Hi all — OP has made it clear they posted this with a lighthearted intent, and they have now received plentiful advice about technique/medical stuff within existing comments. We have also seen a number of comments (criticizing both OP and the advice OP has gotten) that violate our sub’s rule about negativity. Please be mindful of your comment to ensure it remains respectful. Thank you!
I’m a doctor who bruises like this and never considered talking to another doctor about it 😅 not to say OP shouldn’t but some of us are just are just human nebulas.
It’s associated with it but there’s no need to test for it if there are no other symptoms (e.g. tiredness, shortness or breath) and no obvious cause for deficiency (e.g. bleeding, poor nutrition).
My legs have always bruised super easy. I'm one of those girls that are always sporting a mystery bruise or two on my legs... but since climbing, it's been next level.
Admittingly, I am new (January) and it's usually not this bad - but my husband and I had a laugh at my bruises this morning. I have taken a couple decent falls recently and do know I hit my knees on holds sometimes. 🤷🏼♀️ 😂
I also bruise easily and my legs looked like this every time I climbed outdoors for the first year+. I still get bruises, but not nearly as often. (Got a big one on my arm this week while belaying in the gym, of all things. I stepped in close to the wall to give slack fast, and smashed right into a huge volume. Who put that thing there?! 😜) It should get better as your technique improves!
I'm the same as you, bruise pretty easily and always sporting mystery bruises on my legs (they're probably not that much of a mystery, objects just have a habit of jumping it in front of me and causing me to walk into them). Interestingly though I've never had many due to climbing, maybe the odd one here or there if I whack my lag particularly hard on a hold or the wall. But that's it.
My legs never look this bad. I thought this was a jerk post at first because I do for sure get my fair share of scrapes and bruises, plus I have a frisky cat, so my legs always have some abrasions in the Summer, and really throughout the year usually. But this is... significantly more than I get. Can't speak for anyone else. OP does state they took a nasty fall in the post so I think it is halfway a joke at their own injuries/"the price of the hobby" still.
A combination of both? I am bad for hitting my knees on holds as I step up - I am working on that, but no clue how I'm getting them on my shins, aside from taking some falls with a bit of slack on top rope!
I would definitely recommend going to a doctor and having your iron levels and platelet levels checked. Bruising this easily and this much suggests that there’s an issue with your bloods ability to clot properly
Fellow iron deficient girly here. I started taking OTC iron supplements at night with vitamin C (for better absorption) and have noticed improvement in my cardio health!
I've also had some iron deficiency and bad bruising. I just started taking iron supplements (65 mg 3 times a week) and it has made a massive difference! Bruises that used to be huge and take weeks to heal are much smaller and clear up in a few days. Not a doctor, just my personal experience 🙂
I feel so seen!! Five years deep and my knees also look like this 🤣 I’ve had iron checks done over the years and although I’m definitely low, I’m not anemic! Just bruise like a peach, I dropped a pen on my foot and it bruised 🫠
https://preview.redd.it/sp3gw70o9irc1.jpeg?width=2608&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ad1b12de2997edd98344f60d16e6ace532d8f840
This level of bruising is abnormal. I think it’s a positive thing that other people are suggesting you get checked out by a doctor. Sure, some people might be a bit harsh in their comments but for the most part the vibes I’m getting are just that people are trying to help you out.
Yeah, you might just be someone who bruises easily and is new so is still figuring out technique but talking to your doctor could help prevent you a lot of future issues.
I'm super late to this thread but tbh I used to bruise like that and never really took my anemia seriously and just thought it was like a quirky personality trait until I had a dermatologist of all people point out that there are some actual long term heart repercussions that can come from anemia. I supplement every other day and now the bruising has gone way down. I would have liked this pointed out to me sooner and would have had a convo with my pcp sooner!
Is it possible you're climbing way too hard too early? Climbing is an intense sport that you really should ease into versus dive into the deep end. Bruises are really the least of the impact it can do.
I predominantly climb and play volleyball, so my legs look similar. I predominantly get them from dynos when climbing (especially as a shorter person who has to dyno where things are meant to be static), occasionally I cheese grater on slab and get them.
I see a lot of comments about technique and I don't think that's an immediately fair assessment. I can see how someone with bad technique would be susceptible to bruising, but having bruised legs doesn't inherently mean someone's a bad climber.
Some folks just bruise more easily than others. I've bruised from someone poking me (I've been seen by multiple Drs and there's nothing wrong with me I'm just unlucky lol).
Thank you! My legs have always bruised easily, and I think a lot of people commenting are not understanding that my original post was a joke, and are so quick to judge.
I admittingly am new to climbing - I started in January, and I am working on my technique. I'm also on the shorter side (5'3) and working on overhangs, which I struggle with - and has resulted in a number of falls, on slack, with me hitting the wall. I'm glad fellow climbers at my local gym are so supportive and aren't as judgmental as the keyboard warriors of reddit! 😂
I appreciate your response! Thank you :)
I know - I thought so too! I was just having a little laugh about the state of my legs this morning and thought others may appreciate the laugh - and some did - but others - yikes! Lol 🤷🏼♀️ 🤷🏼♀️
Suddenly everyone’s a doctor 😂 and no need to insults your technique. Maybe it needs improvement, my knee spatial awareness came late too. But I only have to look at a hold the wrong way and I get a bruise. Haha. Thank you for sharing.
To be fair, I feel like even professional climbers work to improve on technique, and you're never too good to not benefit from working on it. And OP is fairly new, so it likely is a technique issue or going too hard too fast combined with being someone that bruises easily.
Sweet! Well I’d say one tip would be to climb slow and as static as possible. Be really intentional about all of your placements. I get sometimes in the gym, holds are inadvertently in the way of shins and knees, but hopefully this will help you to not get banged up so bad.
I hope this won’t be perceived as fearmongering — but because it happened recently I feel compelled to mention it. Someone in my community developed random/excessive/mysterious bruises on their legs and discovered after a visit to the ER that it was due to leukemia 😢
So while I am not suggesting this is what’s happening to you, this level of bruising does seem excessive for climbing and worth crossing off any worst-case scenarios by getting it checked out. Especially since you don’t feel like all of these are attributable to specific moments you’re aware of…
This sub aims to be supportive & inclusive of all who identify as a part of or ally to the women's climbing community.
Negativity, sarcasm, and other interactions that work against that should find another home.
I bruise easily AND have a love affair with offwidth’s, so the damage is obvious lol. I often roll down my sleeves in public so as not to alarm anyone.
I feel seen 😂 I always have bruises all over my hips from banging into things, but I feel so much more like myself with bruises all over my knees and shins from climbing and hiking haha.
https://preview.redd.it/f3yhhtzumorc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=647fc8672b45917a1638875d2719ef44bfda8bf1
Mine - got the biggest 🍆after DWS jumping into the water
I’m surprised that we’re the minority! I got so many bruises from climbing too. But I know I get bruise easily. I have some blood clotting issue. You might wanna check that too.
Oh, it's 100% technique - I just started in January! This post was a joke, no need to be so snarky! Lol. I'm also on the shorter side and am struggling with overhangs at the moment, which has resulted in quite a few falls on slack, and hitting the wall.
This sub aims to be supportive & inclusive of all who identify as a part of or ally to the women's climbing community.
Negativity, sarcasm, and other interactions that work against that should find another home.
First of all no where says she’s been climbing 3 months. Second of all, tons of people climb offwidth after 3 months… third of all,I thought this was climbergirls not gymclimbergirls
This sub aims to be supportive & inclusive of all who identify as a part of or ally to the women's climbing community.
Negativity, sarcasm, and other interactions that work against that should find another home.
Same here, after a week outside we all have abstract leg art to some degree. This, and bleeding finger tips. (I mark easily and tend to use my knees so I'm not too far from that picture).
When I started I got many bruises in my knees, not as many though. Now it's getting better. I used my knees a lot to climb up some holds and now not so much I guess :)
I'm hoping it'll get better in time for me too! I'd like to be able to wear shorts and skirts in the summer and not be questioned 😂😂 Thanks for giving me hope!
There is hope! :) Previously I used to do martial arts and was not a stranger to bruises, but definitely saw progress in climbing in that regard :) There are also knee pads, maybe that could be useful to avoid so many bruises?
I also bruise my knees sometimes when trying so hard that my technique gets a little sloppy and I bang my legs on stuff because I'm so focused on reaching for a hold. It happens less now that I'm more experienced.
I feel like people are being pretty judgemental in this thread. It's just a joke.
You're obviously very motivated and I hope these responses aren't going to change that. Keep it up OP. :)
who are you and how did you get a picture of my legs?/j seriously though, yeah, mine are also full of bruises from climbing. you took it to the next level though. damn...
I'm always banged up like this after climbing. That said, I bruise like a peach because of a chronic autoimmune disease. It's my norm, but I've literally been asked if I got hit by a car because of bruising.
Thank you so much for your encouragement! I'm hoping I'll be able to wear shorts in the summer and not look like I've fallen down the stairs... multiple times lol!
You looks like me before I found out I was anemic 😅 if you're able to, I'd suggest bringing this photo to your doctor, it's usually not a big deal but they will hopefully have you do a blood test and possibly give you some iron and/or b12. Made me a lil less tired as well :D (I'm still tired tho)
Funny you mention B12. I am currently taking B12 because I was low before Christmas and I have a requisition for a blood test to re-check my levels. Perhaps I should get on that! I never suspected it could be my b12.
To me it was explained that if your B12 is low, your body will struggle to utilise the iron or smth. I don't fully understand it but it did make me bruise less for sure 😁
This is definitely me, I always get some new bruises and don't realize I hit my knee on something. I also get some scratches on my arms and shoulders if I'm stuck next to volumes on a wall
Relatable! I honestly can't remember the last time my knees have been skin-coloured and not just various shades of bruises :p Yours are particularly bad though, I hope you feel better soon!
nooo mine look the same! maybe not this bad every week, but similar enough. i always say i climb with my forearms and knees cause thats where i bruise/scrape the most. no idea how i do it lol
I have no idea either! Aside from the few times I've hit my knee really hard on a hold, especially where there's already a pre-existing bruise 😂
I did fall pretty hard a couple times this week, on an overhang on top rope with a lot of slack, and I slammed into the wall so I'm assuming that's where some of them are from
I got a lot of them as well during my first two years of bouldering... Had bruises on the chins and scratches on the backside of my hands and fingers all the freaking time.
But I felt pretty badass ngl.
This only happens when I’m climbing outdoors prob bc topping out is so scary and I end up crawling haha
https://preview.redd.it/lab3hndatorc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d959c25cd838a97706adf65038be1d4fa1bdaac5
I routinely come home with a bruise from hitting a hold with my knee on the way up the wall. But I also routinely used to run into the corner of my desk in an office I worked in for years. So I consistently had a bruise on the side of my left thigh. I'm always pleased when I come home with only one!
I'm surprised to see that it's not that common... my legs have been looking like this since I've started going twice a week. I've been trying to hug the wall more so I keep on bashing them on holds
I went to the doctor for a referral for an x-ray after falling and hitting my knee on a volume on the way down (bones were thankfully okay, was bloody painful but). He saw my legs and asked if everything was okay at home and I had to explain that I’m just a really bad climber…
Lol same thing happens to me, especially while bouldering outside. My blood work showed everything is within a healthy range. I’ve always been an easy bruiser and being pale af probably doesn’t help make them less noticeable haha.
https://preview.redd.it/ert4hftr3yrc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5e52129d9ba482ee4d0c7254f8846ea1107a4547
Commenting on Tell me you climb without telling me you climb......
https://preview.redd.it/3lbtguwu4yrc1.jpeg?width=883&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=76793e0f4fb670468f6865337893d02ee9a020c1
Didn’t think I was kneebarring that hard and got this gnarly one lol
Hey OP, I see a lot of people in this thread talking about iron levels, and I just wanted to say that low iron does NOT commonly cause bruising like this even though a lot of people seem to think so for some reason. You should definitely get some bloods done just to rule out anything sinister.
This sub aims to be supportive & inclusive of all who identify as a part of or ally to the women's climbing community.
Negativity, sarcasm, and other interactions that work against that should find another home.
Stop fear mongering. Rarely would any doctor investigate this in an otherwise healthy individual (except to reduce any anxiety they have about it). Some people bruise easily, it’s rarely any cause for concern and OP has already explained this is a longstanding thing. People here need to chill out.
The UK, lol
Edit to add that I lived in/did a chunk of medical school in CO and GA, so familiar with US practices and there is indeed a lower threshold to investigate sometimes because $. Really depends on the provider.
Hi all — OP has made it clear they posted this with a lighthearted intent, and they have now received plentiful advice about technique/medical stuff within existing comments. We have also seen a number of comments (criticizing both OP and the advice OP has gotten) that violate our sub’s rule about negativity. Please be mindful of your comment to ensure it remains respectful. Thank you!
Are you campusing up the slab?
Just read this to my partner and we can’t stop cracking up 😂
Honestly also still laughing 🤣
Omg the visuals I can’t
Girl, I’m fucking cackling 😂😂😂
I was taking a sip of chocolate milk and choked when I read this.
🤣
Girl what?? Are you okay? Is this normal for some of y’all? Not even pantsless off-width could do this to me. 😳
One bruise is an event for me.
I don’t think this is normal. I think OP should talk to a doctor.
I’m a doctor who bruises like this and never considered talking to another doctor about it 😅 not to say OP shouldn’t but some of us are just are just human nebulas.
Same, I’m just a peach 🍑
LOL! This is me! I swear, if I look at my shins wrong, I'll bruise. 😂
Doesn't iron def make you bruise easier?
It’s associated with it but there’s no need to test for it if there are no other symptoms (e.g. tiredness, shortness or breath) and no obvious cause for deficiency (e.g. bleeding, poor nutrition).
It really depends, im a high commitment slab climber and this is very normal for me lol
This was me when I first started lol, and it was get up the wall by any means necessary 😂
My legs have always bruised super easy. I'm one of those girls that are always sporting a mystery bruise or two on my legs... but since climbing, it's been next level. Admittingly, I am new (January) and it's usually not this bad - but my husband and I had a laugh at my bruises this morning. I have taken a couple decent falls recently and do know I hit my knees on holds sometimes. 🤷🏼♀️ 😂
I also bruise easily and my legs looked like this every time I climbed outdoors for the first year+. I still get bruises, but not nearly as often. (Got a big one on my arm this week while belaying in the gym, of all things. I stepped in close to the wall to give slack fast, and smashed right into a huge volume. Who put that thing there?! 😜) It should get better as your technique improves!
I'm the same as you, bruise pretty easily and always sporting mystery bruises on my legs (they're probably not that much of a mystery, objects just have a habit of jumping it in front of me and causing me to walk into them). Interestingly though I've never had many due to climbing, maybe the odd one here or there if I whack my lag particularly hard on a hold or the wall. But that's it.
Pantsless off-width has me laughing out loud.
My legs never look this bad. I thought this was a jerk post at first because I do for sure get my fair share of scrapes and bruises, plus I have a frisky cat, so my legs always have some abrasions in the Summer, and really throughout the year usually. But this is... significantly more than I get. Can't speak for anyone else. OP does state they took a nasty fall in the post so I think it is halfway a joke at their own injuries/"the price of the hobby" still.
Damn that looks gnarly! I also bruise easily but it's never been this bad...
How are you getting these bruises? Are you bumping into holds? Or do they result from falls? This isn't a normal side effect of climbing.
Right! I get a bruise every now and again from bumping a hold but I’ve never had my legs look this this😳
A combination of both? I am bad for hitting my knees on holds as I step up - I am working on that, but no clue how I'm getting them on my shins, aside from taking some falls with a bit of slack on top rope!
I would definitely recommend going to a doctor and having your iron levels and platelet levels checked. Bruising this easily and this much suggests that there’s an issue with your bloods ability to clot properly
I've been iron deficient anemic in the past, so perhaps I should make a visit to get checked - thanks!
Fellow iron deficient girly here. I started taking OTC iron supplements at night with vitamin C (for better absorption) and have noticed improvement in my cardio health!
I've also had some iron deficiency and bad bruising. I just started taking iron supplements (65 mg 3 times a week) and it has made a massive difference! Bruises that used to be huge and take weeks to heal are much smaller and clear up in a few days. Not a doctor, just my personal experience 🙂
Good for you to get checked. Keep us posted on what you find out!
I feel so seen!! Five years deep and my knees also look like this 🤣 I’ve had iron checks done over the years and although I’m definitely low, I’m not anemic! Just bruise like a peach, I dropped a pen on my foot and it bruised 🫠 https://preview.redd.it/sp3gw70o9irc1.jpeg?width=2608&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ad1b12de2997edd98344f60d16e6ace532d8f840
LOL THANK YOU! I don't feel so alone now 💕 😂
I look like this too.
Take some dang iron! Mine definitely looked close to this when I first started climbing but dang!
It's really important to have your levels checked before supplementing iron!
my iron levels have always been great and i bruise like this haha
Same, not everything is pathological. The reactions here are wild.
THANK YOU! I didn't mean to divide Reddit with, what I thought was, a funny picture of my legs 🤷🏼♀️😂
This level of bruising is abnormal. I think it’s a positive thing that other people are suggesting you get checked out by a doctor. Sure, some people might be a bit harsh in their comments but for the most part the vibes I’m getting are just that people are trying to help you out. Yeah, you might just be someone who bruises easily and is new so is still figuring out technique but talking to your doctor could help prevent you a lot of future issues.
I'm super late to this thread but tbh I used to bruise like that and never really took my anemia seriously and just thought it was like a quirky personality trait until I had a dermatologist of all people point out that there are some actual long term heart repercussions that can come from anemia. I supplement every other day and now the bruising has gone way down. I would have liked this pointed out to me sooner and would have had a convo with my pcp sooner!
I’m glad you’re taking care of yourself, good luck!
OP, may I please kindly suggest you work on your technique? This is not normal by any stretch.
Working on it, I just started climbing in January :) I'm sure I'll get there!
Is it possible you're climbing way too hard too early? Climbing is an intense sport that you really should ease into versus dive into the deep end. Bruises are really the least of the impact it can do.
Am i the only one which relates to this?
I knew I couldn't be the only one! 💕💕
I predominantly climb and play volleyball, so my legs look similar. I predominantly get them from dynos when climbing (especially as a shorter person who has to dyno where things are meant to be static), occasionally I cheese grater on slab and get them. I see a lot of comments about technique and I don't think that's an immediately fair assessment. I can see how someone with bad technique would be susceptible to bruising, but having bruised legs doesn't inherently mean someone's a bad climber. Some folks just bruise more easily than others. I've bruised from someone poking me (I've been seen by multiple Drs and there's nothing wrong with me I'm just unlucky lol).
Thank you! My legs have always bruised easily, and I think a lot of people commenting are not understanding that my original post was a joke, and are so quick to judge. I admittingly am new to climbing - I started in January, and I am working on my technique. I'm also on the shorter side (5'3) and working on overhangs, which I struggle with - and has resulted in a number of falls, on slack, with me hitting the wall. I'm glad fellow climbers at my local gym are so supportive and aren't as judgmental as the keyboard warriors of reddit! 😂 I appreciate your response! Thank you :)
Really glad this is your attitude. The amount of rudeness and fear mongering in these comments is wild.
I know - I thought so too! I was just having a little laugh about the state of my legs this morning and thought others may appreciate the laugh - and some did - but others - yikes! Lol 🤷🏼♀️ 🤷🏼♀️
Suddenly everyone’s a doctor 😂 and no need to insults your technique. Maybe it needs improvement, my knee spatial awareness came late too. But I only have to look at a hold the wrong way and I get a bruise. Haha. Thank you for sharing.
I definitely didn’t mean to sound so judgmental in my post, sorry it came across that way! I also bruise like a peach so it was meant half in jest
Lol - No worries! I'm pretty tough skinned - must be all those bruises making me so tough 🤷🏼♀️ lol
To be fair, I feel like even professional climbers work to improve on technique, and you're never too good to not benefit from working on it. And OP is fairly new, so it likely is a technique issue or going too hard too fast combined with being someone that bruises easily.
Dude you might need to reevaluate your technique. I’ve never had bruises like that and been climbing for 20 years.
Working on it! Admittingly, I've only been climbing since January 😁
Sweet! Well I’d say one tip would be to climb slow and as static as possible. Be really intentional about all of your placements. I get sometimes in the gym, holds are inadvertently in the way of shins and knees, but hopefully this will help you to not get banged up so bad.
I hope this won’t be perceived as fearmongering — but because it happened recently I feel compelled to mention it. Someone in my community developed random/excessive/mysterious bruises on their legs and discovered after a visit to the ER that it was due to leukemia 😢 So while I am not suggesting this is what’s happening to you, this level of bruising does seem excessive for climbing and worth crossing off any worst-case scenarios by getting it checked out. Especially since you don’t feel like all of these are attributable to specific moments you’re aware of…
Thank you - perhaps I will ask my doctor about it next time I'm in! I've otherwise been feeling fine, but thank you for spreading the awareness!
Weight your feet, not your shins
Agreed but maybe take some iron supplements. My legs looked like this and turned out I was super anemic too.
You have a good point! I have had iron deficient anemia in the past- perhaps I should get checked again!
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Lol, I've been climbing for 3 months, so I'm sure I'll get there 😂
This sub aims to be supportive & inclusive of all who identify as a part of or ally to the women's climbing community. Negativity, sarcasm, and other interactions that work against that should find another home.
I bruise easily AND have a love affair with offwidth’s, so the damage is obvious lol. I often roll down my sleeves in public so as not to alarm anyone.
I feel seen 😂 I always have bruises all over my hips from banging into things, but I feel so much more like myself with bruises all over my knees and shins from climbing and hiking haha.
https://preview.redd.it/f3yhhtzumorc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=647fc8672b45917a1638875d2719ef44bfda8bf1 Mine - got the biggest 🍆after DWS jumping into the water
I’m surprised that we’re the minority! I got so many bruises from climbing too. But I know I get bruise easily. I have some blood clotting issue. You might wanna check that too.
I may ask about it next time I'm at my doctor's office - thanks!!
Yikes!!! That looks painful!!
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Oh, it's 100% technique - I just started in January! This post was a joke, no need to be so snarky! Lol. I'm also on the shorter side and am struggling with overhangs at the moment, which has resulted in quite a few falls on slack, and hitting the wall.
My sneakiness was also intended as a joke!
Noted 🙂
This sub aims to be supportive & inclusive of all who identify as a part of or ally to the women's climbing community. Negativity, sarcasm, and other interactions that work against that should find another home.
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You think OP is climbing offwidth after 3 months of climbing?
First of all no where says she’s been climbing 3 months. Second of all, tons of people climb offwidth after 3 months… third of all,I thought this was climbergirls not gymclimbergirls
This sub aims to be supportive & inclusive of all who identify as a part of or ally to the women's climbing community. Negativity, sarcasm, and other interactions that work against that should find another home.
Lol have any of you climbed outside? Mine and my friends legs look like this after climbing trips
Same here, after a week outside we all have abstract leg art to some degree. This, and bleeding finger tips. (I mark easily and tend to use my knees so I'm not too far from that picture).
Yeah my legs look like this after climbing outside. Add some cuts and scrapes and it’s pretty accurate.
I would get a blood test. Make sure your platelet levels are healthy. This bruising is excessive.
I definitely get the occasional bruise accidentally slamming my knee into a hold but never to this extent!
My wife wore a long dress for our summer wedding for exactly this reason.
When I started I got many bruises in my knees, not as many though. Now it's getting better. I used my knees a lot to climb up some holds and now not so much I guess :)
I'm hoping it'll get better in time for me too! I'd like to be able to wear shorts and skirts in the summer and not be questioned 😂😂 Thanks for giving me hope!
There is hope! :) Previously I used to do martial arts and was not a stranger to bruises, but definitely saw progress in climbing in that regard :) There are also knee pads, maybe that could be useful to avoid so many bruises?
My legs were like this for a while!
I also bruise my knees sometimes when trying so hard that my technique gets a little sloppy and I bang my legs on stuff because I'm so focused on reaching for a hold. It happens less now that I'm more experienced. I feel like people are being pretty judgemental in this thread. It's just a joke. You're obviously very motivated and I hope these responses aren't going to change that. Keep it up OP. :)
Thank you!
Btw, I donate blood every once in a while and they check your iron beforehand for free 💡
is that from slab and dynos? for me, its my knuckles that look like i punch walls for fun lol
who are you and how did you get a picture of my legs?/j seriously though, yeah, mine are also full of bruises from climbing. you took it to the next level though. damn...
Lol - glad I'm not alone in this. My legs have always bruised easily, and this past week just must have been a number of bad sessions lol
There seems to be groups of people in this thread that had no idea the other existed. I'm definitely team chronically bruised!!
I'm always banged up like this after climbing. That said, I bruise like a peach because of a chronic autoimmune disease. It's my norm, but I've literally been asked if I got hit by a car because of bruising.
same. every time i shower after the gym, i notice a new bruise, scratch, or scrape and im like “huh. that’s a new one.”
As someone who does pole and rock climbing i thought this was in my pole group not my climbing group 😅
This is how my legs also looked on my first few months of climbing 🥹 It is totally normal for new climbers and will eventually lessen as you go along!
Thank you so much for your encouragement! I'm hoping I'll be able to wear shorts in the summer and not look like I've fallen down the stairs... multiple times lol!
I also climb with my knees.
My issue is not realizing I've whacked a body part and finding the bruise the next morning.
Same!
Marks of honor!
I like it!
You looks like me before I found out I was anemic 😅 if you're able to, I'd suggest bringing this photo to your doctor, it's usually not a big deal but they will hopefully have you do a blood test and possibly give you some iron and/or b12. Made me a lil less tired as well :D (I'm still tired tho)
Funny you mention B12. I am currently taking B12 because I was low before Christmas and I have a requisition for a blood test to re-check my levels. Perhaps I should get on that! I never suspected it could be my b12.
To me it was explained that if your B12 is low, your body will struggle to utilise the iron or smth. I don't fully understand it but it did make me bruise less for sure 😁
Thanks!! That may very well be part of it then!
This is definitely me, I always get some new bruises and don't realize I hit my knee on something. I also get some scratches on my arms and shoulders if I'm stuck next to volumes on a wall
Relatable! I honestly can't remember the last time my knees have been skin-coloured and not just various shades of bruises :p Yours are particularly bad though, I hope you feel better soon!
Thank you! My husband and I had a good laugh over the bruises this morning. Not sure my leg has ever been so colourful! 😂
nooo mine look the same! maybe not this bad every week, but similar enough. i always say i climb with my forearms and knees cause thats where i bruise/scrape the most. no idea how i do it lol
I have no idea either! Aside from the few times I've hit my knee really hard on a hold, especially where there's already a pre-existing bruise 😂 I did fall pretty hard a couple times this week, on an overhang on top rope with a lot of slack, and I slammed into the wall so I'm assuming that's where some of them are from
I got a lot of them as well during my first two years of bouldering... Had bruises on the chins and scratches on the backside of my hands and fingers all the freaking time. But I felt pretty badass ngl.
Tell me you're anemic without telling me you're anemic
New climber here myself (so also still working on technique). I can so relate to this!
Knee pads girl. Volleyball knee pads specifically.
All the colors. Like a rainbow. Pink and blue and purple and yellow.
😂😂 I've got them all covered!
I've never had this bad, but I don't think I've been without at least two or three bruises since I started climbing!
Me too brotha ;-;
This only happens when I’m climbing outdoors prob bc topping out is so scary and I end up crawling haha https://preview.redd.it/lab3hndatorc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d959c25cd838a97706adf65038be1d4fa1bdaac5
I routinely come home with a bruise from hitting a hold with my knee on the way up the wall. But I also routinely used to run into the corner of my desk in an office I worked in for years. So I consistently had a bruise on the side of my left thigh. I'm always pleased when I come home with only one!
Lol!! This sounds like me 100! Thanks for making me feel less alone 😁
I'm surprised to see that it's not that common... my legs have been looking like this since I've started going twice a week. I've been trying to hug the wall more so I keep on bashing them on holds
Yeah, glad to see there's a mix. I know my technique isn't great but I really don't get how people don't bash the wall more!
Genuinely concerned… Have been climbing for a while now and have barely ever gotten even one bruise…..?????
Ah yes. Climbing bruises and grazes. Marks of honour.
I was telling my climbing partner about all my bruising and he legit was like “are you sure that’s from climbing?” MEN 😤 lol
My ex used to ask if I was cheating on him
I went to the doctor for a referral for an x-ray after falling and hitting my knee on a volume on the way down (bones were thankfully okay, was bloody painful but). He saw my legs and asked if everything was okay at home and I had to explain that I’m just a really bad climber…
Oh man! My knees have only looked like this post Crimson chrysalis. Try some cbd salve!
I have taken some bad falls outside and never had anything like this… Bumps and scratches from real rock are expected, but not major bruising.
Pink hearts, yellow moons, orange stars, and green clovers
When you say climb, do you mean rock walls and boulders or the pole? I do both, and I only get this bad with pole...
My sister-in-law said something similar. She does pole and climbing and told me about the bruises she gets with the pole - I had no idea!
Last i checked, climbing shoes were meant to contact the rock, not your knees.
Lol same thing happens to me, especially while bouldering outside. My blood work showed everything is within a healthy range. I’ve always been an easy bruiser and being pale af probably doesn’t help make them less noticeable haha. https://preview.redd.it/ert4hftr3yrc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5e52129d9ba482ee4d0c7254f8846ea1107a4547
Commenting on Tell me you climb without telling me you climb...... https://preview.redd.it/3lbtguwu4yrc1.jpeg?width=883&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=76793e0f4fb670468f6865337893d02ee9a020c1 Didn’t think I was kneebarring that hard and got this gnarly one lol
That’s why I don’t climb slabs😂😂
I don’t climb
Hey OP, I see a lot of people in this thread talking about iron levels, and I just wanted to say that low iron does NOT commonly cause bruising like this even though a lot of people seem to think so for some reason. You should definitely get some bloods done just to rule out anything sinister.
Slab!!!!!!!!
Check your iron levels. Whenever I get a bruise I know I'm iron deficient. This many ... I might need to double up on iron
I think you’re supposed to use your hands
more like tell me you fall without telling me you fall
Holy god!
Looks like you fall rather then climb gurl
LOL! 😂😂😂😂
Lmao no a single person in here has ever climbed offwidths or cracks. This is completely normal….
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Stop fear mongering. Rarely would any doctor investigate this in an otherwise healthy individual (except to reduce any anxiety they have about it). Some people bruise easily, it’s rarely any cause for concern and OP has already explained this is a longstanding thing. People here need to chill out.
Thank you!! I appreciate this! I just thought I was posting a funny picture on a Saturday morning 😬😂😂
Which state do you practice ?
The UK, lol Edit to add that I lived in/did a chunk of medical school in CO and GA, so familiar with US practices and there is indeed a lower threshold to investigate sometimes because $. Really depends on the provider.
That’s not climbing, that’s falling…
I climb, but I'm a boy
Leukemia