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seanf
Apr 23, 2004, 2:15 AM
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i'm newish. was climbing at the gym, as i was working a problem, i lifted myself with my left hand (on a little hold), as i moved myself up, there was a terrible shocking kind of pain in my two middle fingers, wrist, and forearm. the pain subsided pretty wuick when i'm not doing anything, but if i try to pull even a little with my middle fingers the pain is so bad i feel like vomiting.
is this a tendon tear? what does that mean? at this point i'm completely freaking out and scared that i'll never be able to climb again. someone make me feel better quick, before i go selling my gear!
thanks in advance!
-sean
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manuels
Apr 23, 2004, 3:38 AM
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That happened to me a year ago, it took me a while to be able to climb again. You dont have to sell your stuff if you rest your fingers for couple of month and then start to exercise. Go to http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~opp/climbing/injuries.htm
it will help you to get better soon.
Manuel
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ramylson
Apr 23, 2004, 3:40 AM
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Did you hear any "popping" noise? Did the pain happen suddenly? If either of these things happen, it's not going to be the best news in the world. But, it's definitely not the end of your climbing career. What can happen is you "shock" load and damage the pulley system that keeps you tendons next to the bone. Hence the pain. There's also the possibility that you just strained it. Anyway you look at it, you're talking about time off from climbing to allow your body to heal (you should always listen to what you body would tell you anyway.. chances are it's right). Amount of time is determined solely by how much damage was actually done. See a sports physically theropist, to help you determine the problems as well. Also, when you get back into climbing, start considering taping the injured finger to aid in some additional support.
EDIT: there were some good articles in a few Climbing issues a few years ago. Three issues to be exact, but I'll have to do some digging to find the exact issue numbers.
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dood
Apr 23, 2004, 3:59 AM
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This is why friends don't let friends climb in gyms.
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seanf
Apr 23, 2004, 1:03 PM
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thanks much for the answers. so lets just say, hypothetically, that at the moment i have no medical insurance. what should i do to treat this myself? will the RICE really be sufficient?
so i woke up this morning hoping maybe it would be better. no. i can't even lift a coffee mug with my two middle fingers.
i don't like this.
and as for a pop... not so much, but it felt like an electrical shock all of a sudden.
-sean
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outhere
Apr 23, 2004, 1:12 PM
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holy sh!t ouch. sorry man.
your muslces in your fingers are probably stronger than your tendons and....you pulled too hard.
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reedcrr
Apr 23, 2004, 1:36 PM
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Place your hand flat on a table fingers spread out a little, now lift your two middle fingers together...where is the most pain? If it is on the back of the hand wiggle your fingers...can you see the two cords that run from your nuckles to your wrist? If that area is so swollen that you can't see the cords chanes are you tore one, also does that pain extend all the way to the top of the forearm? If so healing time is about 6 months, and yes go see a doctor. But this is rare and you would of heard a loud popping sound followed by extreme pain.
If you can see the two cords and the pain is at the front of your wrist at the end of those two cords then your tore or severly stressed the flexor retinaculum or the palmar carpal ligament. Healing time is about 2 months, ice for 20 minutes max then heat for 1 hour. Do this twice a day, also get some motrin and take about 500mg a day. Yes the rice in a bowl will help but only after the swelling has gone down and the healing has begun. Oh yeah almost forgot...don't climb!
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vertical_reality
Apr 23, 2004, 1:39 PM
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I've done the same thing twice now. You'll be climbing again but not anytime soon. Take at least a month off, don't try to climb even if it doesn't hurt. Then when you start climbing again, tape your fingers and put a nice wrap of tape about an inch below your wrist and only do juggy routes for a while. If you try to climb too soon you'll just reinjure it and it'll take that much longer to heal. Don't forget to ice it for the first few days.
Now I'm not a doctor or anything but it worked for me.
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seanf
Apr 23, 2004, 1:50 PM
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thanks again all.
the strange thing, it's not swollen, or red, or purple, or anything. it looks normal. so if it's not swollen, are all these anti-swelling methods really going to help?
the pain is on the palm and down the inside of the wrist.
and once again, no insurance = no doctor visit. it sucks, but what can i do? nothing. thank you corporate america for buying out the parent company and leaving me insuranceless.
i hope these republicans get what's coming to them.
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reedcrr
Apr 23, 2004, 2:05 PM
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Congrats you pulled a tendon! The way you descibe pain on the palm, underside of the wrist and continuing up through to the forearm could only be that.
The good news...your climbing career is not over, most beginners do this at least once, it is from overgripping a hold and weighting the tendon with high load. Again a common mistake. Also most beginners think they can climb everyday and not rest.
As for the anti-swelling techniques we spoke of in our posts...do them! Just because you can not see the swelling does not mean it is not there. Take your motrin and ice and heat. Take some OTC pain meds for the pain.
Don't climb for at least 1 full month or else you will end you climbing career before it gets going and you will have to worry about paying a doctor to repair the resulting damage.
Play this one smart! When you do start climbing again don't go all out right away. You should be fine in a few months....not something you want to hear but that's life! Sorry...
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acrophobic
Apr 23, 2004, 2:59 PM
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yeah this happens to most new climbers who try and move up the grade ladder too quickly... tendons take a long time to strengthen up, much longer than muscles. If you over stress a tendon before it is ready for that stress it will tear.
almost everyone has done it... it took me 2 years to get over elbow tendonitis :(
dont climb at all for at least a month. After the pain subsides and you can start doing normal things with it (lifting a mug), slowly start doing easy exercises like squeezing a forearm ball or doughnut to get the circulation back.
RICE it up.
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