UKC

Hi, In the last month I have developed a clicking in my right index finger, and a slight difficultly in moving the end of the finger. The clicking sound and restriction is in the last joint (i.e. nearest the nail). It is also somewhat hard to completely bend the finger at that joint. There is no visible swelling and no pain either during the action, or if I press or prod any part of the finger.

I will head of to the GP next week, but if anyone has any ideas I can take with me as to what this is it would be useful as he is not a climber. To be fair I have no evidence this climbing related, except I am training harder than normal. I don't remember any event that started this; it has just be getting worse over the last 4 weeks.

I would be also nice if anyone could comment of whether I should stop climbing / stick to big holds / don't crimp / tape the finger to the next one.

Thanks.

In reply to David Coley:

No pain or swelling is good, though I would see about trying to get range of movement back (physio?) or it may continue to get worse. Think crimping can often be the culprit with joint pain so I would beware doing too much of that.

In reply to David Coley:

Sounds like you've knackered something but I don't think it's trigger finger, which makes it difficult to straighten a finger because of tenosynovitis in one of the flexor tendons in your forearm.

In reply to David Coley:

David

I get a click if I push my middle finger at first joint sideways. No pain/swelling/pain on climbing. As I've concentrated on hard (for me) sport (7a+) I wondered if I was not training the antagonists, so have been walking around at work with an elastic band between thumb and finger extending it and seems vaguely better after a few weeks. I don't crimp hard/use tape.
If you're happy to post any details of GP appt. would be interested.
Chris

In reply to David Coley: I've had this recently and seen a GP and a consultant.
It's the sheath on the finger tendons catching when you fold and unfold your fingers.
It's very common but beware of the options for "curing" this.
I had a cortisone injection first. It works for some but not for everyone. It may last. It may not.
Mine did not work.
I saw the consultant who said they could operate to resolve it so I went ahead.
It's a quick operation as a day patient with a local anasthetic.
After that for me it has been a nighmare.
My incision would not heal and it had to be redressed every couple of days.
After a couple of weeks I still could not drive and was in serions pain.
I was admitted via casualty in severe pain after three weeks and operated on again 24 hours after admission with a full anasthetic and was kept in for 7 days on a saline drip.
It has healed well now but I was only allowed one physio appointment and I do those exercises daily, have my hand in bowls of hot water and use an exercise ball to try and get more flexibility in my hand. The two fingers operated on are still swollen and I still cannot make a fist so I have a hand that is much worse than it was before the operation in early May 2015!
I can drive now but compensate for what I cannot do.
When I saw the physio she said I shouldn't have had the operation.
OK this could happen to anyone but if I had been told about the percentage chances of these problems I would not have had this operation and consequently I would not recommend it.
I don't play guitar but if I did, before the operation, I couldn't do it now because my fingers bend only half the distance that they did.
As an aside I have three friends who strangely had the same operation at a similar time and two of those still have the issues that I have.