Several years ago whilst running a climbing wall session as part of a Single Pitch Award assessment course, I got on the wall to demo a move and pop!! Everyone in the room heard it. I was properly warmed up, the hold I was pulling on wasn’t tiny, my feet didn’t slip – but I had definitely damaged a flexor pulley in one of my fingers. Pulley injuries are the most common finger injury in climbers, and A2 pulley injuries most common. Here’s an overview of pulley injuries, how to avoid them, and what to do if it happens to you.

The first post in this series showed how to escape the system, and the second explained how to pass a knot. This post is all about in-the-system hoists - how to do them and when you might need them.

The first post in this series showed how to escape the system. If you find yourself needing to lower your second off, due to injury or not being able to get up the climb, you might need to tie two ropes together to make 100m of rope – enough to lower someone to the ground on most crags in the UK. You'll then need to pass the knot around the belay device - here's how to do it

Some climbing accidents just happen. You might just be unlucky, and be in the wrong place at the wrong time. But many accidents are caused by human error, and are therefore avoidable. Never be complacent and think that you won’t make a mistake. If you are climbing with someone you don't know well, following a pre-climb checklist can literally be a life-saver.