UKC

Two weeks ago I suddenly developed an injury on my ring finger. Hanging of edges (open hand) and especially pinching, I feel a sharp pain on the top side of my ring finger. It’s not near the joints, but in between. There’s not much there to injure, is it? Just bone and the extensor tendon. 

What’s puzzling me the most, is how on earth I got this injury.  Started the day after climbing outdoors. I cannot recall crimping, twisting in finger pockets or jamming during that day of rock climbing.

I’ve been doing my 3x weekly routine on the Beastmaker to strength my fingers, for over three years now,  but haven’t increased the load or frequency. Only thing I’ve increased was the Kilter board sessions. Went from 6C - 7A to doing 7B - 7C consistently, two sessions a week (and skipping the Beastmaker on the Kilter days). Rested for ten days after developing this injury, but today any pinches on the Kilter board were unbearable..

OK, I have a long trip to Spain coming up in 4 weeks, so I’m staying off the Kilter board and the Beastmaker for now. Doing light exercises finger extensions with rubber bands and some indoor bouldering with open hand grip.

Any ideas what this injury is? Anything I can do, other than rest? Would still like to go to Spain in reasonable shape.

Finger extensions with rubber bands ok? Look up finger slips, tendon slips, extensor hood. Can hurt a lot but gets better. 

Like every single post of this nature: GO TO A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL, not randoms on the internet 

Already consulted two professionals, and they had no clue.

Making an appointment with a third one today.

Seems like the attachment of the central slip to the middle phalanx is injured. First climbing day in Spain in 30 days from now. Unless the professional advices otherwise, I'm going to give my fingers full rest. Takes a long while to build up finger strength, so probably won't loose too much in 30 days either.

Yeah it blows my mind people ask folk on here for injury diagnosis and treatment suggestions ! "Seen 2 specialists, seeing a third today, but I wonder what UKC thing"! Jeepers Creepers! 

A decent osteopath should be able to help. I've treated loads of finger/hand niggles over the years. Let me know where you live and I'll see if there's a good one close.

Any irritation that doesn't go away with stretching I tend to drink lots of turmeric water with a twist of black pepper. It's really good for inflammation  

It's not beyond the realms of possibility that someone else in our community will have experienced and had diagnosed the same, seemingly obscure, sort of injury before. Their input might lead to a more rapid or better diagnosis by the aforementioned professionals who are currently at a loss?

Have you tried acupressure rings?  I get a similar feeling occasionally and find that a good session or two of using the ring in the evening helps.

Chinese cupping might help, or 4-6 weeks on the keto diet. Have you asked PT Jack who seeks to help people with hand injuries on here?

Given the two mumbo jumbo suggestions below the evidence suggests otherwise.

An accupressure ring works absolutely fine to massage fingers.

Yes there’s loads of Chinese medicine bullsh!t about how it can cure all sorts of ailments unrelated to fingers, and that’s all Mumbo jumbo, but as a gentle finger massage they’re fine.

Frankly, I don’t believe in alternative therapies - cupping, acupuncture, raki healing and homeopathy and a whole host of others are all utter utter nonsense. 

But giving your fingers a rub with a spiky ring is hardly snake oil? Same as I use a massage ball in my back when that’s tight… it works.

Hahaha, best reply so far. I plead guilty. Shows how desperate I was when the PTs, recommended by my local gym, we’re unable to give a diagnosis or advice.

By the way, spoken to a proper expert today, will cost me two hours travel to see him, hopefully will be worth it. 

Well...

1) UKC hive mind contains some doctors and physiotherapists

2) it contains a lot of climbers who may have had similar experiences (have you never heard of patient support groups?); often people who've had similar ailments can help diagnose where medical professionals struggle

3) just because you're prepared to ask a question and listen to advice, doesn't mean you're going to uncritically accept that advice.

4) seeing a GP in person can be hard these days; seeing a specialist can be like trying to catch Moby Dick...

These specialists know a thing or two

youtube.com/watch?v=HMGIbOGu8q0&

Beat advice is probably to stop searching for a diagnosis! The likelihood is you (or anyone you see) won't be able to diagnose a specific structure that's causing your pain, or if they did I'd be suspicious. And even if someone did tell you it's X or Y, that won't change your management in the slightest. 

In your original post, you refer to this as "an injury", but what it sounds like is finger pain. Finger pain is quite normal for climber's to experience at times, it won't last forever and probably isn't the result of one specific structure. The nature of the soft tissue structures in your fingers often means that rest times that you'd usually expect an improvement in (10 days in your example), are insufficient and things take longer!

An interesting observation; your standard on a board has gone up, but you say your finger boarding intensity hasn't done so correspondingly. Providing progressive over load is key in strength and conditioning. The fingerboard work you were doing on 7A fingers is probably not half as effective on 7C fingers.

Hope this settles down quickly and you will definitely get to enjoy your Spain trip! 

None of whom have examined the OP

Who, on the whole, aren't medical experts and if they are then see 1)

I would definitely recommend not accepting advice 'uncritically' 

Yes, but a GP wouldn't be my go-to. Physio is would be my choice 

Do you think that in the middle term a keto diet could help with recovery of the soft tissue structures on a macular level?

I actually started doing less finger boarding. Being over 50, and managing a busy job, family, and some health issues, I find that I can still do (and still enjoy) relatively hard climbing, but I feel as fragile as an eggshell. I started training more on the Kilter and Moon boards, because these prepare me better for outdoor sport routes than the parcour and compressions style boulder problems in the gym. But a good board session requires at least a full day of rest, sometimes more.

As you mentioned recovery time, I'm going for the ultimate test in patience tomorrow. Make a camp fire, sleep under the stars, walk a slack line, and watch my sons climb as I belay them.

I couldn't possibly comment I'm afraid Simon.

I take your point, but take mine: even the advice "if you're not getting anywhere with a GP, go see a physio" can be really helpful advice, born out of experience, that may not have occurred to someone.

Now that is good advice. It's just the 'you definitely have this condition and you need to do this routine to fix it' advice that I don't think all that advisable to follow