[TwistTheNeil]

Last night, i slipped off when i was holding onto a two finger pocket and heard popping sounds and then pain in my fingers (middle and ring). I read up that it might be a A2 pulley injury. But the fingers don't really have much pain right now. It's  just uncomfortable but it does hurt a little when i squeeze. Does anyone know if I should completely stop climbing for a week or more? Or should I take a few days break and start climbing at low grades to help the healing(i usually do this when my elbow hurts and it helps) ?

[slackline]

http://ukbouldering.com/wiki/index.php/Injuries_:_The_Science#Hands

Lots of existing threads asking for similar advice too.  is used by the search box in the top right of the forum or you can restrict searches to this sub-forum.

[TwistTheNeil]

I guess I'll take a few days off and if my fingers don't hurt, I'll try a low grade climb to see how my fingers feel.

[slackline]

I guess I'll take a few days off and if my fingers don't hurt, I'll try a low grade climb to see how my fingers feel.

You could also try icing (see links in Wiki and other posts).

[TwistTheNeil]

I guess I'll take a few days off and if my fingers don't hurt, I'll try a low grade climb to see how my fingers feel.

You could also try icing (see links in Wiki and other posts).

But I don't have any swelling..and i saw on another thread that if it isn't swollen, ice would probably just lessen the blood flow into the finger. Unless that post was wrong..

[Sasquatch]

But I don't have any swelling..and i saw on another thread that if it isn't swollen, ice would probably just lessen the blood flow into the finger. Unless that post was wrong..

Icing a select portion of the body for 5-15 minutes causes your body to respond by increasing bloodflow to the area in an attempt to warm it up.  The reason to use it if swollen is that if there's swelling, then the blood flow to the area is reduced.  This same rationale applies naturally to connective tissue injuries as they naturally have less blood flow than muscles. 

[TwistTheNeil]

But I don't have any swelling..and i saw on another thread that if it isn't swollen, ice would probably just lessen the blood flow into the finger. Unless that post was wrong..

Icing a select portion of the body for 5-15 minutes causes your body to respond by increasing bloodflow to the area in an attempt to warm it up.  The reason to use it if swollen is that if there's swelling, then the blood flow to the area is reduced.  This same rationale applies naturally to connective tissue injuries as they naturally have less blood flow than muscles.

OH! So if I fill up a cup with ice water and keep my fingers in it, would that be fine? Or should i use ice? (I don't like ice..)

[mrjonathanr]

OH! So if I fill up a cup with ice water and keep my fingers in it, would that be fine? Or should i use ice? (I don't like ice..)

Ice will have the net effect of increasing blood flow as it will return with vigour once ice is removed. if it's inflamed, ice is best.

if it's injured but no longer inflamed ie several days or more post injury then cool water/Lewis reaction can be beneficial.

To 'ice' fingers you would use very cold water with a fair number of ice cubes in it rather than grip a block of the stuff. Hope this helps.

[Sasquatch]

OH! So if I fill up a cup with ice water and keep my fingers in it, would that be fine? Or should i use ice? (I don't like ice..)

Ice will have the net effect of increasing blood flow as it will return with vigour once ice is removed. if it's inflamed, ice is best.

if it's injured but no longer inflamed ie several days or more post injury then cool water/Lewis reaction can be beneficial.

To 'ice' fingers you would use very cold water with a fair number of ice cubes in it rather than grip a block of the stuff. Hope this helps.

One thing I have found to work is to massage fingers/forarms with an ice cube.  It works incredibly well

[TwistTheNeil]

Awesome! Thanks a lot for your input guys
My fingers feel better after the ice cube massage and the icebath!