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aahi
Aug 22, 2003, 11:24 PM
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Registered: Aug 22, 2003
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I've been resting the last week and a half, no climbing at all for another week. The reason: I'm not quite sure maybe you can help. I've been climbing for about 2.5 years, I climb regularly about 3 times a week, gym and crag. I've always been pretty conservative, not climbing anything too hard. I'm a consistant 5.11 climber (sport). recently I was a climbing trip and discovered that I was much stronger than I thought when i flashed a 12a, and an 11d, both my first climbs of the grade. Feeling confident I climbed a particular 12a at my home crag 3 times since then with not much warm up or stretching, I also would jump right ahead on the hard gym routes, trying to climb as many hard routes (mostly including small crimps in all directions such as undercling, side pull, and gaston) as possible in very little time. (I'm also trying to train for a trip to europe). I started feeling little pains in my wrist when picking things up, after climbing a little they would go away. Finally they have been bothering me so much (the pains) that I decided to stop climbing completely for a week, icing, stretching, and massaging. Yet today, 9 days after my last session, the pains are still there a little, so I'll be resting even more. The pains are right under my wrists, and also include a couple of tendons in my forearms. I feel that maybe i over strechted my self as far as climbing hard with out much warm up, cool down, or stretching. (the 12a I was trying over and over also had some pretty nasty underclings on it) Is this a common thing?, has anyone experienced this, is it some form of tendonitis? have I been just overtraining? I am frustrated because I've had a clean slate as far as climbing injuries, always recovering quickly from sore fingers and muscles, this time however they are lingering. My forearms feel pretty tight, so I've been strechting pretty frequently lately. If anyone has had anything similar please give me some input, i'd love to know that this wont be a permanent thing I'll have to deal with.
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drucasinoble
Aug 22, 2003, 11:52 PM
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Registered: Jan 18, 2003
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I have had similar problems, but never for as long. My pain manifested itself after about a week of working one of the green power putty globs all the freakin' time ( trying to wreak havoc on a particular nasty chip pinch). So I took a little while off, but when that didn't do the trick right away I looked at a few other factors that where probably playing at least a small part in my belated recovery. How do you sleep (on your back, side, stomach, etc.)? If you sleep on your stomach or side it can put your hands in ackward positions for hours on end. How much water do you drink? I was drinking lots of guinesses, seeing as how I wasn't climbing at the time, and hardly any water. Come to find out that water actually plays an important role in keeping your joints lubricated. If none of this seems to help, check out the thread on glucosamin and chondroitin.
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neadamthal
Aug 23, 2003, 12:30 AM
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Registered: Dec 2, 2002
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In reply to: The pains are right under my wrists, and also include a couple of tendons in my forearms THAT sounds like carpal tunnel syndrome. i think i have the start of that too. anyone know how long it takes to recover from carpal tunnel-otomy, or whatever the procedure is called??????
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ryanhos
Aug 23, 2003, 3:32 AM
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Registered: Mar 8, 2003
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In reply to: THAT sounds like carpal tunnel syndrome. i think i have the start of that too. anyone know how long it takes to recover from carpal tunnel-otomy, or whatever the procedure is called?????? General practitioners often mis-diagnose CTS. The only people who mis-diagnose it more are the general public who think every little wrist pain and tingle is CTS. Often it's nothing like CTS. You should see a hand and forearm specialist who can differentiate between CTS, double crush, pinched nerves in the neck, tendinitis of the thumb, or a stretched brachial plexus. The lack of standardized diagnosis criteria for this misunderstood disorder is the reason everybody is so confused about it. A general practitioner will generally give you Phalen's or Tinel's test, but will stop at that, being satisfied that you have CTS if either turns up positive. The closest thing to a "gold standard" in CTS diagnosis is an electromyographic needle examination and this is PAINFUL! Document your pain and go see a specialist before you kill the nerves in your hands. This may save you a painful diagnosis. And recovery time from a carpal tunnel release is variable, but new endoscopic techniques are making this proecdure less of a hassle. There is a doctor in S. IL with a radical endoscopic release that has seen great success. IANAD (I Am Not A Doctor)
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aahi
Aug 24, 2003, 2:13 PM
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Registered: Aug 22, 2003
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thanks for the feedback guys. yeah, i've been trying to drink tons of water and stretching and it has helped, I've also been swimming which I think is a good low impact work out. It's been much better but my tendons are still pretty sensitive, it seems like I'll be fine most of the day, then I grip something a little too hard and I irritate one of the tendons then it's sore for a couple of hours. I have a feeling it's become tendonitis. Anyone have any good tendonitis tips? Is it OK to start doing some light rehab even though you are slightly sore? I feel that not doing anything at all is keeping the tendons weak which makes them easily irritable. Any ideas? I still haven't been climbing.
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oldeclimber
Aug 26, 2003, 2:19 AM
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Registered: Jul 17, 2003
Posts: 125
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If you are over 18, take glucosamine or a glucosamine condroitin combo. It is a supplement that is great for soft tissue, tendon and joint repair. The way I understand it, you produce a similar amine naturally until you are about 18 years old, then it stops. So if you are starting to have joint problems you might want to try this supplement. Give it 30-60 days and I'll bet you will feel significantly better. I have never heard or seen any bad publicity on this supplement. The news is always positive, but check it out for yourself.
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petsfed
Aug 26, 2003, 2:34 AM
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Registered: Sep 25, 2002
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You need to start stretching your fingers thoroughly, especially if you plan on crimping like a madman. Before you stretch, warm up on a juggy traverse or something. Something that will get you pumped, but not strain you too much. Then stretch each hand, then each finger so you can get turn each finger most of the way perpendicular to your hand (this may take several weeks if you're not in the habit. DO NOT push "through" the pain. If it starts to hurt, you've gone to far, back it off some. It should feel like you're stretching, not tearing. Properly stretched, I can pull and crimp hard without feeling negative effects. If this doesn't help, stop climbing for a few weeks, then ease back into it, with stretching, and supportive taping (look elsewhere for info on that) but do not go too hard too fast or you will simply destroy your tendons again. If you do that, it could be years before your fingers heal. Finally, consult a physician or sports therapist (your gym may be able to suggest a good one).
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