UKC

A couple of months ago I started feeling a sharp pain in my right wrist shortly after starting my climb, normally when grabbing onto large holds with a wide grip, and its forced me to stop climbing. I've been to see the doctor who thinks its a tendon related issue, I've had an x-ray and I'm currently waiting for an ultrasound appointment on my wrist which will take another month or so.

I'm desperately bored of not climbing, as I used to go to the gym three times a week, so I've just signed up to a normal gym (the type with treadmills, not walls) to try and keep myself fit for when my wrist recovers.

Its really proved to me how much I enjoy climbing and I'm eager to get back on the wall. Reading climbing magazines and books, watching youtube videos and belaying my mates makes it harder.

Is anyone else off climbing with an injury right now, waiting for doctors appointments and test results?

Not completely off climbing but I have a shoulder injury that is stopping me from pulling on anything hard.  I can't cope with gym machines either - I just get too bored.

Wouldn't it be worth shelling out some cash for a quick private scan? Summer is almost here.

Go and see a decent sports physio, the majority of GP's are very good at many things, but accurately diagnosing sports injuries is not one of them. Scans can tell you part of the picture but not the whole thing, as they simply show a 2D image of a set of dynamic systems. An hour with a decent sports physio with a working knowledge of hand and wrist injuries will be far cheaper and significantly more beneficial than paying privately for a scan.

That's a really good idea actually, I'll have a look at it. The weird thing is, my wrist doesn't hurt any more... but that's because I don't climb so I hope there still something they can do. Thanks for the suggestion ????

It's so boring - I'm hoping to find a few climbing related exercises to help me out for when I get back. 

I had a funny shoulder a while ago (something to do with my rotator cuff) so I rested it for a couple of weeks and changed the way I stretched and that fixed it 

Annecdotally one of the most common wrist injuries for climbers is a strain in the TFCC ligament. 

This can be rehabbed with some regular wrist movements and a wrist support can be used to help return to climbing without re-injuring. 

My advice as mentioned above would be to stop waiting around and go get a private scan. 

Medial Meniscal Tear. Month four without climbing, month two of specialised Physio as they decided to try that instead of sending me straight to surgery. I'm not entirely sure why...its the NHS and although I'm grateful to be receiving any treatment it's terribly tedious and frustratingly slow. I've been told I'm looking at another month at least of this, then if no improvement a cortisone shot to help get through the recovery and if THAT doesn't work, surgery. 

Haven't had the balls to go the climbing wall since as I fear the jealousy might kill me. I've avoided climbing related media, thought it'd be too hard to watch under the circumstances but I watched both Bouldering World Cups over the last couple of weeks and honestly, it's inspired me to want to make sure I'm in the best shape I can be when I'm finally ready to return! So, just trying to keep in decent shape (also joined a 'normal gym') lots of weight training as I'm still relatively immobile. Oh and watching a lot of day time telly!

Sorry for the essay, I'm very bored these days

Good luck with all your results, would be interesting to hear what the problem is, hope it's good news and you can get back to climbing soon!

Or even better, find a physio who is qualified in ultrasound diagnosis. The physios at the private practice that I use are all ultrasound trained. It's the perfect combination really. It's in Oslo but I've seen a few British physios shadowing them so the UK must be catching on.

I think in years to come it will be pretty standard to have access to get ultrasound diagnosis during a private physio appointment. For things like tendons and pulleys it's the perfect combination because the effect of joint movement can be seen. MRI gives you a lot of information but it's a static image.

Go the slow route. I was sent straight for op. Bad bad move. I was years out.