Chockstone Forum

      Sponsored By
      ROCK
   HARDWARE

Chockstone Photography

Australian Landscape Prints

Chockstone Forum - Accidents & Injuries

Report Accidents and Injuries

Topic Date User

Finger inflamation help 14-Mar-2013 At 2:25:41 PM EvDog

Message

My ring fingers have always been far weaker than the others and I have had problems with both, namely a2 pulley tendon problems which it sounds like you might have. Dave MacLeod has a great blog about climbing through such injuries, when you can and when you cant etc, check it out Http://onlineclimbingcoach.blogspot.com.au/2010/05/pulley-injuries-article.html . If its swollen don't climb is the basic answer, if you return and the swelling comes back you have returned too soon, stop again. 4 weeks usually does it but there is no strict rule. Anti inflamatories don't help, swelling increases blood supply to the injured area and assists healing, leave it be. Tendons always feel better under load so the fact that it feels fine when climbing and only gets sore afterwards is un surprising: it doesn't mean it's ok to climb on. When you do return climb low angle stuff well below your limit in complete control and you will limit your risk of re injuring yourself, typically injury comes from sudden loads like slipping a foot or dynoing to crimps etc. Taping takes about 10% of the load off your tendons when pulling staticky but won't save you if you shock load them. Take a break then take it easy is my usual approach when my ring fingers crap out.