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bradliew
Jan 19, 2007, 4:48 PM
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Hi everyone! I'm currently healing from an injury where my entire second knuckle swelled up to twice the size on 3 fingers. (Possibly tendon damage) either way I have rested for 2 months and I will be making a come back in 2 weeks time. What really has me thinking is the ideology of taping your fingers. I know that taping helps support your joints and it is also used when you have barely any skin left on your fingers. However, my climbing gym owner says that by taping your fingers up for support, it only increases the chances of injuries and its best just to use tape if you have no skin. I have also a conflicting testament from many fellow climbers where they say that taping up helps prevent injuries if you have weak tendons on specific fingers. When I get back from my injury I wonder if I should tape up my finger for support so there is less strain on my tendons. What do you guys think?
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krusher4
Jan 19, 2007, 4:54 PM
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Maybe you should see a doctor???
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shiggetyshiva
Jan 19, 2007, 4:57 PM
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First off, glad to hear you're ready to start back climbing. I know it's a mofo having to take time off due to injuries. There was a short article in a recent Rock and Ice or some similar mag about taping and tendons, which is probably worth reading. The main point I took from the article was that from a tendon perspective (not from a skin saving perspective), tape may not prevent injury by "supporting" your tendons. However, what it may do quite well is remind you in the moment that you are recovering from blown tendon pulleys, etc, and need to chill out and take it easy as you start back climbing again.
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granite_grrl
Jan 19, 2007, 5:12 PM
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I think that I read that article in R&I, I've seen it in a few places that taping doesn't actually do much. I stil tape for a)pshycological reasons, b)to hopefully remind me not to pull too hard with that finger. And it makes you look so hardcore! :p As for it actually causing worse injury, I've never heard of that. But I would like to head the reasoning behind it.
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redpoint73
Jan 19, 2007, 5:33 PM
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bradliew wrote: However, my climbing gym owner says that by taping your fingers up for support, it only increases the chances of injuries He is mis-stating his point, or doesn't have any idea of what he is talking about. The main downside of taping is that when used as a preventative measure on healthy fingers, it is claimed that it prevents your tendons from becoming stronger. So when you stop using it, or don't use it, your tendons may be vulnerable to injury. But taping an injured finger is a different deal. You are supporting the tendon to prevent it from further injury until it is healed. In theory, you should stop using the tape once the injury is healed. The only other possible issue is that the constrictive nature of the tape will slightly restrict blood flow to the injured tissue, which may slow the healing process. This is not an issue if you just wear the tape for a few hours while climbing, and then remove it when you are done. This sounds like common sense, but I have seen athletes keep tape on injured ankles even when they sleep, thinking that "more is better".
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macblaze
Jan 20, 2007, 1:03 AM
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This pdf document by a Dr Julian Saunders, Australian climber and Osteopath, says taping is absolutely useless...My physio therapist is absolutely recommending it when I start climbing again after my A2 pulley heals... I'll probably hedge my bets and go with the tape B
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reno
Jan 20, 2007, 3:12 AM
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granite_grrl wrote: As for it actually causing worse injury, I've never heard of that. But I would like to head the reasoning behind it. 1. It puts unnatural lever points on the tendons, causing them to stress in places they otherwise wouldn't. 2. It lures people into a false sense of security and lets them lapse a bit on strengthening the muscles and tendons.... people rely on the tape rather than making their natural parts stronger (kinda like if you wear a knee brace all the time, you become reliant on it, rather than your real knee.)
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jimfix
Jan 20, 2007, 3:29 AM
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reno wrote: 2. It lures people into a false sense of security... Most people forget that pain is your bodies way of saying "STOP THAT, IT's BAD". Sure, you'll climb better sooner with tape, and the positive is you will use the affected area, promoting healing, but if you push too hard, you'll suffer longer. Life is short, but a life without climbing due to a repeat/preventable injry may be far too long.
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reno
Jan 20, 2007, 3:00 PM
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jimfix wrote: reno wrote: 2. It lures people into a false sense of security... Most people forget that pain is your bodies way of saying "STOP THAT, IT's BAD". Can I get an AMEN, brother? . . . . . . . [waiting for an "AMEN!"] . . . . . . . [still waiting....] There's "sore and full of aches" that you get from a good workout. This is a good thing. Tells you that you're working hard, and put some effort into it. Then there's pain. Which, as you quite succinctly point out, is a bad thing.
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big_red
Jan 20, 2007, 6:30 PM
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Buddy-tape it. Yes it impedes your climbing but at least you won't have the option of stressing that finger...trust me that other one will overcompensate.
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clmbsfe
Jan 25, 2007, 5:46 PM
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Tape it. See how it holds up. Tape may not be enough or it will be fine. You'll find out. Hope your injury doesn't become chronic. Take it slowly. I tape. I can't help it. I got to do it. I have tried to stop, but just can't. When I don't tape, my fingers hurt and can take weeks to recover. If I tape, they don't hurt during or after climbing. Are they sore without tape because they are weak from being taped? Am I just climbing harder than my poor fingers can take without tape? Or is it just in my head, and there really is no benefit to taping. Don't know. Won't know. I just tape so I can climb.
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billl7
Jan 25, 2007, 6:37 PM
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As was said, tape if you want to be reminded in the moment to go easy. Or, if taping it actually prevents some sort of use that causes pain (e.g., tape 2 fingers together because allowing them to separate under stress really hurts); but that's just to get over the underlying injury while still doing some climbing. The benefit of taping to supplement weak tendons is dubious in my humble opinion (I'm not a doc). I think of those lifting belts worn by the fellows at the local building supply store. Wear them every moment of possible exersion and the things they supplement will atrophy. YMMV. Bill L
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motomagik
Jan 25, 2007, 6:56 PM
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bradliew wrote: I know that taping helps support your joints and it is also used when you have barely any skin left on your fingers. Umm? Am I missing something here? How is tape supposed to help sore fingertips? Do you put the tape on your tips? That would be interesting.... Like I said, maybe I'm missing out on something?
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Caveman1942
Jan 26, 2007, 3:37 AM
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I am currently taking a sports medicine class so this is right up my alley. Taping your fingers after an injury will help but it may provent you from doing any further damage to your fingers. But in all reality the tapes strength is no good after about 20 min so its really pointless having it on there. The best thing you can do for your fingers is to strengthen them to where they have the same if not better than your hand that was not injured.
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miademus
Jan 26, 2007, 9:27 AM
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..well i'm not very known with this matter, but a good climber firend of me who climbs 12 grades higher then he injured his middle finger badly, it sounded realy bad...well he wraped the tape all around his finger after a 2 weeks rest..he can't climb well..and also puts too much effort to himself...it's always bad to be injured... to myself i've started a 3times per week heavy boudering session and all my finger damnly hurt,without plastering i would be lost...
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mheyman
Jan 26, 2007, 6:21 PM
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I’m certainly not an expert, but I have had two pulley injures in the last 10 years, and I do tape. I’m no writing about healing an injury here, I am writing about injury prevention. Look at Dr Julian Saunders PDF. There is a good picture of your fingers showing the tendons and pulleys. As shown you can see that with regard to normal ring style taping, he is correct that the tape ill not take any load unless it is very tight. What is not show is what happen with a bent finger load just before the pulley tears. I’ll bet it stretches first, a depending on how you’ve taped and how much stretch there is, then the tape might take some load and prevent a tear. If this is what happens then the tape does not do anything but help prevent a tear. If we all knew when we were going to rupture a pulley we would just stop pulling then. But, often that’s not the case. Neither of my pulley injuries gave me enough warning to prevent them on their own. So one reason I tape is to prevent an injury that might occur if I do something that might unintentionally overstress the pulley. Anyway if tape doesn’t help save pulleys by sharing load, then it certainly won’t inhibit strength gain. Someone mentioned finger pain after climbing. I know a have some and I’m pretty sure it is sometimes caused by hanging on jugs where my weight pinches the tendon between the hold and my bone. Essentially the tendon gets bruised. Tape distributes the pressure enough to make a difference. Tape with 20 minute life? It does stretch. How much depends on the tape, how you tape and your climbing after you tape. If you learn to tape well you take this into account. It doesn’t weaken much with time or I would have no trouble ripping it off at the end of a gym session.
(This post was edited by mheyman on Jan 26, 2007, 7:11 PM)
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Halebopp
Oct 28, 2008, 4:34 AM
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Question: Can anyone explain how you are supposed to tape your fingers to protect them? I'm reading all this but still unclear.
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dreadlock
Oct 28, 2008, 7:22 AM
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Another thing to consider is that not all athletic tape brands are the same. Johnson and Johnson and Curity seem to hold up the best. I like alot of Metolius products but their tape is not one of them. It breaks down quickly and doesn't offer much support.
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clmbsfe
Oct 29, 2008, 2:36 AM
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Are you taping for prevention or taping because of an injury? I circle tape, between the joints, just snug, for prevention. I X tape over the knuckle...making a figure 8.....with separate side stabilizing strips......to tape due to a tendon injury....and I like the johnson & johnson brand, too... I am a complete believer in taping....and so is my occupational therapist who fixes me up when I hurt myself.... does this help enough? I will look for pictures...
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