UKC

I torn the tendon/pulleys at the base of my ring finger quite badly a few years ago, which took several months to heal before I could climb again.

I doesn't hurt in normal day to day usage any more, and is fine if I'm climbing relatively easy stuff, but if I'm climbing hard stuff (for me) I can often feel tingling/hotness in the area (base of the finger), and sometimes for a day or two afterwards.

This makes me worry that I might be close to damaging it again (I presume it won't be as strong as it was originally).
Is there any effective way of taping the finger to help?

In reply to Glen:

When I've had pulley problems, I've found that the simple act of taping the finger helps because it makes me aware of it and I'm therefore more careful. Could also try taping it to the neighbouring finger so that it does less work and is supported.

In reply to Glen: I read that taping is pretty much pointelss from a preventative point of view and the psychological effect of doing it can cause you to try harder than you would without it thus is actually worse than climbing without any tape.

In reply to higherclimbingwales:

I thought it might not be very useful, but I wondered if there were any methods that I wasn't aware of. As Ava says above, being more aware of it because if the tape might be useful I suppose.

In reply to Glen:

I found this useful when I tore my A2 pulley: youtube.com/watch?v=m0hl8cT4OeM&

In reply to Glen:

http://www.ukbouldering.com/wiki/index.php/Pulley_Injuries_:_The_Science

In reply to higherclimbingwales:

I've read that too. My condsidered opinion after 30 years of climbing with iffy pulleys is that it does not apply to me.

For example, I had a dim attack earlier this week and taped the wrong finger. Cranking hard, something started to tweak. Having learnt my lessons the hard way, I hopped off. I rubbed my finger and then realised what was wrong.

The tape gives me enough support to stop me pinging a pulley again (mostly). They feel weak and iffy without it. It's my ring fingers that are the problem. You'd have thought that after all these years my pulleys would have sorted themselves out, but no. I had endless problems until someone invented taping tendons and then normal servic was mostly resumed.

In reply to bentley's biceps: They tested the tendon failure point using cadaveric hands!!! That must have been a weird experiment to walk in on!! :-D