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I tweaked a the tendon in my left ring finger while bouldering on a "tweaky pocket" about a week ago.
I got some sharp pains about midway from my elbow to my wrist and I'm almost 100% sure it's where the flexor tendon joins the muscle.
I rested for around 5 days and did some gentle stretching and fist clenching (not so much that it hurt) and I've been down the wall once and did some easy routes (less than 5+) which didn't seem too much stress for it.
However, I am a bit worried that climbing is not controlled enough to make sure that I don't hurt it again and this morning thought about using my fingerboard instead.
What I did was a gentle warm up then did some gentle hangs off first-joint edges (with my feet on the ground, to reduce the load)
This seemed to work quite well as I felt I could put just the right amount of stress on the fingers in a controlled way. (I used scales to work out how much load, I was taking about 40% bodyweight)
Has anyone else used a fingerboard for recovery? Anyone have any reasons why this is a bad idea?
I got some sharp pains about midway from my elbow to my wrist and I'm almost 100% sure it's where the flexor tendon joins the muscle.
I rested for around 5 days and did some gentle stretching and fist clenching (not so much that it hurt) and I've been down the wall once and did some easy routes (less than 5+) which didn't seem too much stress for it.
However, I am a bit worried that climbing is not controlled enough to make sure that I don't hurt it again and this morning thought about using my fingerboard instead.
What I did was a gentle warm up then did some gentle hangs off first-joint edges (with my feet on the ground, to reduce the load)
This seemed to work quite well as I felt I could put just the right amount of stress on the fingers in a controlled way. (I used scales to work out how much load, I was taking about 40% bodyweight)
Has anyone else used a fingerboard for recovery? Anyone have any reasons why this is a bad idea?
In reply to Alasdair Fulton:
Think you need to know excatly what/where you have injured, otherwise may make it worse, but so long as you know ur limits and you are happy doing that then go for it!!
And let me know how you get on!
Think you need to know excatly what/where you have injured, otherwise may make it worse, but so long as you know ur limits and you are happy doing that then go for it!!
And let me know how you get on!
In reply to glasto_mudd: I would go to the doctor, but when I partially dislocated my shoulder earlier in the year, my doc just said "take it easy", what kind of effing advice is that???
I didn't take it easy, I did loads of rotator cuff and scapula excercises and my shoudlers are in good shape now.
I'm always a bit worried about making things worse, but I always say, if it's not hurting it can't be doing any damage!
If it starts to get any worse I'm just going to bite the bullet, bypass the doctor, and go straight to my physio. He'll sort me out!
I didn't take it easy, I did loads of rotator cuff and scapula excercises and my shoudlers are in good shape now.
I'm always a bit worried about making things worse, but I always say, if it's not hurting it can't be doing any damage!
If it starts to get any worse I'm just going to bite the bullet, bypass the doctor, and go straight to my physio. He'll sort me out!
In reply to Alasdair Fulton:
Listen to your body. It's all about the long term. A couple of weeks of lower intensity training might lose you some strength but better than really tweaking a tendon. I'd avoid the fingerboard for 2 weeks and instead do 2 weeks of press ups to work to antogonistic muscles. It's a a trap I often fall into (ignoring messages from ur body) but it's better to climb 5a/b routes for two weeks and rest so u crank hard once back in shape.
Listen to your body. It's all about the long term. A couple of weeks of lower intensity training might lose you some strength but better than really tweaking a tendon. I'd avoid the fingerboard for 2 weeks and instead do 2 weeks of press ups to work to antogonistic muscles. It's a a trap I often fall into (ignoring messages from ur body) but it's better to climb 5a/b routes for two weeks and rest so u crank hard once back in shape.
In reply to jaysus: I'm not too bothered about loosing strength, I'm really jsut trying to get this tendon strong again, carefully!
All the research suggests that moderate stress heals tendons the quickest, too low a stress can cause persistent weakness, too high stress will not allow it to heal.
I did a wee session about 2 hours ago and my tendon feels good, no pain or discomfort, no twinges, but it did feel like I was giving a useful amount of stress. The thing I'm most worried about is tendonitis but that doesn't set in for a couple of days ususally, so I'll see how it feels tomorrow and tuesday.
All the research suggests that moderate stress heals tendons the quickest, too low a stress can cause persistent weakness, too high stress will not allow it to heal.
I did a wee session about 2 hours ago and my tendon feels good, no pain or discomfort, no twinges, but it did feel like I was giving a useful amount of stress. The thing I'm most worried about is tendonitis but that doesn't set in for a couple of days ususally, so I'll see how it feels tomorrow and tuesday.
In reply to Alasdair Fulton:
Just read ur profile. You climb at a high level. But you still need to lay off hard stuff for a bit. Look at it as a proactive 'rest' period. Where u can focus on other stuff: technique, etc
Just read ur profile. You climb at a high level. But you still need to lay off hard stuff for a bit. Look at it as a proactive 'rest' period. Where u can focus on other stuff: technique, etc
In reply to Alasdair Fulton: Ive used my fingerboard to recover the strength in my Ring finger after i pulled it. It was a long and slow process, and i still cant really crimp on it.
Time and youth is the key to all tendon recovery.
Time and youth is the key to all tendon recovery.
In reply to IanJackson:
Time, there is never enough.
Youth, anyone got any anti-aging creams?
That reminds me of the old joke:
Man goes to the doctor who weighs him and tells the man he is too heavy for his height, to which he replies:
I'll just have to grow a few inches then!
On a serious note, if you tried to fix a tendon injury with the fingerboard, but still can't crimp, does that not mean that it didn't work?
Time, there is never enough.
Youth, anyone got any anti-aging creams?
That reminds me of the old joke:
Man goes to the doctor who weighs him and tells the man he is too heavy for his height, to which he replies:
I'll just have to grow a few inches then!
On a serious note, if you tried to fix a tendon injury with the fingerboard, but still can't crimp, does that not mean that it didn't work?
In reply to Alasdair Fulton: Can you recommend me any good exercises or give me a link for a knackered rotator cuff? Mine has been giving me grief since July.
In reply to Alasdair Fulton: Well its better than not be able to climb, it only seems to be bouldering were crimping is a problem.
In reply to Alasdair Fulton: When i pulled my finger at first i lay of Extreme climbing, (expect grit slabs ect) and finger training on my board/climbing Gym. Naturally i had lost all strength in that finger and generally lost strength in my arms from not training.
Around 2 weeks later I restarted fingerboard training, slowing decreasing hold quality, my finger slowly regained it strength and hurt less over time.
4 months later(now), i still wouldn't pull on it without the support of 2 other fingers. OR if i did, with great support from my other arm or feet. I not sure if i could ever train my fingers to pull on "monos" again.
I still managed to climb up to E2/E3 regally during this time. But a sprained ankle ended that! My Finger Strain was annoying, but its not the end of the world/season (a Sprained ankle is!) you just have to be a bit careful on what you pull on.
Every Finger strain is different, lucky mine was rather mild.
Lesson, Always warm up before falling off E4's!
Ian
Around 2 weeks later I restarted fingerboard training, slowing decreasing hold quality, my finger slowly regained it strength and hurt less over time.
4 months later(now), i still wouldn't pull on it without the support of 2 other fingers. OR if i did, with great support from my other arm or feet. I not sure if i could ever train my fingers to pull on "monos" again.
I still managed to climb up to E2/E3 regally during this time. But a sprained ankle ended that! My Finger Strain was annoying, but its not the end of the world/season (a Sprained ankle is!) you just have to be a bit careful on what you pull on.
Every Finger strain is different, lucky mine was rather mild.
Lesson, Always warm up before falling off E4's!
Ian
In reply to Alasdair Fulton:
A really good book that has loads of climbing exercises and ideas on how to improve technique, skill, power, aid recovery+ whole load of other stuff is: training for climbing by J.Horst (ISBN 0-7627-2313-0)
Its a fantastic book!
A really good book that has loads of climbing exercises and ideas on how to improve technique, skill, power, aid recovery+ whole load of other stuff is: training for climbing by J.Horst (ISBN 0-7627-2313-0)
Its a fantastic book!
In reply to glasto_mudd: It's my bible!
In reply to Alasdair Fulton:
apparantly there's something on mcleod's site about this (dunno if it's the occ one or his own blog), he was chatting about using fingerboards for rehab as you are as then you can be sure about how much force you will be applying unlike getting on a boulder problem or route where you don't know what holds you'll unexpectedly encounter..
apparantly there's something on mcleod's site about this (dunno if it's the occ one or his own blog), he was chatting about using fingerboards for rehab as you are as then you can be sure about how much force you will be applying unlike getting on a boulder problem or route where you don't know what holds you'll unexpectedly encounter..
In reply to abarro81: That's pretty much the same line of thought I was having.
I also think I'll be able to limit myself better, as it's always tempting to try something harder at the wall, especially when it's feeling ok.
I also think I'll be able to limit myself better, as it's always tempting to try something harder at the wall, especially when it's feeling ok.
In reply to Alasdair Fulton: firstly,if you have tweaked a tendon,5 days rest is not enough before beginning climbing again.secondly a fingerboard will bugger your finger firther if the tendon is damaged.this is from experience,painfull experience!
In reply to pwhiteside: GO TO THE PHYSIO!!!! Seriously, I know it's expensive but it works. It's all very well finding exercises off the internet, but who knows if it's a reliable source or not. Ask aroud for a good physio, and go. You cant put a price on being fit and healthy, and a bad shoulder is something thats only going to get worse without some attention.
I nackered my knee in Mallorca in spetember. Went to the docs when i got back, who told me to rest it. I did this for a few weeks with no effect. went straight to a physio, and in about 3 weeks it was almost back to normal. Expensive, but worth every penny.
I nackered my knee in Mallorca in spetember. Went to the docs when i got back, who told me to rest it. I did this for a few weeks with no effect. went straight to a physio, and in about 3 weeks it was almost back to normal. Expensive, but worth every penny.
In reply to GDes: I've got a decent physio, but my doctor wouldn't refer me for my shoulder, so I'd have to pay.
I decided to do it myself, on the condition that if it got any worse at any point I'd go to the physio but it's only been getting better.
I'll give it a week and if it starts to get worse I'll go to the doc, and if he's no use I'll pay for the physio.
I decided to do it myself, on the condition that if it got any worse at any point I'd go to the physio but it's only been getting better.
I'll give it a week and if it starts to get worse I'll go to the doc, and if he's no use I'll pay for the physio.
In reply to Alasdair Fulton: I found the same, they seem quite reluctant to refer to physios for sports injuries. And from what I hear, if you do get referred, NHS physio is fairly limited in what they can do for you, as they have so many people to see. Private is expensive, but in my opinion completely worth it.
In reply to Alasdair Fulton: I too tweaked a about 6 weeks back. It was also on a tweaky pocket, a sharp pain in my forearm, linked to my middle finger. I iced it straight away, and did Dave Macleods cold water trick for a week, then started climbing again, on big holds, with tight tape round my wrist. I built it up slowly. I got pain on very specific finger positions, full crimps were fine actually, but open handing was sometimes not good. Anyway, i feel about 95% recovered, which is nice, I thought it might take up to 3 months, but only 1 1/2 has sorted it. The winter program will start in dec...woohoo.
In reply to Alasdair Fulton:
i pulled my tendon on my ring finger on my right hand back in november LAST YEAR and is STILL not 100%. absolutely soul destroying when you're climbing hard 3 times a week then go down to nothing for literally 6 months. put on weight and be back at the standard you were around 2 years ago i also went to private physio and had about 8 courses of intense treatment. i just wish it could be back to 100% but doubt it ever will be now.
i pulled my tendon on my ring finger on my right hand back in november LAST YEAR and is STILL not 100%. absolutely soul destroying when you're climbing hard 3 times a week then go down to nothing for literally 6 months. put on weight and be back at the standard you were around 2 years ago i also went to private physio and had about 8 courses of intense treatment. i just wish it could be back to 100% but doubt it ever will be now.
In reply to mrsmesh: So why are you not fixed?
Was the physio crap? Did you not follow his advice?
Did you re-injure it?
What kind of rehab did you use?
Sorry for all the questions, but the most usefull thing I can get from people who have not recovered 100% are the reasons why they have not recovered.
Was the physio crap? Did you not follow his advice?
Did you re-injure it?
What kind of rehab did you use?
Sorry for all the questions, but the most usefull thing I can get from people who have not recovered 100% are the reasons why they have not recovered.
In reply to GDes: My physio is private, usually paid through BUPA, but BUPA only pay if you are referred by a doctor.
Just edited this as I noticed you weren't taking to me the first time about going to the physio
Just edited this as I noticed you weren't taking to me the first time about going to the physio
In reply to beastofackworth: I always struggle to work out how much rest to give things when they hurt. Basically, after the day I did it, it hasn't been noticably sore, but I can feel it's not 100%.
I've done the same tendon before, around 3 years ago. It was much worse. I gave it a couple of weeks of rest and then got around 3 months of physio, it's been fine since. At the time it was so bad that if I layed my hand flat (palm facing up) and pressed my finger down at its tip, it would hurt like hell to resist it (the pain ran right down from about mid-palm almost to the muscle).
With this one, I can press really hard, and it doesn't hurt. I can crimp quite hard, and it doesnt hurt. I think I have strained the muscle/tendon insertion, rather than the tendon itself.
A lot of people would probably have just tried to "climb through it" but I'm trying to do something about it before it becomes a big problem.
I've done the same tendon before, around 3 years ago. It was much worse. I gave it a couple of weeks of rest and then got around 3 months of physio, it's been fine since. At the time it was so bad that if I layed my hand flat (palm facing up) and pressed my finger down at its tip, it would hurt like hell to resist it (the pain ran right down from about mid-palm almost to the muscle).
With this one, I can press really hard, and it doesn't hurt. I can crimp quite hard, and it doesnt hurt. I think I have strained the muscle/tendon insertion, rather than the tendon itself.
A lot of people would probably have just tried to "climb through it" but I'm trying to do something about it before it becomes a big problem.
In reply to Alasdair Fulton:
erm i think i loaded my finger quite hard after resting it for about 3months when it wasn't quite ready. plus by that time i had put some extra weight on so that only added to the pressure being exerted on it!
i had ultrasound scans and intensive therapy and massages.
i think the best thing is rest to be honest, only you know how well healed you think it is.
i would recommend rock rings as well. they've got big jugs and smaller holds which could help you get back into deadhanging etc. all the best
erm i think i loaded my finger quite hard after resting it for about 3months when it wasn't quite ready. plus by that time i had put some extra weight on so that only added to the pressure being exerted on it!
i had ultrasound scans and intensive therapy and massages.
i think the best thing is rest to be honest, only you know how well healed you think it is.
i would recommend rock rings as well. they've got big jugs and smaller holds which could help you get back into deadhanging etc. all the best
I've had two finger tendon injuries in the last two years (A2). Both took around 6 months to get back to allowing me to climb properly again though still taping and being careful. Once strong enough to climb again I have found they progress quite quickly initially then plateau. For those who think they will "never" recover, the one I hurt 2 years ago is still taped but I can crimp pretty much as before nowadays (it took well over a year to get back to near normal). Having said that, I haven't gone near a fingerboard and won't do for a long while yet I reckon.
I find taping really does work but only once you are sufficiently healed to let you start low intensity climbing again (which took about 3-4 months each time). Not sure if I am just a slow healer and/or age or whatever. I did have specialist physio each time which helped some in the initial phases but at the end of the day you have to listen to your body and use your tendons, just not enough to hurt them again. V difficult balance I have found.
As Mrsmesh said, quite soul destroying as each time I have injured a tendon it's been when I was starting to climb at my top level again. Which is probably something to do with the injury but there you go. All climbing strength lost each time which is quite hard to take but does make you concentrate on good technique (to compensate for lack of any strength!) when you get back to it.
I find taping really does work but only once you are sufficiently healed to let you start low intensity climbing again (which took about 3-4 months each time). Not sure if I am just a slow healer and/or age or whatever. I did have specialist physio each time which helped some in the initial phases but at the end of the day you have to listen to your body and use your tendons, just not enough to hurt them again. V difficult balance I have found.
As Mrsmesh said, quite soul destroying as each time I have injured a tendon it's been when I was starting to climb at my top level again. Which is probably something to do with the injury but there you go. All climbing strength lost each time which is quite hard to take but does make you concentrate on good technique (to compensate for lack of any strength!) when you get back to it.
In reply to Alasdair Fulton:
Providing you are being sensible it'll be fine. Just don't overdo things and stop if it hurts. This coming from the person who decided to climb a tree in the park on the way home from X-ray having sheared half of the second joint of my right ring finger off in a minor goalkeeping accident and it still isn't quite right after 2 years as a result.
Providing you are being sensible it'll be fine. Just don't overdo things and stop if it hurts. This coming from the person who decided to climb a tree in the park on the way home from X-ray having sheared half of the second joint of my right ring finger off in a minor goalkeeping accident and it still isn't quite right after 2 years as a result.
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