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surfergirl
Mar 27, 2012, 9:45 PM
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Couple weeks ago i was climbing an overhanging route in the gym, went for a hold, and felt something snap in my pinky finger...not "snap" as in i broke something, just "snap" as in pulled too hard. it swelled up a little but i taped it and continued climbing. i have since taped it to climb indoors but not when climbing outdoors (i climb trad outdoors so i'm not really pulling that hard on anything). i don't really notice any pain while climbing, but notice it when not climbing (not unusual for any climbing-related injuries). it's been 2 weeks and it's still swollen and won't bend fully (i.e. can't form a tight fist). should i be worried?? it seems otherwise functional except for the swelling.
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surfergirl
Mar 27, 2012, 9:52 PM
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The good news is that it has no problem bending the other way (i.e. when pressing down on the fingertip). Just won't bend inward fully into a fist.
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redlude97
Mar 27, 2012, 10:06 PM
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sounds like a pulley tear/rupture. In either case you need to stop climbing immediately until the swelling is gone completely for at least 2 weeks.
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surfergirl
Mar 27, 2012, 10:14 PM
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not the answer i was looking for :(
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redlude97
Mar 27, 2012, 10:28 PM
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You might find this information useful. http://www.climbinginjuries.com/fingers-pulleys/
I have a finger that I tore a pulley on(got the same pop sound) and kept climbing on it, it still hurts 3 years later. I wish I had known better at the time
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surfergirl
Mar 27, 2012, 11:14 PM
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Thanks...i looked at the link.
I didn't HEAR a pop sound. But i felt a sudden pain when i pulled on that hold, as if something had popped.
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jorgegonzalez
Mar 28, 2012, 8:22 PM
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Yes, torn pulley. I'm no doctor, but experience is a great teacher. Definitely no climbing for awhile, it will not heal if you do, just successive tears.
When you feel much better, do not climb without taping the fingers in between the knuckles. Tear the tape in half lengthwise, around four to five inches long.
Torn pulleys. That's why God invented slab climbing. Try it for awhile.
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kennoyce
Mar 28, 2012, 9:30 PM
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surfergirl wrote: Thanks...i looked at the link. I didn't HEAR a pop sound. But i felt a sudden pain when i pulled on that hold, as if something had popped.
You don't always hear a pop sound, and you won't ever hear one if you don't fully rupture the pulley. I've had three pulley tears (1 complete rupture and after probably 7 years I still can't completely make a fist with that finger) and as has been said, you need to stop climbing on it for at least a month or two.
Oh, and FYI, studies have shown that taping doesn't help anything.
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johnwesely
Mar 28, 2012, 10:06 PM
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kennoyce wrote: surfergirl wrote: Thanks...i looked at the link. I didn't HEAR a pop sound. But i felt a sudden pain when i pulled on that hold, as if something had popped. You don't always hear a pop sound, and you won't ever hear one if you don't fully rupture the pulley. I've had three pulley tears (1 complete rupture and after probably 7 years I still can't completely make a fist with that finger) and as has been said, you need to stop climbing on it for at least a month or two. Oh, and FYI, studies have shown that taping doesn't help anything.
Other studies have shown it to have a minor benefit.
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surfergirl
Mar 29, 2012, 5:21 PM
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Seriously????? It all seems so stupid, that GYM climbing got me an injury, plus it's my pinky finger, which doesn't even really hold onto anything!!! I mean i went for the hold with my entire hand not just the pinky...seems so stupid that the pinky popped. Sorry for the whining but this fucking sucks.
As for the taping...i was taping it really thick, thinking that would basically render the finger useless and i wouldn't pull down on it. But apparently it didn't help since it's still hurt.
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shotwell
Mar 30, 2012, 1:19 PM
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surfergirl wrote: Seriously????? It all seems so stupid, that GYM climbing got me an injury, plus it's my pinky finger, which doesn't even really hold onto anything!!! I mean i went for the hold with my entire hand not just the pinky...seems so stupid that the pinky popped. Sorry for the whining but this fucking sucks. As for the taping...i was taping it really thick, thinking that would basically render the finger useless and i wouldn't pull down on it. But apparently it didn't help since it's still hurt.
Personally, I find taping to be detrimental to the healing process. If you tape tight enough for support, you're drastically reducing circulation. Do what you want, but it always prolonged my injuries.
What should be obvious is that you have pain and limited range of motion lasting more than two weeks. See a doctor and make sure you're healing properly. For example, what my wife thought was a partially ruptured tendon turned out to be a torn muscle. This injury had a different recovery plan, so she was pretty glad it was what it was. Not everything is as it first appears.
At least if you go and see a good sports doc, you can get an idea of what you should and shouldn't be doing. My wife's doc told her to keep climbing, but to be aware of the finger positions that hurt excessively. She was able to keep climbing at a slightly reduced level for two weeks, her normal level for two weeks, then redpoint her hardest boulder problem ever in week 5. If you're serious about getting better, you need to see a doc.
Don't cheap out on your finger health. If you want to keep climbing, it is critical to take care of it.
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