[Nigel]

Alright chaps, so last Tuesday (one week ago) I was doing circuits at The Foundry, fairly crimpy. Then I did some crimpy bouldering, then some crimpy deadhanging. You get the idea. I suffered absolutely no pain or wierd sensations during the session or later that evening. I woke up next day and my top knuckle (DIP joint) was swollen, very tender to touch, and couldn't make a fist. I've never had one before but it sounds like an A4 pulley injury, although to be honest the pain is concentrated more on one side of the finger, on the line of the actual knuckle itself, rather than the section between knuckles.  First question - could it be anything else other than A4? Some kind of joint injury? I have no experience of this so thoughts are welcome. No pain when forcing finger sideways so maybe not collateral ligaments although like I say thoughts welcome.

Part II - I am going to Font on Saturday. I've rested since injury, iced, ibuprofen etc. Flexibility now normal although slightly sore at DIP joint when in a fist. The whole past week it has felt fine to "test" open hand and half crimp the edge of a table, very slight wierd sensation to full crimp. However soreness is worst with direct pressure to knuckle i.e. grabbing a jug. Question is, can I tape this injury effectively - how do you tape A4? Current plan is to tape finger so that crimping is impossible, then buddy tape to another. Does the soreness from direct pressure cause damage or not? Is it OK to pull hard open hand, or should I treat it as an easy circuits rehab week. Again, thoughts welcome. Cheers. 

[SOH]

I have also had a nasty time with a DIP injury. Like you, taken a week of rest and used Voltarol (diclofenac diethylammonium) usually three times a day, massaged onto the joint. I tried getting back slowly into a regime of easy climbing with some finger jug pull ups but not seen a massive amount of improvement. Would love to know anyone has been through this and come out fighting fit again

[Nigel]

Following is for information for people searching the site for injury info in the future:

So after a couple more days mulling this over with the help of the internet I have come to the conclusion that the injury is actually a collateral ligament sprain, maybe volar ligament sprain as well (volar is the one running across crease on pad side of finger). This is due to the fact that the pain was localised to the joint itself rather than near A4. Mechanism also suggests this – crimping hyperextends DIP joint which stretches volar ligament (and collateral if a sideways force too e.g. sidepulls – tick!). I had a flapper on DIP joint crease which I suspect meant the skin wasn’t offering support it should, ligaments overloaded as a result. I have rested and iced for 8 days, swelling has pretty much gone, pain still present to press but much reduced. In Font I’m going to bind the affected joint then buddy tape to another finger, restricting climbing to open hand, and keep up the icing etc in the evenings. From what I can tell the ligaments keep the knuckle in shape and aren’t related to hand tendons or pulleys, so hopefully open hand strength should be unaffected. Might put an update on when I get back – hope this helps someone in the future.

[SA Chris]

In Font I’m going to bind the affected joint then buddy tape to another finger, restricting climbing to open hand,

No crimping on painful dirty grattons then, sounds like a good excuse to me!

[SOH]

"In Font I’m going to bind the affected joint then buddy tape to another finger, restricting climbing to open hand"

Nigel how are you taping the joint to prevent crimping without cutting off bloodflow (which is what keeps happening to me).