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dmr
Feb 11, 2004, 3:01 AM
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Day 1 - I slipped out of a pocket with my left middle and ring finger. The distal/last phalange of my ring finger took a good part of the load as I slipped. I felt some extension and discomfort on the pinky side of my forearm, about 6 inches down from my wrist. There is no pain anywhere to the touch (finger, palm, wrist and arm). I have pain only when loading the distal phalange of the ring finger. If the medial phalange is involved at all, the pain goes away.
Day 2 - Slight swelling of the left hand. Pain same as previous day. While sitting at the office I experience some tingling and numbness of the pinky and ring finger. Massaging the forearm makes it go away. I go to see my GP. "Strained a muscle in your forearm, ice your hand, take some Advil and rest."
I do my own research and my non-medical self diagnoses is that I have some sort of minor injury to the flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) itself or the tendon that attaches to it. The symptoms do not match the pulley issues that have been discussed here before.
Has anyone else had this type of injury? Should I expect a full recovery?
Thanks,
Derek
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nnowak
Feb 12, 2004, 9:04 PM
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This is almost exactly the same thing that happened to me this weekend.
I was climbing a roof left hand in three finger pocket, as I shift my weight I feel a pop in my forearm and that's it for my left ring finger
Same symptoms as above (although the swelling is really minimal, if it wasn't for my ring I wouldn't notice).
I also was looking at FDP injuries, I don't think I tore it (completly) as I can flex the distal phalanx w/ rest of finger immobilized.
Anyway I was thinking about resting for a week or so and then buddy taping it.
Hadn't seen a doc yet, but I wasn't going to unless I thought it was torn.
Anyone else have experience with this type of injury?
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dmr
Feb 13, 2004, 1:18 AM
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I never had to deal with these types of injuries when I was in my 20's. The swelling has gone down and no more numbness. I'm going to give it at least a week off and avoid shallow pockets for quite awhile. Everything seems to be working properly, not a complete tear for me either.
I have tried hanging off various holds in my garage. Nothing hurts expect for isolating the end of the finger. If it wasn't for that I wouldn't even know that I was injured.
Let's hope for a speedy recovery.
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nnowak
Feb 13, 2004, 4:14 PM
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Yeah, I never seemed to get hurt when I was a youngster either!
Damn that getting old! (which means I should probably give it a week longer than I was originally thinking)
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dmr
Oct 5, 2004, 2:44 AM
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A quick update to make this thread a little more valuable...
After about three weeks off, I eased back into climbing. Avoided anything that would cause pain. Crimps felt fine, open hand still bad.
After about three months, pain was virtually non-existent.
After six months, I was back to normal.
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magpie
Oct 19, 2004, 7:36 PM
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Did the same thing, dmr... Taped like mad for awhile (essentially casting my finger...), after about 3 mos did OK with minimal taping, and care not to provoke any pain. In 6 months able to climb crimps again without taping.
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fargoan
Oct 22, 2004, 5:12 AM
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hey dude.
i never saw your earlier post. a couple thoughts.
most likely, you strained a muscle or some tendons. tendons get tweaked all the time, to varying degrees. rest is the best.
there's a handful of muscles that it might have been, but because it was several fingers, it was one of the two flexor digitorum (you have a superficial, and a deep one, which control different joints in your fingers... if it was JUST the tip joints that caused the pain, then it was your digitorum). the mild tingling you were feeling in your ring and pinky fingers was a result of some irritation to your ulnar nerve, which controls sensation to those fingers. most likely, the swelling from a strain put some pressure on your nerve, which caused the tingling.
no big deals. sounds like things feel fine. you just strained things well. get back into things easy always after injury! jonathan
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andrewbanandrew
Jul 21, 2005, 11:45 PM
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I'm going to bump this massively old thread to ask a question about the exact same injury, ony on my right hand instead (same fingers though).
I strained mine back in the middle of May, only took 10 days off (haha I'm dumb) and then reinjured it on the 17th of June. I took 24 complete days off and began climbing again on easy stuff (taping for support) on the 12th of July.
I still feel moderate pain when loading the finger and I am wondering if I should stop climbing. A physical therapist that treated me when I severely sprained my ankle advised me to stop climbing even though I had rested for 3 weeks.
Any ideas?
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lhwang
Aug 8, 2005, 5:48 PM
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Ligament and tendon injuries are the worst! I sprained my ankle in April (the lowest grade of ankle strain possible) and I still occasionally have twinges of pain, especially if I've been taking 15 foot whippers. I avoided loading it fully for about 3-4 months, and it can take up to two years for any kind of tissue to completely remodel after an accident. Just be patient (frustrating I know).... but pain is your body's way of telling you to stop.
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akarnoup
Feb 15, 2006, 5:27 PM
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Same freaking injury!
Strained FDP on my left hand middle finger after reaching and pulling on a small hold in the gym. What sucks the most is that is was the route I set myself (~ 5.11, according to our gym climbers consensus), and it was the very last move on the route. Damn it!
It happened on X-mas 2005, and unfortunately I did not realize the seriousness of the situation until I attempted to train/climb hard again about a week later (early/mid Jan.2006). I think I aggravated the initial injury. After that I stopped climbing (it's been about 1 month now).
Initially (right after the move), pain shot though palm and into forearm. Even the slightest load on the fingertip of that finger caused pain. I went to the doctor, and he, by having me resist force by each individual phalanx, determined that it was the FDP tendon that I injured (FDS was fine). Because I was able to actively flex the terminal phalanx, he concluded that the tendon was not ruptured, but probably strained. Even then I did not have any pain in my hand when I was not loading the terminal phalanx of this one finger.
The distal phalanx flextion is normal and not painfil unless the finger is loaded. It's slowly getting better and I don't force it. Right now I still feel a bit of discomfort in the palm when I lightly load the finger (FDP), but pain does not extend to forearm anymore, and in general the everyday use of that finger (as in =E-- , for example ;) ) is a lot more comfortable.
I will go ice-climbing on Feb.23-26. I think I'll be all right, since the FDP is not used in ths type of climbing.
As for rock climbing, I'll probably give it a break till at least the end of March, and then, depending on how it feels, start climbing/training again, but really carefully.
Any opinions/advice? Thanks.
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aimeerose
Feb 16, 2006, 4:48 AM
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Okay, first off some basic anatomy.... the flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) is the deep one that goes to the end of your finger, the flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) stops at the middle section of your finger. In the finger, they are both tendons. The muscle bodies are in your forearm.
Biggest concern... if you can not bend the end of your finger with the rest of it in isolation, you may have avulsed (ripped off) the tendon from the bone. That requires medical treatment, so please see an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in hands.
Tendon tears take 2-4 months to heal. Just something to keep in mind when you only want to take a week off.
If you want some rehab advice check out www.climbinginjuries.com/finger.htm.
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dan_the_man
Mar 1, 2006, 2:23 AM
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I got the same injury at the gym last night on my right hand. I was lying back on a two finger pocket with my right hand to hit a two finger pocket with my left hand. Just as I got into the left pocket, my right middle finger blew, so all my weight went on my right ring finger. PAIN! I felt the tendon straight through my palm and down my forearm.
Some of you have suggested taping up after taking some time off. How do you suggest taping? Should I tape up my ring finger and wrist, just my finger, etc...?
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andrewbanandrew
Mar 3, 2006, 9:10 AM
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I taped religiously for the first 6 weeks I was back climbing
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jitterbugclimb
Apr 19, 2007, 7:35 PM
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My girlfriend has what seems to be the same injury. She was pulling into a two finger layback move and her fingers weren't into the pocket too well. She says she heard a tearing sound and came down. She says the pain is in her hand all the way down into her forearm when she tries to flatten her hand on a table or put pressure on the tips if her middle and ring fingers. She is experiencing (the day after) a bit of numbness in her hand by her pinky. How are other people's injuries healing up? What is the consensus for expected time off? She gets really down and cranky when she can't climb.
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b12yan88
Jul 19, 2007, 6:44 PM
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I think this just happened to me so i'll revive this thread.
Yesterday I slipped on a shallow two finger pocket in which i used my middle and ring finger. The middle one was still in there and i stupidly tried to pull a little on it. I heard a pop when it happened but i have a feeling that it was just my knuckle cracking from the pull.
I thought it was nothing and continued to climb an easy juggy problem. Then i felt as if something was wrong so i stopped. There was a slight pain originating from my middle finger and i think it came down my for hand and few inches down my wrist.
I started icing 20 minutes into it, At this point I had no swelling or numbness and minimal pain. It only hurt when i held onto something. Pain is still minimal when i hold onto stuff. My range of motion is almost full. The only thing I can't do fully is hyperextend the knuckle joint which I normally do to crack them. I can still bend at the distal phalanx when the other finger is held straight with no detectable pain.
I continue to ice and i add alternating heat cycles hours afterwards. There is still no swelling or none detectable. I decide to x tape it and leave it alone for a while. I continue icing before bed then go to sleep.
This is when i get worried. When i wake up the finger is still pretty much okay. But when i tried to lay my hand down flat on the table I feel a bump a little to the right of the middle of my palm(left hand). Its a strange sensation because it feels as though I don't have nerves in this area and something there is blocking sensation to my hand. Is this just normal swelling ? It also hurts slightly more today but i still have full range of motion and I can type with it just fine. WHAT's Wrong with me !!! OH nooo
(This post was edited by b12yan88 on Jul 19, 2007, 6:48 PM)
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perecrimp
Jan 26, 2010, 2:11 AM
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I am bumping this one as I have experienced the same injury i.e. popping sound while cranking on a two-finger pocket.
I consulted a physio and he is saying that its a strained flexor digitorium profondus (FDP) since the pain is only present upon putting pressure on the distal joint of my ring finger.
My question is this: most of posts describing FDP injuries seem to indicate that pain in the forearm was present. In my case, I do not have any pain in the forearm but just at the base of the finger (where it attaches to the hand, on the pinky side). So has my physio made the right diagnosis in your opinion?
Thanks
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johnwesely
Jan 26, 2010, 2:12 AM
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perecrimp wrote: I am bumping this one as I have experienced the same injury i.e. popping sound while cranking on a two-finger pocket. I consulted a physio and he is saying that its a strained flexor digitorium profondus (FDP) since the pain is only present upon putting pressure on the distal joint of my ring finger. My question is this: most of posts describing FDP injuries seem to indicate that pain in the forearm was present. In my case, I do not have any pain in the forearm but just at the base of the finger (where it attaches to the hand, on the pinky side). So has my physio made the right diagnosis in your opinion? Thanks
Is there pain when you press at the base of your finger?
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perecrimp
Jan 26, 2010, 2:21 AM
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Yes, there is pain when pressing down in the center and also around the base of the finger on the pinky side...
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johnwesely
Jan 26, 2010, 2:23 AM
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perecrimp wrote: Yes, there is pain when pressing down in the center and also around the base of the finger on the pinky side...
I am not qualified to say this, but it sounds like a pulley injury. Get some theraputty. Maybe someone far more qualified than myself will chime in.
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encipher
Jan 26, 2010, 3:27 AM
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I suffered a very similar injury about 5 months ago in the ring finger of my right hand. Foot slipped while pulling on a two finger pocket. I felt a jolt of pain run down all the way to my forearm muscle. There was also pain at the base of my finger.
I rested for a week, and went back and climbed moderately for a month. Crimping was fine, in fact i had no pain at all, but pulling open handed was very painful.
Here I am 5 months later, a few days ago I tried a problem that involved pulling very hard with my right hand on a three finger open handed hold. While I did not feel any pain in my muscle, I felt pain in the base of my finger. I had not loaded my finger since my injury and had not had any pain at all for the past 4 months, so it seemed like the right time to try again.
I guess I must have injured the A1 pulley as well as my tendon, and while it seems like the tendon has healed, the A1 pulley has yet to. It is very frustrating since I have not put any load what so ever on that finger for 5 months. I have been rehabing it correctly too. Anyone have any advice ?
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johnwesely
Jan 26, 2010, 3:28 AM
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encipher wrote: I suffered a very similar injury about 5 months ago in the ring finger of my right hand. Foot slipped while pulling on a two finger pocket. I felt a jolt of pain run down all the way to my forearm muscle. There was also pain at the base of my finger. I rested for a week, and went back and climbed moderately for a month. Crimping was fine, in fact i had no pain at all, but pulling open handed was very painful. Here I am 5 months later, a few days ago I tried a problem that involved pulling very hard with my right hand on a three finger open handed hold. While I did not feel any pain in my muscle, I felt pain in the base of my finger. I had not loaded my finger since my injury and had not had any pain at all for the past 4 months, so it seemed like the right time to try again. I guess I must have injured the A1 pulley as well as my tendon, and while it seems like the tendon has healed, the A1 pulley has yet to. It is very frustrating since I have not put any load what so ever on that finger for 5 months. I have been rehabing it correctly too. Anyone have any advice ?
How have you been rehabbing it without load?
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reno
Jan 26, 2010, 4:02 AM
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johnwesely wrote: encipher wrote: I suffered a very similar injury about 5 months ago in the ring finger of my right hand. Foot slipped while pulling on a two finger pocket. I felt a jolt of pain run down all the way to my forearm muscle. There was also pain at the base of my finger. I rested for a week, and went back and climbed moderately for a month. Crimping was fine, in fact i had no pain at all, but pulling open handed was very painful. Here I am 5 months later, a few days ago I tried a problem that involved pulling very hard with my right hand on a three finger open handed hold. While I did not feel any pain in my muscle, I felt pain in the base of my finger. I had not loaded my finger since my injury and had not had any pain at all for the past 4 months, so it seemed like the right time to try again. I guess I must have injured the A1 pulley as well as my tendon, and while it seems like the tendon has healed, the A1 pulley has yet to. It is very frustrating since I have not put any load what so ever on that finger for 5 months. I have been rehabing it correctly too. Anyone have any advice ? How have you been rehabbing it without load?
With non-load bearing exercises.
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encipher
Jan 26, 2010, 4:04 AM
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Yes I have, I've been following advice from Training for Climbing on injury rehab and have not even felt a "tingle" for the past 5 months. I have been fully taking care of it. I figured it was about time to test it out.. and its not been good. I am not re-injured, I just feel pain when pulling really hard on very shallow open handed grips. Anything else produces ZERO discomfort.
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johnwesely
Jan 26, 2010, 4:43 AM
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reno wrote: johnwesely wrote: encipher wrote: I suffered a very similar injury about 5 months ago in the ring finger of my right hand. Foot slipped while pulling on a two finger pocket. I felt a jolt of pain run down all the way to my forearm muscle. There was also pain at the base of my finger. I rested for a week, and went back and climbed moderately for a month. Crimping was fine, in fact i had no pain at all, but pulling open handed was very painful. Here I am 5 months later, a few days ago I tried a problem that involved pulling very hard with my right hand on a three finger open handed hold. While I did not feel any pain in my muscle, I felt pain in the base of my finger. I had not loaded my finger since my injury and had not had any pain at all for the past 4 months, so it seemed like the right time to try again. I guess I must have injured the A1 pulley as well as my tendon, and while it seems like the tendon has healed, the A1 pulley has yet to. It is very frustrating since I have not put any load what so ever on that finger for 5 months. I have been rehabing it correctly too. Anyone have any advice ? How have you been rehabbing it without load? With non-load bearing exercises.
I was under the understanding that non load bearing exercises were only going to help up to a certain point, and eventually, a progressive resistance program would need to be used to complete recovery. But, like I said, I am not an expert of any sort, nor am I even informed.
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reno
Jan 26, 2010, 3:37 PM
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johnwesely wrote: reno wrote: johnwesely wrote: How have you been rehabbing it without load? With non-load bearing exercises. I was under the understanding that non load bearing exercises were only going to help up to a certain point, and eventually, a progressive resistance program would need to be used to complete recovery. But, like I said, I am not an expert of any sort, nor am I even informed.
Maybe we're mixing terms. I take "load bearing exercise" to mean weight on the injured body part, rather than just resistance. That is, I can do wrist curls with a barbell (load bearing) or I can do wrist curls by using my other hand to provide resistance, but no weight (non-load bearing.)
I've no doubt that OAHM and Aerilli will chime in here if I'm mistaken. In fact, I sincerely hope they do chime in if I'm wrong.
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