First off my background. I started climbing indoors around 1.5 years ago. I have solely bouldered during this period. I have been away a couple of times to bouldering locations during my holidays. I climb 3 times a week indoors for 3 hours ago (including warm up, warm down and stretching).
Recently I started to feel a pain in my right wrist on the small finger side. It feels like a dull ache and tends to 'tingle' a little during the day. I broke my wrist a decade ago and have always had a weak wrist as a result. When I noticed this recent pain on problems at my limit I stopped climbing.
After a 1.5 weeks I started to do easier problems concentrating on my technique and movements. This has actually been really beneficial, and because the routes are easier I tend to do more in a session improving my climbing fitness. My wrist felt better after a few weeks of climbing these easier problems.
However if I try to go back to harder problems V5-V6 my right wrist starts hurting. Underclings and sideclings seem to put the most strain on it.
I am starting to think that this will only heal by completely ceasing climbing. As we all know the thought of stopping climbing for a few months is a hard one to stomach. Not being able to do something you love and the thought of loosing the hard gained strength. But perhaps thinking in the long term this is the thing to do.
Has anyone had a similar injury? Is stopping climbing the only solution? Any advice on maintaining fitness during this period or am I bound to loose it all?
For wrist strengthening try the second set of complex exercises at 2.40 youtube.com/watch?v=_7iJsEUQzRU& Do a few sets several times a week and see how you get on.
The first exercise is also a good general strength workout.
