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littlejames
Feb 22, 2006, 5:06 AM
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Registered: Apr 19, 2005
Posts: 54
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G'day all,
About eight days ago I tweaked my finger at the gym on a tiny little crimp/pocket. The finger is fine when it's extended, and opening/closing my hand without load doesn't produce anything painful or unusual, but the area just above the base of the finger is a little tender when crimping or pulling with it.
I had a chat to a physio about it, who prodded and basically said it was a mild sprain of one of the tendons or pulleys around the area, probably the A1. She recommended a week off, which I took. I tried climbing again last night, tape and no small holds and so on, and although it certainly didn't get any worse, the slight tenderness is still there.
Anyone else had experience with really mild injuries like this? If so, can you pass it on, as well as any ideas for recuperation?
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mikej
Feb 22, 2006, 7:39 PM
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Registered: Feb 7, 2006
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this is really common. Put tape on your fingers on the 2 lower pads of your finger (not on the knuckle) relatively tight, but not to restrict blood flow too much. this should help give your pulleys or tendons a break. maybe start traversing on bigger holds or work on things that dont hurt the finger. When this stuff happens, its a good time to start working on endurance or core stregnth.
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adklimber
Feb 22, 2006, 8:34 PM
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Registered: Jan 27, 2006
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This is a big reason I started training in the first place. I have done this a few times now, and decided to train smart. I took a week off and then started doing ARC training for 5 weeks (with tape). I am now in the HYP phase and I still use tape (If you haven't read Rockprodigy's training article; read it!). It hasn't hurt in the last 7 weeks now. I also make sure to have a long warm-up. First on the tread mill for about a mile, then stretch, then easy traversing, before I start anyting difficult.
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stars_of_crack_and_smears
Feb 22, 2006, 9:06 PM
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Registered: Dec 15, 2005
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Believe it or not, you may have strained the A2 pulley depending on where you actually feel the pain. The A1 pulley is found on the distal (furthest away) part of your metacarpal bone over the metacarpophalangeal (MP) joint. Injuring this pulley is felt slightly above where the crease of the palms are located. The A2 begins at about your palm calluses and extends down to the meaty part of the first phalanx.
The same thing happened to me about 6 weeks ago and I found that there were already a few threads that cover the injury, so the related threads at the bottom of the page should help out. The only thing I would add is glucosamine /chondroitin has seemed to help me. I take three 500mg tabs a day and I feel that it's helped strengthen the pulley. However, I don't think it's helped it heal faster so don't take it to mean that it will get you back sooner.
Also I started employing the "x taping" method found in Horst books to immobilize the finger when climbing. I think that this has helped keep the tendon from "sliding" over the inflammed portion of the pulley a little bit.
Hears a pic...
Hope it helps,
SoCaS
http://www.wheelessonline.com/image2/phl3.jpg
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