UKBouldering.com

How to maintain psyche and fitness with finger injury (Read 3672 times)

filipaame

Offline
  • *
  • newbie
  • Posts: 13
  • Karma: +3/-0
Hi all,

Yesterday I was climbing with some friends and my foot slipped while I was on a couple of small crimps. I heard my left ring finger pop and then came the pain. From what I can feel and having read a few articles on different types of finger injuries, I believe it's in the A4 pulley area. I don't know if it's a full rupture. I iced it straight away and taped it later before going to sleep.
I can't get over how it happened, I was wamred up a little though in hindsight not enough. This is my first finger injury and I'm pretty pissed. I'm seeing a climbing physio next week for some advice on helping it to recover but what I'd like to have some help with is how to stay in good climbing shape while I can't climb.
I like lifting but holding anything right now is pretty painful.
Any advice/pitty is welcome.

mrjonathanr

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 5377
  • Karma: +242/-6
  • Getting fatter, not fitter.
The first few days after an injury your body starts healing in ways which create inflammation and soreness; I’d just let it. Rest, not treatment, would be my priority.

Some info here: http://onlineclimbingcoach.blogspot.com/2010/05/pulley-injuries-article.html

Pulleys take some time to have heal but you can run and swim without using a finger and do modified exercise while it’s getting stronger.

monkoffunk

Offline
  • ****
  • forum abuser
  • Posts: 721
  • Karma: +60/-0
  • sponsored by 90% lindt and vitamin D
You don’t need to tape it to sleep, won’t give you any benefit. Rest when the injury is acute and then when you start getting back into controlled climbing on big jugs, on an overhang or roof, tape the whole finger to stop you bending it and crimping accidentally. Taping around the pulley itself for support won’t help either.

tomtom

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 20282
  • Karma: +641/-11
First finger injury always feels like the worst - which may sound a bit trite, but its true. They're a common symptom of getting good fast! (tendons take much longer than muscles to develop) and most people who've been climnbing for a while will have had several pully injuries during their time climbing.

Lots of good advice above - rest it for a while, then move back to climbing on jugs, open handing holds etc.. then gradually back to the crimp if you like.

I may be wrong on the following - but I'm not sure what a physio is really going to tell you - as unless its really torn completely (surgery required) I suspect the physio will say rest and then gradual increase in exercise..

filipaame

Offline
  • *
  • newbie
  • Posts: 13
  • Karma: +3/-0
Thanks for the advice! I'll definitely rest it for now and see how it feels.
The service is free and he's the phsyio for the Dutch climbing team so I feel like chatting to him may just give me some reassurance/hope.

mrjonathanr

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 5377
  • Karma: +242/-6
  • Getting fatter, not fitter.
Are you Dutch?

sheavi

Offline
  • **
  • menacing presence
  • Posts: 238
  • Karma: +16/-2
Just to clarify the physio should be able to to tell if it's just one pulley or more.  A full rupture of one can be treated successfully - no surgery required. Multiple ruptures = surgery.  Once back into gentle climbing taping the A3 pulley w/ the H tape technique is advised.



You can use the lay off from climbing to get strong in other areas.  Try to see it as an opportunity for some variation. Good luck.

Ged

Offline
  • ****
  • junky
  • Posts: 922
  • Karma: +40/-1
Easy adventurous trad
Slabs
Really steep endurance on huge jugs
Core
Pull ups on a bar
Weights
Running
Yoga/pilates

...are the ways I generally cope (apart from the last).

I've always found the key is to fully rest it at first, but know when to start loading it progressively and carefully again.  The physio will help there I'm sure.  For my last one, it didn't really heal properly until I started fingerboarding on it (about 6 weeks after hurting it)

filipaame

Offline
  • *
  • newbie
  • Posts: 13
  • Karma: +3/-0
Are you Dutch?

No, Portuguese, via the Lake District/Sheffield and now the Netherlands.

filipaame

Offline
  • *
  • newbie
  • Posts: 13
  • Karma: +3/-0
Easy adventurous trad
Slabs
Really steep endurance on huge jugs
Core
Pull ups on a bar
Weights
Running
Yoga/pilates

...are the ways I generally cope (apart from the last).

I've always found the key is to fully rest it at first, but know when to start loading it progressively and carefully again.  The physio will help there I'm sure.  For my last one, it didn't really heal properly until I started fingerboarding on it (about 6 weeks after hurting it)

Thanks, I've been doing some yoga, running and general fitness etc. I just struggle with the "fully resting" part of the process!

mrjonathanr

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 5377
  • Karma: +242/-6
  • Getting fatter, not fitter.
Are you Dutch?

No, Portuguese, via the Lake District/Sheffield and now the Netherlands.
Olá :)  Just curious, wondered if you had run into Martin Roelofs. Hope your finger settles soon!

lagerstarfish

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Weapon Of Mass
  • Posts: 8810
  • Karma: +812/-10
  • "There's no cure for being a c#nt"

You can use the lay off from climbing to get strong in other areas.  Try to see it as an opportunity for some variation.

 :agree: this is good advice

get involved in other stuff - learn new things to keep the mind active and happy

my obvious things in NL would be fishing and the indoor snow slopes

learn to enjoy the process of climbing easy stuff really efficiently - repeat problems and change technique until you are sure you are using the bare minimum of effort

maybe look at auto-belay routes - it doesn't matter if you just let go

ashtond6

Offline
  • ***
  • obsessive maniac
  • Posts: 363
  • Karma: +14/-4
Stanage chimney challenge :)

Nibile

Offline
  • *****
  • forum hero
  • Posts: 7991
  • Karma: +743/-4
  • Part Animal Part Machine
    • TOTOLORE
I highly suggest going heavy with weights.
Learn a couple of staple compound exercises (cleans, deadlift, muscle snatch, good mornings, lunges, standing press, glute bridges, etc.) and get busy with them. Smash in a set of pull ups in between sets. Play with rings and planches.
Do a couple of mobility drills (thoracic bridge) at the end and you're sorted.
Good luck!

 

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal