UKC

Hi!

I have a A2 pulley injury that dosent really fits the symptoms of a tear or strain. It only hurts when pressure is applied to the sore spot on the ring finger so jugs hurt. Crimping dosent hurt at all and it dosent hurt when pressure is applied to the finger. I also have a swollen band that goes across the pulley. This millimeter thin ring is whats hurting. The injury came over time so I have not heard a pop or felt that tingly feeling when something tears.

Anyone know what this is?

Viktor

Not sure what you've done but I have the same on both middle fingers....crimps dont hurt, jugs dont really either but sore if pressure applied. Again was a gradual onset.  

Do you also have this thin ring that hurts or is it the whole pulley?

Hi, left hand theres no hand but theres a thin band across the palm side of my right middle finger where the pain is focussed.. tho id assumed that was the pulley.  

I have had this in the past, it’s inflammation from overuse rather than an acute injury such as a tear. I would advise hitting the preventive treatment (icing & rest)  hard for a couple of weeks and backing off hard crimping or climbing for a month.

The trick is to break the inflammation cycle before it gets chronic and leaves you with bigger problems that take significantly longer to mend.  You can use the rest month to work on other things such as core and general fitness.

Thanks Alex I’ve got this problem too. My bro says it’s managable if you tape the knuckles thickly to force open handed climbing but it made no difference to me the last few times. 

I think it’s from repeating the same indoor problems... a lot and maybe a rounded set of shallow crimps new at local wall. 

Going to to take some time off the wall. 

Thanks for your help. 

I have been to the doctor now and although he wasnt 100% what it was he said it probably was what alex is describing; inflamation but no tears in the pulley. He ordered light climbing and ricebucket 3 times per day.

Alex, how long did it take before your ring started to be smaller?  Or before it went away completely? My pain is under control but the ring hasnt changed at all.

Best, Viktor

I had a similar thing when recovering from a grade 1 pulley tear - other fingers started to feel really sore when pressure was applied to pads. It was weird.

I don't know the cause - but i do know that something that seemed to make a dramatic difference, and has led me to the point of having basically healthy fingers now, was the introduction of finger extensor exercises.

I originally did this as a way of helping the healing process for the pulley tear (strengthening; getting blood into the fingers to aid recovery) as well as having read that this could help prevent future re-injury.

Basically, the human body REALLY doesn't like strength imbalances - which climbing massively creates in the hands because we only ever contract, never expand, our grips with resistance. Finger extensor exercises help you rebalance, and thus avoid injury. This may also explain why I received the unexpected benefits of my fingers hurting less - whatever was being over-strained before is now being betters supported by strengthening elsewhere. An unexpected but hugely beneficial side-effect seems to be an end to the 'sore fingers' problems I was having before, and the full recovery of my pulley problem. 

This isn't a scientific result; I offer it merely as anecdote, not data. Perhaps my fingers would have gotten better anyway. But I strongly recommend giving it a shot. You can buy a pack of 3 extensor trainers on amazon for £6, and you can do the exercises whilst watching Netflix - about 15 mins a day max, 3 times a week, seems enough.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ZOORON-Strengthener-Stretcher-Resistance-Rehabilit...

It means what the others have said, plus you're going to have a pulley tear soon if you don't back off because it's already weakened.

At least that's what happened to me.