pre- and post-intervention assessment of the fatigue protocol.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Fatigue Protocol

Intervention Type: OTHER

After the warm-up, each participant will be assigned the easiest route of their skill level on the "Kilter Board" with a 15-degree wall incline. Participants will start the route from the initial holds and finish it with the need to touch the top hold with both hands. They will be instructed to climb as quickly and smoothly as possible. After reaching the last hold, they will descend along the same route to the initial holds without touching the ground. The procedure will be repeated until the participant reports fatigue that prevents further climbing. Any stoppage by the participant during the protocol will not be allowed to last longer than 5 seconds, will be recorded, and categorized as either isometric contraction or rest time, depending on the nature of the stoppage, which will be established during records analyzing.

Interventions

Fatigue Protocol

After the warm-up, each participant will be assigned the easiest route of their skill level on the "Kilter Board" with a 15-degree wall incline. Participants will start the route from the initial holds and finish it with the need to touch the top hold with both hands. They will be instructed to climb as quickly and smoothly as possible. After reaching the last hold, they will descend along the same route to the initial holds without touching the ground. The procedure will be repeated until the participant reports fatigue that prevents further climbing. Any stoppage by the participant during the protocol will not be allowed to last longer than 5 seconds, will be recorded, and categorized as either isometric contraction or rest time, depending on the nature of the stoppage, which will be established during records analyzing.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• primary sport discipline - climbing (bouldering/lead rock or other)
• Healthy (without injury, pain, or symptoms) at the time of the study
• Participation in climbing training (minimum 3 months)

Exclusion Criteria

• pain or other symptoms related during study
• rheumatological disease
• neurological disease or balance disorders
• orthopaedic disease
• genetic disease
• cardiovascular system disease
• surgeries of upper and lower limb in the last year
• surgeries of spine in the last year
• a primary sport other than climbing.
• taking medications that may affect balance.
• use of orthopedic supplies during the study

• Minimum Eligible Age: 15 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 45 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Medical University of Gdansk

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Bartosz Wilczyński

Scientists, PhD

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Bartosz Wilczyński, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Medical University of Gdansk

Mateusz Nowosad

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Medical University of Gdansk

Locations

Department of Immunobiology and Environment Microbiology, Medical University of Gdańsk

Gdansk, Gdańsk, Poland

Department of Immunobiology and Environment Microbiology, Medical University of Gdańsk

Gdansk, , Poland

Countries

Poland

Other Identifiers

NKB/530/2024

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id