Injuries and Medical Advice

I climb and am dealing with osteopenia and/or osteoporosis resulting from medication I'm taking for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Prednisone, among other drugs). My doctor recommended weight-bearing exercise. Does rock climbing or bouldering fill the bill?

I have been climbing for 18 years and suffer from different injuries that come and go every year. I am not sure if I need to start doing some cross training (I usually hurt myself when I try) or change my diet, etc.

I have a SLAP lesion [a cartilage tear on the rim of the shoulder socket] having injured my shoulder seven months ago. My D.O. gave me a cortisone shot yesterday and I actually feel worse.

I had a proximal bicep tear reattachment surgery. However, after two months the tendon tore loose from the insertion point. I can have another surgery or I can just live with it.

I'm 34 and have three herniated discs in my back (prior to starting climbing, nine months ago). I have degenerative disc disease, a narrow spinal column and no promise that surgery will help.

I was pulling on a big sloper with my feet way under me when I felt a crunch and heard a pop in my middle finger between my knuckle in my hand and the first joint in my finger. It immediately hurt (but not a ton) and later there was swelling. I took ibuprofen and iced it.

What's up with those rock climbers who look honed as hell, but the minute they step off the rock, they turn into the Hunchback of Notre Dame?

Today when bouldering, I went up for a two-finger crimp with the middle and ring finger of my left hand. I'm pretty sure I heard the tiniest pop, then my ring finger went out and I felt pain in very specific spots.

Some of the possible side effects of Antibiotics are tendonitis and tendon rupture, with some cases occurring months after treatment. Strenuous physical activity is a risk factor. How great is the risk? Should I delay my return to climbing or start off slowly?

I have numbness and pins-and-needles in my left forearm. The first time it happened was last March while climbing in the Red, and it happened again this past June at Smith Rock. Both times I didn't notice anything until I was finished with the route.

I'm 26 and for the past two years I have been unable to bend my fingers into a complete fist. I've started doing the finger stretches that you suggested [No. 173 or drjulian-saunders.com] as well as ice baths, but nothing seems to improve the range of motion.