Introduction
Therapeutic climbing (TC) includes bouldering - climbing on an artificial climbing wall at jumping height - as well as rope climbing in a therapeutic setting (Liu et al., 2022).
TC is a widely used form of therapy in rehabilitation that has positive effects on mental, social and physical health (Gassner et al., 2023). In recent years, an increasing body of evidence for TC has emerged for people with neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease (Langer et al., 2021; Schiffler et al., 2024; Steimer & Weissert, 2017).
Only little evidence exists for TC in people surviving a stroke.
The aim of this project is to expand the current body of knowledge on therapeutic climbing in neurorehabilitation, with a particular focus on identifying factors that are unique to stroke.
Methods
The project is structured in two phases.
For phase 1, a systematic review of the literature is conducted in order to address the following research question:
What is the effectiveness of therapeutic climbing in stroke survivors and what are determinants of its implementation in in- and outpatient rehabilitation? This systematic review is conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guideline for Systematic Reviews (Page et al., 2021)
Phase 2 of the study will consist of a qualitative study to capture the perspectives and attitudes of stroke survivors and TC experts towards TC through semi-structured interviews and focus groups.
Expected results
TC shows promising results in stroke rehabilitation. Barriers and facilitators specific to stroke survivors were identified and must be properly addressed in TC for this target group. Educating healthcare professionals is key to providing effective TC and meaningful support to stroke survivors, which enables them to engage in this physical activity in the long term.
Significance
Tailored to their needs, TC can serve as a meaningful intervention for stroke survivors by addressing and challenging them physically, cognitively and mentally. As a motivating sport, it has the potential to encourage long-term participation in physical activity and serve as a secondary prevention strategy for stroke recurrence.
References
Gassner, L., Dabnichki, P., Langer, A., Pokan, R., Zach, H., Ludwig, M., & Santer, A. (2023). The therapeutic effects of climbing: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Pm r, 15(9), 1194-1209. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmrj.12891
Langer, A., Hasenauer, S., Flotz, A., Gassner, L., Pokan, R., Dabnichki, P., Wizany, L., Gruber, J., Roth, D., Zimmel, S., Treven, M., Schmoeger, M., Willinger, U., Maetzler, W., &
Zach, H. (2021). A randomised controlled trial on effectiveness and feasibility of sport climbing in Parkinson's disease. NPJ Parkinsons Dis, 7(1), 49. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41531-021-00193-8
Liu, S., Gong, X., Li, H., & Li, Y. (2022). The Origin, Application and Mechanism of Therapeutic Climbing: A Narrative Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 19(15). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159696
Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S. E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J. M., Hróbjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E. W., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S., . . . Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ, 372, n71. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71
Schiffler, T., Reiter, E., Kapan, A., Kranz, G., Kotzian, S. T., & Haider, S. (2024). Perceptions of Therapeutic Climbing for Patients with Multiple Sclerosis in Neurorehabilitation: A Qualitative Study. Healthcare (Basel), 12(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12060674
Steimer, J., & Weissert, R. (2017). Effects of Sport Climbing on Multiple Sclerosis. Front Physiol, 8, 1021. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2017.01021