UKC

Hello!
I was bouldering indoors on Sunday, and when on a crimp I heard a ripping sound (sounded like 3 separate rips) in my left ring finger and fell.
It hurt a bit but felt ok after an hour or so, so like a fool I climbed (on easier routes) and it happened again, but more painfully.

I've been icing it and contrast bathing it, as I found recommendations to do so online. And been taking ibuprofen. I also went to a GP as I am a professional pianist so I'm a bit neurotic about such things..
Anyway. He said it sounded like a partially torn pulley tendon, and referred me, but the specialist today said that it was impossible to partially tear a tendon, and insinuated that I imagined the sound and said my finger was "fully functional".. (I didn't, and it's not)
It's not stupidly painful, but I am having a lot of trouble bending the joint nearest the nail.. It hurts a bit if I put any pressure on it, but it's not severe pain and there is a little bit of swelling and tenderness below the joint, but not much and no bruising.

I was wondering if anyone else had experienced this, and what you'd recommend..?

Thanks

In reply to berthathegerbil:

Not the tearing sound, but variously a 'pop' and a 'thonk'.

Tape, rest, massage, and more rest - for longer than you think is reasonable, and beyond the point in time when you think it's OK again.

You cannot climb pretending that you are not using that finger. It doesn't work.

Gradually use hand exercisers of increasing resistance - the best ones are those that support the whole finger - the Metolius red ball and rubber band thingy or, best of all, 'Eggsercisers' starting with a green one and building up.

The spring based ones are not ideal for rehab of pulleys.

In reply to nniff:
Thanks, yeah I've got the Metolius Ball/Rubber band thing, but will get an eggserciser as the rubber band is a bit beyond me yet.
It was definitely a tear sound, kind of like the sound of ripping corrugated cardboard, but higher pithced.. But sounds like it's probably similar if not the same.
Thanks again

In reply to berthathegerbil:

So is it possible to partially tear a tendon? I've seen lots of evidence online that it is.. But the 'Specialist' said they either snap or don't...
I'm just curious now, really..

In reply to berthathegerbil: It is possible to partially tear a tendon, your "specialist" is wrong.

If you hold, or get someone else to hold, all of your uninjured fingers still, then hold the middle knuckle of the injured finger still, can you still bend the tip? That's a really poor description of the examination, but it basically isolates your FDP tendon. If you can bend it that tendon is intact. Do the same for middle knuckle - if you can bend that with the rest isolated your FDS tendon is intact.

Sounds more likely that you've torn, or partially torn, a tendon pulley though. If it is you certainly shouldn't climb. Rest, ice and NSAIDs (ibuprofen) for the first 3-5 days. As the pain starts to subside introduce a GRADUAL rehab program that doesn't involve climbing. You could be looking at anywhere from 4 - 12 weeks recovery time. Loads of good articles online about pulley injuries and the how to rehab them.

Hope this has been of some help.

In reply to Gerrard:
Thanks Gerrard. Yes, I can just about move the tip. It's difficult, and doesn't move a lot, but it does a bit so must be intact.
I've been researching it quite a lot today so found some good advice online, and I agree it sounds more like a tendon pulley, which is a relief.
Thanks again for your help.

Not in a finger, but I heard that sound when I tore a ligament in my knee. A high pitched tearing noise.

Definately follow the advice above, particularly the bit about leaving it longer than you think. Otherwise it'll just go again, and be even worse, ask me how I know...

In reply to berthathegerbil: something something something..... professional penis....

sounds like your doing the right sort of thing and yeah rest it. im not disiplined enough to do that myself

In reply to naffan: I partially tore right middle finger pulley tendon around the end of April. Have done some rest, some ice, some taping, but not really been disciplined enough about these things, so I am still suffering, although it is slowly improving.
Have done my best to avoid crimpy climbing, but after 5 days initial rest I have ben climbing around twice a week since, not the best strategy for recovery, but months without climbing is an even worse prospect. The middle finger mono on the crux of Rock Dancer E1 at Carn Kenidjack was a setback1

In reply to berthathegerbil:

Be careful.

Once I had a wet tearing noise in my shoulder and now its made of plastic.

In reply to homing-penguin:
Yikes, that doesn't sound good!
Thanks everyone for all your help. I think rest seems to be the key then....

In reply to naffan:
Sorry, I only just got the professional penis joke! Very good

In reply to berthathegerbil: Hi, I loaded one finger with full body weight, very sharp hold indoors. Caused lots of pain, of to Drs and was told just bruising so continued to climb= more pain. Finally did some research and discovered that its prob partial tendon tear. Have been giving it full rest for about 6 weeks now, I tried climbing and it just caused pain.

In the last week I have been using thera putty. Its been amazing, I have allmost full range of movment and alot less pain. Look at Dave's site its really helpfull.

I did that too, more than likely tendon pulley. Dave Macleod's blog has a superb article on rehab, it worked for me anyway, and I found the cold water treatment nothing short of miraculous.

In reply to berthathegerbil:

If its under your last joint that there is swelling then I think you may have torn your volar plate ligament. It stops the joint from overextending and I heard a very clear wet-ripping sound when I did mine in last year on a mono-crimp thing. Wasn't overly painful to start with and I even tried to finish the route.

Does it seem a bit easy to over-extend now? Compare to its opposite number..

You can either tear it or over-stretch it - is there bruising or just swelling? If it is not bruising in there then you probably have just over-stretched it and rest, Dave Mac's rehab plan then supporting the joint from over-extension after with tape is advisable
If its bruising under the joint then get back to your specialist and get him/her to take a proper look.

Good luck mate