[Paul B]

I've just returned from Font. On the last few days of the trip I started to get a bit of pain in my hand which I put down to the cold weather aggravating an old break as last feb, I broke my 4th and 5th metacarpels (amongst other things) in a car accident. However, I'm now sat in my nice warm flat and my other breaks aren't aching at all.
I climbed on it the other night and didn't really notice it much apart from when I was crimping hard and needed my little finger on the hold.
The pain seems to be around the 5th, on the side of the hand and palm side in the same location when pressure is applied. I.e. jabbing it with a finger or pushing on tables etc. If I push my little finger into the palm of my hand with the others straightened it also aches in the same place.
Has anyone got a clue what this might be? Maybe an overly violent slap for a finishing hold has caused some bruising? Obviously given my history i'm very wary of causing any unnecessary problems. As usual, thanks for the advice in advance!
Paul

[fatdoc]

hmmm...

GCW will no doubt assist.... IMHo (and not that good for this sort of thing) I's say perhaps either acute swelling over old fracture callus... or arthritis in base of 4th MC?? did the fracture enter a joint??

[Paul B]

no it didn't

[fatdoc]

If it helps back in the day there was a really violent slap on a route I pull many days into in buoux. One day I felt real strong, got a bit giddy and basically slapped the cliff like the whore she was ( you get the idea),

My palm was so sore I bagged the route for 2 weeks and went to volx instead!!

[Paul B]

Thanks doc!
I talked to Nic down the wall and he didn't seem to think it was anything too serious, just some bruising etc.

[slackline]

I too have a pain in my hand, but need no advice as to where it came from as I managed to stick a large craft knife I found lying in the road riding home yesterday into my right-hand palm this morning whilst trying to get some polystrene over the blade to take it in my pannier to the police station.  Fortunately its not too deep and hasn't required any stitches.  Feel like a right fuck-wit!!!  No slopers for me, which is kind of good as it will encourage me to actually work on my finger strength (which is pretty non-existant).

[SA Chris]

Grim. Hope you gave it a good clear/ When did you last get a tetanus injection?

[GCW]

Sorry, on nights so missed this.

If you keep all your other fingers straight then bend you pinkie into the palm, does it hurt?  And where?
Sounds like it could be bruising around the A2 region, although a palmar/deep intermetacarpal ligament strain is possible.

Which side of your palm crease is the pain and tenderness?  Nearer the fingers or nearer the wrist?

[slackline]

Grim. Hope you gave it a good clear/ When did you last get a tetanus injection?

Yep, rinsed under cold water straight away, applied pressure to stem bleeding, then wiped with anti-septic wipe.  Minor Injuries repeated this and gave it a good rinse out with sterile water.  Had a tetanus booster at the same time as I can't remember if I had one prior to going to Thailand a couple of years ago.

Just feel like a twat as a few minutes thought would have revealed a far safer/easier way of covering the blade, even thought whilst doing it to be very careful as I didn't want to stab myself in the hand, thats what I get for rushing things in the morning though!

[GCW]

Had a tetanus booster at the same time as I can't remember if I had one prior to going to Thailand a couple of years ago.

So you got a prick in the arse because you couldn't remember having a prick in the arse?

[slackline]

Had a tetanus booster at the same time as I can't remember if I had one prior to going to Thailand a couple of years ago.

So you got a prick in the arse because you couldn't remember having a prick in the arse?

No I don't think I was the nurses cup of tea as I got the fab in my upper arm 

[Paul B]

Sorry, on nights so missed this.

If you keep all your other fingers straight then bend you pinkie into the palm, does it hurt?  And where?
Sounds like it could be bruising around the A2 region, although a palmar/deep intermetacarpal ligament strain is possible.

Which side of your palm crease is the pain and tenderness?  Nearer the fingers or nearer the wrist?

Thanks GCW,
Yes it hurts. Where; about a cm lower than what I'd generally feel with an A2 injury and TBH its more on the side of the hand.
The palm crease thing, I'm not sure if i'm understanding you correctly but I THINK its nearer the fingers but like I said it seems a bit lower than the A2.
Today I went out again and the colder it got the worse the pain seemed to be. I didn't seem to notice it all whilst crimping fairly hard. Now its still a little sore when pressure is applied.
I don't know if that info is useful.

[GCW]

If you gently keep your fingers straight, then bend at the knuckles the crease across your palm is what I'm on about.  Essentially this is the level of your MCPJ on the palmar side.  If the pain is around that level it may be joint related, something like capsular strain or lateral lig sprain.
To be honest, it doesn't sound like something that can't be sorted with the usual.  Again, see someone if you want a proper answer.

Good luck!

[Paul B]

Yeah its just a tad closer to the finger than the crease. Very close to where I had the break I think. I'll just do the usual stuff and see how it goes, if it gets worse then I'll change my plan.
Thanks.

[GCW]

Was it a Boxer's # you had? (Vth MC neck).  If so it may just be pain post fracture.

Your plan sounds fine though.

[Paul B]

They did refer to it as a fighters injury (the only problem being that I picked a fight with a dashboard it would seem!)... Sounding more and more likely?

[GCW]

Quite possibly.  Neck fractures often give some pain around that area, especially when it's cold.
It may be a long term issue if that is the case, but I'd do the usual in the first instance.

[Paul B]

Yeah, my thinking was if anything would hurt in cold weather it would be my leg (which it does) but nowhere near the hand. It IS a year older though.