UKC

I've got scar tissue on my right ring finger which won't go away! It has been a year now and I have tried resting it for 6 months and massaging the area but it still won't budge. Does anyone have any advice how to get rid of it?

Cheers

In reply to Simon1000:

Erm hot and cold presses in conjunction with massage over quite a long period.

Or visit the physio and try ultrasound - I think that can break scar tissue up.

In reply to Simon1000:

There is no real way to get rid of scar tissue. If you mean cosmetically, then laser treatment has had some reasonable results. If function is serverely reduced it is unlikely to be changed without invasive surgery. I have some pretty heavy scarring to the tendons of my right wirst and the muscles of my right fore arm. They took about a year to regain flexibility through intensive (2-3 hours a day) physio, and it's only five years on that they are getting back to their previous strength.

How did you get the scar tissue? It depends on how the scarring occured and how deep it is (different healing paterns) and what structures it crosses as to what should be done.

If you are having problems go and see your GP.

Good luck anyway and I hope it doesn't get in the way of the climbing too much.

Rabbits

In reply to Little Fluffy Rabbits:
The scar tissue from a tendon repair on my ankle took over five years to start going, had to wear oversized boots to stop further injury. Gentle exercise seens to be the only way for some things.

In reply to Little Fluffy Rabbits:

Due to an injury on that finger. It's at the base of my finger where it joins the hand. Nothing major just general tendon strain that built up over a few weeks. With hindsight I should have rested it completely but......!!!

When I climb now I get a dull ache afterwards and it definitely feels weaker than my left ring finger.

In reply to Anonymous:

Have you tried strapping it when you climb? 25mm elastoplast fabric strapping is a good size for fingers. About £3 for 4.5m from Boots.

Wrap the finger in tape starting 5mm from the nail. Overlap each turn by about 5mm. The tape should go right to left across your finger. When you reach the back of your hand, continue the tape down towards and under your tumb, and then across your wrist right to left. Finish off by taking the tape up the back of your hand so that it crosses itself. When you wrap your finger, you want it to be in a natural resting position, i.e. slightly curved.

The tape is reasonably stretchy so you can move your fingers, and quite grippy so you don't lose too much friction on the rock.

There are lots of other strapping techniques for supporting fingers, so speak to a sports physio about it.

P.S. If you strap fingers on your left hand, all the tape should go left to right.

In reply to Simon1000:

NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo

leave it alone, remember what DR & Quinch taught us-

"Chicks dig Scars"

In reply to Ogre:

A certain amount of scar tissue is manly and suggests character -Dr and Quinch


JK

In reply to Simon1000:

Need more information. Skin or deeper? What it the problem exactly: pain (scars are often hypersensitive), hypertrophy (too much scar tissue, gets in the way) or cosmesis?

Skin scarring responds really well to Silicone Gel. The scar becomes flatter, less tender and not as red. I think the gel is supposed to promote oxygen absorbtion....or summat. Deep scarring (tendon etc.) needs deep friction massage + "hand unit" (high frequency vibration, basically) + perhaps Ultrasound + stretching. I wouldn't have thought US on its own would have much effect on a year-old scar.

You'd be amazed what a change a few sessions of the above can bring. You need to find a good hand therapist (specialist Physio. or Occupational Therapist) to do all this.

In reply to Simon1000:simon, i've got the same problem with my left ring finger. as yours is ok perhaps we could do a deal ?

In reply to duncan:

Deeper. I can feel a lump covering the tendon. When I press this or crimp anything small I get a dull ache.

Cheers

In reply to Simon1000: Don't strap it with tape, this will only weaken it in the short term.Long term you will really bugger your tendon as you forget to put the strapping on!

In reply to Simon1000:I've got exactly the same problem on my right ring finger which first started around November. The physio has been treating it with ultrasound and masage but it is'nt any better. I can't wait five years to go back to rock climbing! Please somebody help!!!