does climbing change your fingers?

Yes, regular climbing can have an impact on the strength, flexibility, and overall condition of your fingers. Climbing involves repetitive gripping, finger strength exercises, and putting pressure on the joints and tendons in your fingers. Over time, these activities can lead to specific changes in your fingers.

Some common changes that climbers may experience in their fingers include:

1. Increased Grip Strength: Climbing challenges your fingers to develop strength, particularly in the flexor muscles that control grip. With regular climbing, you can expect to see improvements in your grip strength, allowing you to hold onto smaller holds and more challenging climbing surfaces.
2. Calluses: The repeated friction and pressure on your hands can lead to the formation of calluses, particularly on the pads and sides of your fingers. Calluses help protect your skin from abrasion and can develop as a natural adaptation to climbing.
3. Finger Flexibility: Climbing often requires your fingers to stretch and reach for holds in different positions. Over time, you may notice increased flexibility and dexterity in your fingers as they adapt to these movements.