Journal CME, September 2023: The therapeutic effects of climbing: A systematic review and meta-analysis-The therapeutic effects of climbing: A systematic reviewand meta-analysis

The therapeutic effects of climbing: A systematic reviewand meta-analysis

Pdf Summary

This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the therapeutic effects of climbing (TC), including sport climbing and bouldering, on physical, mental, and social health. The study aimed to fill the gap left by traditional exercise regimes that might not fully address these wellness dimensions.<br /><br />The literature search initially identified 112 publications, of which 22 full-text articles were deemed relevant. Eventually, 18 trials involving 568 patients were included. The review found that TC positively influences physical health such as fitness, motor control, movement velocity, dexterity, and strength, particularly noting statistically significant improvements. However, mental and social dimensions showed non-significant improvements, although tendencies favoring the climbing group were observed. For the physical health dimension, the meta-analysis revealed a statistically significant standardized mean difference favoring the climbing group with low data heterogeneity (I2 = 3%), indicating the results' reliability. For mental and social health, the meta-analyses did not show statistically significant improvements, with high (I2 = 75%) and moderate (I2 = 45%) heterogeneity respectively, suggesting variability in results.<br /><br />The evidence largely supported TC as a safe intervention, with few reported adverse events (minor injuries like sprains and blisters), and it demonstrated effectiveness across various conditions including neurological, orthopedic, psychiatric, and pediatric disorders.<br /><br />The methodological quality varied, with many studies showing unclear or high risk of bias. Consequently, while the results are promising, the authors recommend further high-quality research to solidify TC's efficacy and safety, particularly under rigorous long-term studies and methodological designs. <br /><br />In conclusion, TC appears to be a beneficial and safe physical activity that potentially enhances physical, mental, and social well-being across diverse patient groups, serving as a viable supplementary non-pharmaceutical therapy. However, future studies with robust designs are necessary to confirm these effects and address the present methodological gaps.

Keywords

therapeutic climbing

sport climbing

bouldering

physical health

mental health

social health

meta-analysis

systematic review

fitness

methodological quality