UKBouldering.com

Middle finger pain (Read 4263 times)

Alex Smurthwaite

Offline
  • **
  • addict
  • Posts: 126
  • Karma: +1/-0
  • "If you don't let go, you can't fall off !" Jerry
Middle finger pain
May 25, 2017, 01:22:29 pm
I've had pretty bad  pain in my left middle finger for the past month or so. The only climbing I've done is an  easy circuit at bridestones maybe twice a week.

Been soaking it in ice water twice a day and followed instructions from a hand doctor. It's not improved at all. Even though it's apparently only a minor strain.

I've now developed a similar pain in my right middle finger. Any ideas for what it may be and treatment.

I've been super careful to open hand eveything with my right since my left started hurting. So not sure how it's got injured.

Cheers

bigironhorse

Offline
  • ****
  • junky
  • Posts: 767
  • Karma: +16/-0
    • YouTube
#1 Re: Middle finger pain
May 25, 2017, 02:15:03 pm
Where exactly does it hurt? Does it hurt all the time or just when you press it?

Alex Smurthwaite

Offline
  • **
  • addict
  • Posts: 126
  • Karma: +1/-0
  • "If you don't let go, you can't fall off !" Jerry
#2 Re: Middle finger pain
May 25, 2017, 03:36:03 pm
Lower part of my finger closest to the ring finger. I have to press in a very specific place to feel any pain. Which is why im struggling to work out what it is

petekitso

Offline
  • **
  • player
  • Posts: 103
  • Karma: +8/-0
#3 Re: Middle finger pain
May 25, 2017, 04:48:00 pm
*anecdotal medical advice alert*

Do you have full range of motion in the finger - especially the PIP joint?

Alex Smurthwaite

Offline
  • **
  • addict
  • Posts: 126
  • Karma: +1/-0
  • "If you don't let go, you can't fall off !" Jerry
#4 Re: Middle finger pain
May 25, 2017, 08:27:26 pm
Yeah full range in both fingers through all joints

monkoffunk

Offline
  • ****
  • forum abuser
  • Posts: 733
  • Karma: +61/-0
  • sponsored by 90% lindt and vitamin D
#5 Re: Middle finger pain
May 25, 2017, 09:27:08 pm
It's a pulley, it's always a pulley. Always.

Alex Smurthwaite

Offline
  • **
  • addict
  • Posts: 126
  • Karma: +1/-0
  • "If you don't let go, you can't fall off !" Jerry
#6 Re: Middle finger pain
May 25, 2017, 09:41:10 pm
It's a pulley, it's always a pulley. Always.

Figured it would be. Any tips on getting it sorted and staying climbing strong without climbing?


monkoffunk

Offline
  • ****
  • forum abuser
  • Posts: 733
  • Karma: +61/-0
  • sponsored by 90% lindt and vitamin D
#7 Re: Middle finger pain
May 25, 2017, 10:08:47 pm
Ok, firstly there are no quick fixes. Pulleys have poor to no blood supply they do not heal like a muscle tear. You need to be patient.

That said you appear to be fortunate in that the symptoms as you have described them are at the mild end of the spectrum despite the fact it has clearly been bothering you for a few weeks. Essentially at this point in your recovery your priorities are not making it worse and not stopping entirely. So keep climbing, tape your PIP joint so you can't bend your finger, do not tape around the pulley itself. Climb carefully and in control and open handed. You don't want shock load it. Don't bone really hard on anything. Select your problems carefully and immediately sack off anything that hurts it. If things seem to be improve think about adding in some controlled static open handed dead hangs in a couple of weeks or so.
 

monkoffunk

Offline
  • ****
  • forum abuser
  • Posts: 733
  • Karma: +61/-0
  • sponsored by 90% lindt and vitamin D
#8 Re: Middle finger pain
May 25, 2017, 10:09:48 pm
Oh, and read 'Make or Break'.

Alex Smurthwaite

Offline
  • **
  • addict
  • Posts: 126
  • Karma: +1/-0
  • "If you don't let go, you can't fall off !" Jerry
#9 Re: Middle finger pain
May 25, 2017, 10:17:31 pm
Ok, firstly there are no quick fixes. Pulleys have poor to no blood supply they do not heal like a muscle tear. You need to be patient.

That said you appear to be fortunate in that the symptoms as you have described them are at the mild end of the spectrum despite the fact it has clearly been bothering you for a few weeks. Essentially at this point in your recovery your priorities are not making it worse and not stopping entirely. So keep climbing, tape your PIP joint so you can't bend your finger, do not tape around the pulley itself. Climb carefully and in control and open handed. You don't want shock load it. Don't bone really hard on anything. Select your problems carefully and immediately sack off anything that hurts it. If things seem to be improve think about adding in some controlled static open handed dead hangs in a couple of weeks or so.

Cheers man. Really helpful

thekettle

Offline
  • **
  • menacing presence
  • Posts: 203
  • Karma: +27/-0
    • johnkettle.com
#10 Re: Middle finger pain
May 26, 2017, 11:48:54 am
Maybe have a listen to Esther Smiths recent podcast about treating finger injuries on TrainingBeta (episode 76). Not necessarily a pulley injury ;-)

monkoffunk

Offline
  • ****
  • forum abuser
  • Posts: 733
  • Karma: +61/-0
  • sponsored by 90% lindt and vitamin D
#11 Re: Middle finger pain
May 26, 2017, 02:31:36 pm
I've started diagnosing all my patients with pulley injuries regardless of presenting complaint. Right iliac fossa pain? Pulley injury. Sudden onset severe occipital headache? That's a pulley. Central crushing chest pain? You guessed it. Pulley injury. Never fails to get a result. Every demented 80 year old back crushing 8B in no time.

SA Chris

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 29235
  • Karma: +631/-11
    • http://groups.msn.com/ChrisClix
#12 Re: Middle finger pain
May 26, 2017, 03:20:31 pm
Even stabbing and shooting pains?

Or are these normally caused by stabbing and shooting?

monkoffunk

Offline
  • ****
  • forum abuser
  • Posts: 733
  • Karma: +61/-0
  • sponsored by 90% lindt and vitamin D
#13 Re: Middle finger pain
May 26, 2017, 03:51:57 pm
Most common cause still pulleys.

benno

Offline
  • **
  • menacing presence
  • Posts: 191
  • Karma: +15/-0
#14 Re: Middle finger pain
May 27, 2017, 07:48:58 am
I don't think this adds much to the advice already given (did someone mention it was probably a pulley?), but having it in both middle fingers and open handing everything sounds similar to issues I've had. Is your middle finger more flexed than your index and ring when you drag a 3 finger edge? My middle finger tends to roll outwards towards my ring finger in that position and I think that torque is what fucks them up. It might be worth trying to half crimp things as well to give it some lateral support from your other fingers.

Alex Smurthwaite

Offline
  • **
  • addict
  • Posts: 126
  • Karma: +1/-0
  • "If you don't let go, you can't fall off !" Jerry
#15 Re: Middle finger pain
May 27, 2017, 09:55:55 am
I don't think this adds much to the advice already given (did someone mention it was probably a pulley?), but having it in both middle fingers and open handing everything sounds similar to issues I've had. Is your middle finger more flexed than your index and ring when you drag a 3 finger edge? My middle finger tends to roll outwards towards my ring finger in that position and I think that torque is what fucks them up. It might be worth trying to half crimp things as well to give it some lateral support from your other fingers.

I used to half crimp everything. Tended to only full crimp outdoors. I've started to drag everything as it's the only grip type that doesn't make it feel like my fingers going to explode. Starting to half crimp on bigger holds is something I want to try. As I've always been strongest in half crimp as a pose to any other grip type

 

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal