[cha1n]

Hi

I've been informed by a good source that there's some doctors that frequent the forums and could possibly help diagnosing this injury. My plan is to seek professional help but I'd like to get a good understanding before hand.

Background information:

I've used PCs for around 15 years now and I think I might be getting some tendonitis in the wrists in the areas that come in contact with the desk when using the keyboard and mouse. Whenever I flex and extend my wrists there is audible pops/cracks to be heard from the wrists. Side to side movements (like waving your hand) seem to be the worst for causing clicks. I assume this is tendonitis because I have similar problems in my achillies when extending at the ankle joint.

Cause of Injury:

Always the same. An open hand hang from a shallow 2-finger pocket (ring, middle combo - all unused digits flexed), *feel* a pop (as if something under tension has just been released, like when your foot unexpectedly slips) in the wrist 3-4 inches down from the base of the ring finger and a burning sensation is present almost immediately. Generally everything feels 'OK'ish, until the next day when there is significant pain when trying to flex at the DIP joint in isolation on my ring finger and some localised pain at the base of the ring finger proximal phalange and metacarpal. Recovery is usually 2-3 weeks of switching from bouldering to intermediate circuits, you could call it a forced endurance phase!

Weird Stuff:

1. Crimping with the injured finger causes *almost* no pain, my theory was that the FDS was the prime mover whilst crimping and therefore giving the injured FDP a rest, but I've been told that the FDP is under more strain that the FDS whilst crimping so that throws that theory out of the window. What do you guys think?

2. I've discovered that the dangerous (for me) open handing of the ring finger can be used if the little finger stays extended. As soon as it is flexed the pop occurs in the wrist (luckily i've only tested this under almost no load). Can anyone think of an explanation for this?

I'm also suffering from slight carpal tunnel so I'm really suffering at the moment and it's getting me down as I've trained so hard for the last 6 months trying to improve. Generally I've got by crimping every hold I see and it's been fine, but I'm now starting to get A2 strains so I can't avoid open handing any longer. I'd be so grateful if someone can help.

Thanks

Ross

[cha1n]

bump

[TobyD]

I think I might be getting some tendonitis in the wrists in the areas that come in contact with the desk when using the keyboard and mouse.

Whenever I flex and extend my wrists there is audible pops/cracks to be heard from the wrists.
Cause of Injury:

I am not a doctor, but may know something useful, as i just finished training as a physio
Do you get pain with the pops  / clicks, and if so what does it feel like? Do you get pins and needles, or have particualr problems with circualtion in your hands?
I think it is unlikely, given the longevity of your symptoms, and the lack of an indentifiable cause, that you have tendinitis- the open handing two finger thing sounds more like it is aggravating a condition that is already present than actually causing it; but it's pretty hard to really say anything too useful, without actually examining your wrist / hand, i would have thought.

[slackline]

Its two months since your first post, did you do as you intended and seek professional help in person?

Diagnosis over t'internet is incredibly difficult and likely why there hasn't been many responses.

Besides why would people spend their spare time walking when they could be posting shit and viewing DFBWGC?

[GCW]

1. Crimping with the injured finger causes *almost* no pain, my theory was that the FDS was the prime mover whilst crimping and therefore giving the injured FDP a rest, but I've been told that the FDP is under more strain that the FDS whilst crimping so that throws that theory out of the window. What do you guys think?

FDP and FDS function is by no means independant, the flexor chiasm is a poorly understood system (my pal Mr Lambe was doing some fascinating Magic Angle MR stuff to look into it- Hi Ged  ).
The upshot really is that as FDS becomes deep it splits, and FDP passes through it to a more palmar position.  The FDS fibres don't just split and reform, there is a spiralling aspect which means during FDS contraction there is some fixation of FDP within the chiasm.  Cadaveric studies don't always agree on loading, but tendon loading in crimp/ open positions isn't as straightforward as you would expect.

2. I've discovered that the dangerous (for me) open handing of the ring finger can be used if the little finger stays extended. As soon as it is flexed the pop occurs in the wrist (luckily i've only tested this under almost no load). Can anyone think of an explanation for this?

this will partly to do with other aspects of hand anatomy.  The FDS/FDP tendons are not independent to each finger, there are vinculi that interplay between flexors and osseus membranes of the fingers, and interconnections in the palm between flexor sheaths, sometimes with interaction with the aponeurosis. 
Try holding all your fingers straight except the middle.  Can you fully bend the middle finger whilst the others are straight?  This just demonstrates that fingers are designed to work as a power unit, not one by one.

[GCW]

Oh, and the usual advice applies- go see someone that knows about les mains.