So, I was climbing at the gym last night. I was warming up gradually like I always do: stretch, jug traverse, V1s, V2s, V4s. The first V7 I hop on - crimp under the cave - POP! This is the third time that I've popped a pulley this year, on 3 different pulleys. The first 2 were the A1 and A2 pulley in my left ring finger. This time it was the A1 in my right ring finger. Before last night there was no pain whatsoever in my right ring finger. I wasn't even crimping with full strength as I was still (somewhat) in my warm up phase. I'm beginning to lose faith in climbing. Am I doing something wrong? I don't over-train or over-climb closed grip crimps. Before last night I was doing open hand campus board training about once a week. Are my fingers just not meant for climbing? Unfortunately, this injury occurs a week before a planned trip to Hampi, India... any tips? Should I give up on climbing for good? I'm not much of a trad climber and enjoy the thrill of pushing my body on bouldering and sport climbing.

So, I was climbing at the gym last night. I was warming up gradually like I always do: stretch, jug traverse, V1s, V2s, V4s. The first V7 I hop on - crimp under the cave - POP! This is the third time that I've popped a pulley this year, on 3 different pulleys. The first 2 were the A1 and A2 pulley in my left ring finger. This time it was the A1 in my right ring finger. Before last night there was no pain whatsoever in my right ring finger. I wasn't even crimping with full strength as I was still (somewhat) in my warm up phase. I'm beginning to lose faith in climbing. Am I doing something wrong? I don't over-train or over-climb closed grip crimps. Before last night I was doing open hand campus board training about once a week. Are my fingers just not meant for climbing? Unfortunately, this injury occurs a week before a planned trip to Hampi, India... any tips? Should I give up on climbing for good? I'm not much of a trad climber and enjoy the thrill of pushing my body on bouldering and sport climbing.

P.S. Even if you recover fully, I would say generally stop working crimpy routes on plastic and this may end your pulley problems. I don't know the mechanism, but gym climbing seems to be more injurious to some people than outdoor climbing.

Forget the stretching prior to climbing. There is NO EVIDENCE THIS REDUCES INJURY, people. Besides, pulleys aren't attached to muscles, and I would theorize the last thing you want is lax pulleys anyhow.

Now, stretching your finger flexors after or outside of your climbing time could be beneficial over the long term.

Warming up, however, is key. Every individual is different, however, in terms of what makes for a "just right" warm up. For instance, your warm up routine sounds way too short for someone like myself, but its intensity and progression may have been just fine for you. You say you don't overtrain, but perhaps you have been (you may not overtrain in the standard sense, but every body is different in what it will tolerate and connective tissues don't possess the exact same properties or qualities across people). Anyway, I would also theorize you might have suffered this last rupture due to over-compensation with your right hand. The human body, esp. those of athletes, is a great compensator: because your left hand has suffered two injuries prior, it is quite feasible you unknowingly have been using your right to a greater extent to 'make up for' some lack with the left. This often results in injury eventually occuring in the 'good' side.

If you haven't seen a hand specialist, you probably really should after three finger injuries. This type of problem isn't necessarily one I would say try treating on your own or just 'see what happens.' But yes, modification in your climbing routine or style may be required, although short term or long term I don't know. Getting some treatment, however, may mean getting back to climbing the way you enjoy most.

http://opp.uoregon.edu/...topics/injuries.html

http://www.climbinginjuries.com/Finger.htm

P.S. Even if you recover fully, I would say generally stop working crimpy routes on plastic and this may end your pulley problems. I don't know the mechanism, but gym climbing seems to be more injurious to some people than outdoor climbing.

Loose 10 pounds and rest more often. Start doing something other than bouldering plastic 3 -4 times a week. Work on long endurance one day, power the next session and so on.

I'm not going to give you any advice on injuries, injury prevention, or healing. Not a bit. That's not what struck me about your post.

Are you a climber? Or are you someone who climbs? There's a big difference here, one finds a way, the other moves on. Neither one is right, just be clear what/who you are.

A climber will find a way to climb, exiled in Omaha, with MS, a missing arm, and blind, he's going to find some type of ascent.

I guess what I'm saying is that you aren't given a choice of whether you can quit climbing or not. You're either a lifer or not. I don't know you, figure out who you are, what your priorities are, and then come up with a course of action.

Good luck with any choice you make.

Just today I got spanked on face route I would have considered a warmup previously, so I know how you're going to feel.

I tiptoed through your mom's two lips

the white 10d with the dyno? :-)

can you just stop contributing to threads that concern the human body (i.e. every thread in this section). nobody cares about your bachelor of arts in kinesiology or whatever degree the local community college decided to give you. with the exception of a couple common sense statements everything you say is ignorant.