Exploring the Benefits of Rock Climbing at Craig

In the fall of 2018, Mike Neu and his family traveled to Moab, Utah, for vacation. It was here that Mike was mountain biking when he crashed, flipping over his handlebars and breaking his neck.

Airlifted to a hospital in Grand Junction, Colorado, Mike underwent a spinal fusion of his C6 and C7 vertebrae. After recovering from surgery, Mike was desperate to return home to Milwaukee. “I kept being told that I needed to rehab at Craig before heading back home, so I finally listened and transferred to Craig, where I stayed for the next four-and-a-half months. It was the best decision I ever made.”

Determined to Recover

A competitive athlete, Mike was motivated to regain movement and return to the activities he loved. While at Craig, he worked tirelessly in physical and occupational therapy. He also took advantage of Craig’s therapeutic recreation program, participating in adaptive biking, cross country skiing and scuba diving.

Thinking back on his time in Colorado, Mike says Craig saved his life. “I remember wondering if I’d ever be able to return to my life as a global traveler—and then I met Erik Hjeltnes in Craig’s Peer Mentor Program. He introduced me to other Craig grads who were thriving. Meeting them and hearing their stories convinced me that I, too, could get my life back. I realized that my old life might not look exactly the same, but I had so much to be thankful for.”

He adds, “And it was this gratitude for everything Craig gave me—as well as my love of sports—that inspired me to participate in the hospital’s rock climbing research study last summer.”

Climb On: Rock Climbing for Rehab

The physical, social and mental benefits of rock climbing are well known.

Not only does climbing improve strength, dexterity, coordination, balance, flexibility and cardiorespiratory fitness, but it also enhances self-confidence and problem solving. In addition, climbing builds community and trust in others, improves mindfulness, reduces stress, and helps individuals overcome fear.

“We know from the patients who attend our programs that climbing has therapeutic potential to improve outcomes after a spinal cord injury (SCI) or acquired brain injury (ABI),” explains Kelsey Smith, a recreational therapist at Craig. “But there is little research on adaptive climbing as a recreational therapy or the benefits it can have after an injury.

So she, alongside members of the Research Department at Craig, set out to identify the benefits from a single adaptive climbing session.

“We developed a pilot study titled, Is Rock Climbing a Useful Recreational Therapy for Individuals with SCI and ABI?” she says. “We wanted to understand the impact of rock climbing on a person’s well-being and their satisfaction with climbing as a recreational therapy activity post-injury. We were able to use this study to collaborate with a community organization, Adaptive Adventures, as well as a local rock climbing gym.”

The donor-supported study involved 31 Craig patients and grads over the course of one year. Of the 31 patients, 17 individuals had a spinal cord injury and 14 had a brain injury.

After participants consented to the study, they completed questionnaires given both pre- and post- climb. The surveys measured mood, self-esteem, self-reported fitness, and program satisfaction. Additionally, participants were asked about the physical, mental and social impacts of their climbing experience.

“Study results showed that participants felt stronger and had more confidence in their abilities, as well as increased mental clarity and self-esteem after a single rock-climbing session,” Kelsey says. “And these results may lead to improved social, emotional, cognitive and functional outcomes.”

She adds, “The overwhelming reports of social benefits indicate the importance of hosting adaptive community events for individuals with SCI and ABI. Rehabilitation programs could consider implementing adaptive climbing into their inpatient and outpatient programs to increase socialization and feelings of self-efficacy, support and connectedness.”

According to one study participant, “Connecting with other wheelchair users who inherently understand the struggles of this level of disability—while trying something new, actually getting to the top of the wall, and seeing others do the same—really inspired me and reminded me that we can do anything.”

For Mike, who mainly uses hand crutches to walk, the experience was extremely inspiring.

“My disability allows me to push up, so I could actually climb on my own. While it was challenging and I was slow, I was able to do it! The experience gave me the confidence to try it again with my son, who is a rock climber. This provides me with another athletic activity I can participate in with my family. And it’s just one more thing that Craig has given me.”

Please visit the Craig Foundation to learn more about donating to Craig’s numerous programs.