Long term climbing

As I'm sure many of you understand, I like climbing and would like to be able to do it for as long as possible. So I've been wondering, what are the usual overuse injuries for climbers, and what can be done to prevent them? Also, what styles of climbing are hardest on the body, long term (crack, face, etc)?

I'm celebrating 40 years of climbing this summer. IME thin crimps are hardest on the body, as is throwing everything you have at a problem (most any kind, I suspect) over and over and over. If it doesn't go in, say, three solid efforts, come back to it another time.

The usual advice of course - stop at the first sign of pain, and take time to recover. Keep in mind that any athlete's top performance is typically just a tiny step away from injury.

Long term advice? Climb for the pure joy of it. Don't chase numbers, compare yourself to anyone else, or define yourself as a climber by the grade you climb.

Very solid advice from Mike above. I've been climbing since 1990. Be safe, take good care of the "small" joints that are often subjected to high pressures and strains; fingers, wrists, toes. Learn to climb more open handed, less crimping and do not go crazy with tight shoes.
And have fun and enjoy yourself; no one can climb more than a dozen years if he/she does not love it.

I have always climbed a wide variety of styles from slabs to roofs, cracks to pockets and feel as though that has kept overuse injuries away. I have experienced minor injuries in the past such as elbow tendinosis but find that switching up the type of climbing I'm doing takes care of the problem without any down time. You probably won't be able to push your maximum grades but you'll be a much better all around climber and I think that means a lot more than someone that can climb 5.14 in Rifle but can barely get off the ground in Indian Creek or Yosemite.

Been doing it since '69. Climb easy and often. Listen to your body. Crimpers no problem if done in moderation. Avoid shoulder issues by avoiding dynos. Most importantly, remember to smile.

There is lots of correlation between "overuse" and "in a rut". Variety is the spice of life and the key to longevity with climbing and other things.

Been climbing since 1974. Had a few injuries. All the above advice is good IMO. Especially "open hand" and don't chase numbers. I had to have surgery for a mallet toe tendon rupture from years of EB's and too tight shoes. Cost me a few thousand dollars and a year off.

One day years ago my partner and I cruised back into Camp 4 after a long day with several routes under our belts to find these two "old guys" kicked back in our site. We asked them what they did..."OH.... got up late and did a couple single pitch routes. Only a couple I asked? "yeah two single pitch 5.10's was enough for us" ,was the response. I was just breaking in to lead some 10's.

That was in a time when there were not that many 5.11's around.

At the time I couldn't fathom how that would be satisfying. Now about 35 years later I totally got it.