Manuscript Clarification

Abstract

RE: Green, JG and Stannard SR. Active recovery strategies and handgrip performance in trained vs. untrained climbers. J Strength Cond Res 24(2):494-501, 2010 Dear Editor: Sport rock climbing has experienced growth as a competitive and recreational activity (1,2) and increased interest in regards to specific research (1-6) since the early work of Watts et al. in 1993. The recent paper of Green and Stannard (J Strength Cond Res 24(2): 494-501, 2010) contributes to the research base for rock climbing. The authors “aimed to test the hypothesis that intermittent isometric handgrip performance is improved by 2 common active recovery strategies, shaking out and low-frequency vibration, to increase muscle blood flow” after simulated rock climbing. Their simulated climbing consisted of controlled sets of handgrip contractions on a modified handgrip device to a set point of fatigue. The authors observed that the “active recovery strategies of shaking out and low-frequency vibration have little effect on intermittent isometric handgrip exercise performance.” The authors appear to discourage the common practice of “shaking out” employed by experienced climbers. Although interesting, we consider that the set of handgrip contraction exercises used in the study could not simulate a climbing route because sport climbing is an activity that requires the individual to transport the body mass vertically, with varying degrees of support, through a series of complex movements and body positions (8). We firmly think that handgrip dynamometry gives practical information about an individual's musculoskeletal fitness (9-12). However, assessment of a simulated rock climb route by handgrip dynamometry lacks specificity because of the fact that in most climbing hand positions, the thumb is not used in opposition to the fingers as with the traditional handgrip dynamometry position (1,3). In addition, no actual climbing studies to date have reported handgrip decreases close to the >30% MVC magnitude found by Green and Stannard in their simulated climbing task (5,13). We feel that the intermittent isometric handgrip exercise used by Green and Stannard does not produce the type of muscle fatigue that takes place in actual rock climbing. Finally, the article is methodologically correct for trained vs. untrained individuals. However, the active recovery strategy of shaking out is commonly used by rock climbers acutely after a difficult move or sustained grip during an ascent not primarily for postclimbing recovery. Whether shaking out has any effect on subsequent climbing performance in a real climbing situation remains unknown. Respectfully, Vanesa España-Romero Phillip B. Watts