UKC

Hi, so I was on a hard boulder problem which I hoped would be my first v8, but I felt a sharp ping go through my hands and down my wrist. There wasn't much if any pain, just shock from feeling my wrist ping. It didnt hurt after and it didn't swell at all, unless I wrap the tip of my ring finger over a small ledge and pull with it, then I feel pain in my wrist which amplifies if my pinky is curled up.

After a week off I went for a light climb and a similar thing happened to my other hand... This time there was no pop, just a lot of strain on an awkward 3 finger hold. Again it doesn't bother me in day to day activities, only when I pull on it open handed.

Iv booked an appointment with gp but it's in 2 weeks and he's not a climbing specialist, so I was wondering if anyone has any info or experience on this injury coz I can't seem to find anything on the web regarding it.

Much appreciated

Gile5

In reply to Gile5: I've just had a read around, and I'm no expert, but I imagine you've strained your flexor digitorum profundus at the musculotendinous junction, and unless you can't move the tip of your finger (of which an inability would imply a rupture requiring surgery), there's not much a Dr would be able to do for you (aside from advising rest and maybe ibuprofen...) - anyone else please jump in if I'm wrong! At least the only information I can find is on actual tendon ruptures and their management...

I've got a similar injury on my right ring finger and it's a bitch; I just rested and tried to half or close crimp as much as possible, which seems to take the load off that particular part (which kinda makes sense in my head, if your pulleys are taking some of the force, there's less force going directly through that FDP tendon) and it has just gradually gotten better....taken ages though and it's still not the same

Good luck with it. Bump for more replies cause I'd love to know how to fix mine properly too!

Links for interest that I've just found: http://www.aafp.org/afp/2006/0301/p810.pdf

Some other forum, long but interesting! http://climbinginjuries.com/forums/read.php?8,516

In reply to pandaling: This is more or less the self-diagnosis I came up with when I suffered a fingerboarding mishap a few years ago. There is very little literature about this kind of injury. All I can say is avoid anything that causes you pain when you climb but do keep it moving the best you can. Mine has now made essentially a full recovery but it was a very frustrating process.

In reply to Gile5: I have done exactly the same thing to both my ring fingers in the last mounth, and working as a climbing instructer at a wall resting it wasnt somthing i could fully do.

so i carryed on climbing on it after 2 days resting with ice, but avoided any open hand crimps and if pockets came up i used my middle finger a fore finger. and now their doing alright their a lot better but still not what it was before; hopefully another mounth down the line they will be fine.

but obvisolly dont over do it !! if it hurts, dont climb anymore for a bit. But i find my finger was fine untill they hit full extention.

In reply to Gile5: Thanks for the info, iv just made some interesting discovery that if I tape my pinky up so it doesn't bend much at the second knuckle then I can hang two finger pockets without any discomfort or pain what so ever randomly enough.

Would be interested to see if this helps any of you that also suffer.

Gile5