the shizzle > diet, training and injuries
A2 News
hstmoore:
--- Quote from: Ged on December 18, 2019, 07:15:35 pm ---
After 6 weeks, start finger boarding.
--- End quote ---
I'd like to give a shout-out to finger boarding as a rehab method for finger injuries. I seem to have a couple of finger injuries a year. With my most recent injury it had pretty much healed, 90% of the way there, but I still found it really difficult to warm up enough to be able to crimp properly and I had to be very careful with it. It was frustrating because I always had to climb conservatively, especially coming back to the wall after a summer of climbing outdoors.
After two sessions of 5 x 10 second half crimp hangs with no added weight I could suddenly climb on all my subsequent sessions without being cautious. I suppose the fingerboarding brought my injured finger up to a similar level as my other fingers. I'm not totally sure how it worked but it has made a massive different to my recent climbing and the healing of my finger. Totally recommend it when your finger is nearly healed but not 100% there.
Nigel:
--- Quote from: cofe on December 18, 2019, 11:21:55 am ---Not about the road in Kent.
Wondered if there was any up-to-date thinking on diagnosis and treatment of A2 injuries? I appear to have done my RH ring finger, which I think I did years (15+) ago. Didn't hear or feel it go; it just became sore about 10 days ago and clearly isn't up to climbing at the moment. Happy Christmas etc.
Have read this and other similar things, which reference Volker Schoffl. Also, understand these things are almost impossible to diagnose properly without ultrasound.
Any new links/science/treatment options much appreciated.
--- End quote ---
Ay up cofe! If you didn't feel or hear it go then its not that bad, probably. I don't know any science but whenever I do this (usually with a bang to be honest) it's:
1 or 2 weeks off, occasionally rubbing / mobilising / straigtening finger as appropriate..
Easy climbing for a couple of weeks / a month (severity dependant) with mummifyingly cross taped finger. So a couple of tight turns round a2 base of finger, cross knuckle, across a4, then back down to a2. Tight enough that finger feels numb. Finger should feel locked straight, open hand. Stay in this position. Probably mainly big holds by default.
A couple of weeks / a month of same taping but allowing yourself to half crimp if needed i.e. Try to use smaller holds. Borderline impossible with tape on, especially at start if session as its tight, but it will loosen. Probably still can't do it but just try and hold on. Stop when it aches. Gradual giving in tape as you warm up gives you a natural progression of loading if you stop early.
After that then open hand fingerboarding for a week or two. Then half crimp fingerboarding for a week or two. Tape on or off, or tight or slack, depending on feeling. If you haven't gone mad by this stage then you should be nearly healed, just needing to get some load on to remind it what to do / break down scar tissue.
After that avoid full boning down for another month or two to avoid reinjury, should be healed then.
Basically doing nothing is the worst thing you can do. As is ignoring it. Take the middle way grasshopper. I've taken some fucked ring fingers to font and cone back a happy man. I can't say the same for raven tor.
tomtom:
One of these massagers might help... I’ve one for sore / stiff post climbing fingers.
Can’t go too far wrong for £1.66 inc postage...
Finger Roller Massager Hand Handheld Blood Circulation Tool Joint Relaxing Massage Tool https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07K427R6J/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Ru.-Db6AHV2KP
Moo:
I'll totally reiterate all the posts on here about progressive loading and trying to keep as active as possible. Something I found really useful to help with this is using progressively more difficult squeeze balls. I've got the set that metolious make.
https://www.metoliusclimbing.com/grip_saver_plus.html
I'm no advocating these ones particularly, in fact I sacked off the stretchy rubber band bits because I thought they felt a bit pointless. Something like this is good for really high volume of very light loading which can help align and strengthen scar tissue moving the finger through its full range of motion and helping increase blood flow. I found them particularly useful to have sitting on the desk at work so you can exercise with them a little and often. The main downside of the these is that they're quite expensive so I don't know if anyone knows of a cheaper alternative?
I've tried the squeeze putty in the past as well but I that didn't seem to work for me.
duncan:
For soft tissue injuries in general...
Effective:
Relative rest immediately after injury followed by progressive loading during healing
(more aggressive loading if a long-term problem).
Fingerboarding could be good way to reintroduce loading to your healing pulley: it’s easy to control the grip type (crucial, start open-hand obviously) and the load. I’ve found bathroom scales easy to use if you want to apply a low load.
Ice may promote local blood flow in very superficial tissues, eg fingers, certainly gives pain relief, is relatively harmless and cheap.
Shockwave Therapy (low quality evidence, may turn out to be a placebo).
Placebo:
Acupuncture rings and other massage devices (use your fingers).
Acupuncture.
Ultrasound.
PRP (profit-related placebo).
Unknown:
Deep friction massage.
Avoid
NSAIDs. Likely interfere with soft-tissue healing a little, probably a small effect only.
Steroid injections, unless very clear indication.
There are likely to be exceptions to all these suggestions, discuss with the person treating you.
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