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michael1
May 19, 2014, 6:16 AM
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Last October I fell mountain biking and to be cautious I saw a doctor and had my finger x-rayed. There was a tiny fracture on the second joint from the end of my middle finger with a small piece of bone separated. The doctor told me that the tendon/ligament injury was the greater concern though he assured me they were all in tact.
I still had strength in the finger and was able to climb with figure 8 taping as long as I didn't climb too hard. A few months later and I'd forgotten about the injury, but still used tape. A couple months ago I stopped taping and a couple weeks ago I started feeling pain in the joint again that started gradually, but may have been partially triggered by a problem that was at my limit. I took a few days off and then was climbing at a low level a few days, but then when I tried climbing harder the pain came back. I can feel the discomfort, without climbing if I contract the finger against my other hand at certain angles.
Has anyone had any similar experiences or have any advice? Does anyone know what sort of injury this might be?
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onceahardman
May 19, 2014, 10:00 PM
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michael1 wrote: Last October I fell mountain biking and to be cautious I saw a doctor and had my finger x-rayed. There was a tiny fracture on the second joint from the end of my middle finger with a small piece of bone separated. The doctor told me that the tendon/ligament injury was the greater concern though he assured me they were all in tact. I still had strength in the finger and was able to climb with figure 8 taping as long as I didn't climb too hard. A few months later and I'd forgotten about the injury, but still used tape. A couple months ago I stopped taping and a couple weeks ago I started feeling pain in the joint again that started gradually, but may have been partially triggered by a problem that was at my limit. I took a few days off and then was climbing at a low level a few days, but then when I tried climbing harder the pain came back. I can feel the discomfort, without climbing if I contract the finger against my other hand at certain angles. Has anyone had any similar experiences or have any advice? Does anyone know what sort of injury this might be?
If the only imaging you had was x ray, then the MD cannot be all that certain whether tendons and ligaments are fully intact. I assume that the function was fine, leading to the MD making this logical conclusion.
It is possible you have a small, but permanent injury to the finger. You may have a bit of excess bone at the fracture/healing site which becomes inflamed or irritated when large forces are applied. Why not try taping again?
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Evandoyer
May 20, 2014, 1:55 PM
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Back in the mid-90s I got my thumb and forefinger crushed in a lathe, and the surgeon had to glue them back together. Even now, if I hit them just the right (wrong) way they hurt like hell.
I'm not sure anything can be done to resolve the issue, since it should have mostly healed, or at least grown over, by now on its own. I would suggest taping it to another finger or re-train yourself to avoid using that one finger while climbing, at least for a year.
Just MHO. Best of luck.
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morcomm
Jul 24, 2014, 6:54 AM
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What you're talking about is a memegram; that is, a programmed pain memory. The hairline fracture you write about should have healed in 6 to 8 weeks, but the pain memory remains programmed in the primitive area of your brain where it keeps sending out those old pain signals. Being overly obsessed with it can keep it lodged in the brain areas where emotion and memory intersect. There's an attitude called "outcome independence" you can achieve by practicing mindfulness meditation. Look that up on YouTube or Google for detailed instructions.
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marc801
Jul 24, 2014, 2:43 PM
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morcomm wrote: What you're talking about is a memegram; that is, a programmed pain memory.
morcomm wrote: The hairline fracture you write about should have healed in 6 to 8 weeks, but the pain memory remains programmed in the primitive area of your brain where it keeps sending out those old pain signals.
The OP wrote: "There was a tiny fracture on the second joint from the end of my middle finger with a small piece of bone separated."
That's a lot more than a "hairline fracture" and can definitely impinge tendons and nerves. If it's neurological, it can take years for the pain to subside since nerves are notoriously slow to heal.
I agree with GO's advice.
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morcomm
Jul 24, 2014, 7:22 PM
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The late Dr. Candace Pert who discovered the neuro-receptors for pain messages in the brain talks a lot about programmed pain memories that seem to linger and reappear at old injury sites. Of course it is possible that a bone spur along the fracture line is rubbing on a nerve or tendon now that you're working out harder. But look at an amputee who still feels incredible pain in the "ghost leg" that was already cut off.
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28tim
Jul 28, 2014, 12:39 AM
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cracklover
Jul 29, 2014, 12:03 PM
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marc801 wrote: cracklover wrote: ...saying "Ohm" is probably not the best medicine. I can see that causing lots of resistance. 
LOL, good one!
GO
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