By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Identify common upper extremity injuries in climbers and understand their mechanisms
• Apply a structured clinical reasoning framework under conditions of diagnostic uncertainty
• Interpret the role of load, frequency, and intensity in injury development and recovery
• Implement objective testing methods for strength, capacity, and rate of force development
• Design rehabilitation programs that integrate sport-specific demands
• Develop return-to-play strategies based on measurable performance metrics rather than timelines

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Dr. Tyler Nelson is a chiropractic physician and rehabilitation specialist based in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. He is the Clinical Director of Camp4 Human Performance, where he works exclusively with rock climbers, focusing on the evaluation, rehabilitation, and performance development of upper extremity injuries.

Dr. Nelson holds a Master’s degree in Exercise Science and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). Over the past decade, he has developed a niche clinical practice centered on the unique physiological and biomechanical demands of climbing, treating conditions involving the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and fingers.

His work integrates strength and conditioning principles with musculoskeletal rehabilitation, emphasizing objective testing, load management, and sport-specific return-to-play strategies. He regularly teaches courses for healthcare providers and coaches, with a focus on clinical reasoning, uncertainty in diagnosis, and evidence-informed decision-making in clinical populations.

Dr. Nelson is actively involved in research related to youth climbing injuries, particularly periphyseal stress injuries, and is a prospective PhD candidate at Leeds Beckett University. He has contributed to the development of classification systems for finger injuries in adolescent climbers and continues to explore load monitoring and rehabilitation frameworks specific to the sport.

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