[i.munro]

Anyone got any experience of anything like this? Finished a session with fairly painful hand although can't place the onset. It just seemed to creep up on me. After 1 day of rest & ice it settled enough that it became clear that the finger was very stiff . I coud neither bend or straighten it & the pain seemed to be in the joint not the tendons.

After 4 days it's almost completely fine. There's a little tenderness around the A2 pulley but I think that's long-standing.

I don't know what happened or how to avoid it happening again?

Thanks

[webbo]

its probably an age thing as i too get a stiff /clicking finger.i find it takes my mind off my other injuries.

[i.munro]

My god, my age is that obvious even in cyberspace. Now I'm depressed.

[Richie Crouch]

Have you tried Using cross taping (figure 8 style around the affected joint)? I have had it in both ring fingers for a while and I found resting properly after a hard session and very long warm ups and warm downs helped quite a bit (as well as traction exercises during and after my sessions. Obviously steering clear of pockets and tweaky shit helps a bit!

I found it locked up/hurt the joint more after as opposed to during climbing. Also as soon as it felt a bit strange, I wound down sessions on mega jugs then took a couple days off. About 1 year ago, I tried to climb through it on my right ring finger and it has only recently started to feel nearer to 90% or so. The left finger is about 50% at the moment but only recently became affected. I am treading much more carefully this time around!

[i.munro]

Thanks that sounds helpful. Traction exercises? I guess you mean other than climbing?

[webbo]

My god, my age is that obvious even in cyberspace. Now I'm depressed.

i think you indicated you were a gentleman of mature years when discussing the age bands of vet competions.

[Jaspersharpe]

My god, my age is that obvious even in cyberspace. Now I'm depressed.

i think you indicated you were a gentleman of mature years when discussing the age bands of vet competions.

Memory going eh ian? 

[i.munro]

Memory going eh ian? 

I just never imagined anyone was paying that much attention.

"mature years" like it, sounds much better rhan decrepit.

Anyone any idea about traction exercises, I take it this isn't quite stretching?

[Richie Crouch]

Sorry about the delay in posting Ian:

The traction is basically holding the qaffected finger either side of the joint and very gently stretching it and holding for 15 seconds or so. Repeating this a few times and doing basic resistance exercises at the same time like pulling on a finger of the other hand with affected finger carefully so you can try build up the strength in it slowly. In addition to the above exercises, I also used massage and hot/cold baths in early stages. (I think it all helps to take away some of the scar tissue build you may have lingering around the affected area).

I found this continuous traction really helped stop my finger joint from tightening up all the time (where it couldn't straighten at all or close into a fist). The guy who told me it all was a Greek physio who was workign in the UK and had worked with their international gymnasts in Athens, and had dealt with joint issues..etc before. It seemed to help me a lot, so good luck with it!

[i.munro]

Thanks that's really helpful.

Ian

[fatdoc]

good taping advice...

also... get an ultrasound machine (about £100), as you are now in the aged crew it will more than pay for itself in a few months: elbows, fingers, ankles and knees all there to ache / sprain and tear!

[a dense loner]

you my friend are the biggest hypocondriac i have ever met. i honestly can't believe you get out of bed in a morning and walk out the door, it must be terrifying for you.

have i spelt both long words wrong?

[GCW]

hypochondriac

Oh, the irony

[i.munro]

good taping advice...

also... get an ultrasound machine (about £100), as you are now in the aged crew it will more than pay for itself in a few months: elbows, fingers, ankles and knees all there to ache / sprain and tear!

 I just assumed that he happened to have some available, not much more than cost price, from ....