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Finger Injuries Help

Original Post
Hoez · · Uganda · Joined Jun 2009 · Points: 1,955

Hey guys!
So before i begin, a little history - i've been climbing for about 5 yrs now and am mainly a boulderer. I moved up the v scale pretty quickly and my grip strength came fast (thanks to some good mentors) - im right on the verge of being considered a "hard" climber and my fingers dont like it. Also, I eat VERY healthy and take more then my share of supps and vitamins... i spend 4/5 days a week in an actual gym and am in great shape (so please dont recommend that i lose weight to be easier on my fingers lol, BF% is in single digits)

Last year I got a case of trigger finger on my right, ring finger.. i was super bummed and it really hurt - it was soft and sensitive and had a bump. I gave it about 8-10 months and the bump eventually went away and my finger is finally healthy again!!

The problem that I am running into now, is that my left, middle finger is doing something similar. Its sore and hurts to crimp but there is no bruising or swelling... The reason i took 8-10 months off, in the first place, was because of a shoulder surgery and am just now back at %100 and beginning to train again. So i dont think its from overtraining - I am doing a pretty similar training regime as i was last year when i was strong though..

SO

is my finger readjusting to the stress of climbing ( i may have pushed it a little hard - having my first outdoor send being a V8) or is it possibly a case of another trigger finger??

Planning on a month trip to Bishop in February and want to be healthy and ready to crank..

Any advice on what I should be doing up until that time? as well as any sort of rehab tips would be awesome (both on and off the road)

thanks

Monomaniac · · Morrison, CO · Joined Oct 2006 · Points: 17,295
Hoez wrote: i spend 4/5 days a week in an actual gym
Are you climbing in a gym 4-5 days/week? How many days/wk are you climbing total (gym + outside)? These sound like over-use injuries and I suspect you are over-training.

How old are you and how old were you when you started climbing seriously?
Dr. Ellis D. Funnythoughts · · Evergreen, Co · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 125

try climbing openhanded instead of crimps

Will S · · Joshua Tree · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 1,061
Hoez wrote: i took 8-10 months off...am just now back at %100 and beginning to train again. So i dont think its from overtraining - I am doing a pretty similar training regime as i was last year when i was strong though
10months off and you go right back to the same training regimen...and you don't think that's overtraining? No adjustment period, no gradual re-introduction of volume and intensity?

4-5 days a week, bouldering hard, and you don't think that's overtraining?
Hoez · · Uganda · Joined Jun 2009 · Points: 1,955

@ Mono and Doc : Im 22 now and i started climbing seriously when i was probably 19/20ish and Im in an actual weights gym 4/5 days a week on top of say 3 days of hang/campus/ARC training (mon. wed. and fri.'s) in a climbing gym. Im trying to put together a proper periodization schedule for the next 2 months too...
(Mono, i hit you up a while back too about rehabbing my shoulder as well if you remember - FYI, all the advice you gave me was GREAT! My shoulder is feeling awesome)

@ Will S : Lol haha; now since i hear it reiterated back to me it makes sense..
Im somewhat of a masochist when it comes to training though - all those years of boxing and hearing that you are what you make yourself in the gym is still stuck with me i guess.

Anyways, i would still love to hear some rehab techniques that you guys have. A buddy of mine recommended rice training??

Oh yeah, someone said something about open hand climbing instead... One question - isnt it bad to climb open hand if your having tendon problems because the possibility of a rupture is more likely since the tendon is in a more relaxed state?

Mike Anderson · · Colorado Springs, CO · Joined Nov 2004 · Points: 3,265

I believe that what separates the "rock star" climbers from the rest of us is not natural talent, freakish strength, or a stronger work ethic, but the ability to handle high training volume and recover quickly without injury. I, for example, would gladly do multiple training sessions per day, or climb six days in a row like some of the pros do, but I know it would destroy my body. Instead, I've settled on a sustainable training regimen over many years of trial and error and injury, and accepted the fact that my gains will be slower than the latest wonder kid (who will likely have a meteoric rise followed by a predictable burnout). It may be that you have found the limit of how much training you can withstand, and it may be that you are not rock star material. But I dont know anything about you, so you need to figure it out for yourself. Good luck....

Hoez · · Uganda · Joined Jun 2009 · Points: 1,955

@mike anderson : it sounds like i could learn a thing or two from you mike!
I agree that a sustainable training regime is essential for us non-rock-stars lol. Thats what i was getting at when i mentioned in my last post about getting a PROPER periodization schedule put together.. im not trying to be a pro either, im just trying to send my projects; and im trying to go about the right way of training for them so that i can still be climbing in 20 years ^^

but im not going to even be able to train if i cant get my tendons healthy

So the prognosis im getting is that, even though im just now starting to train again, i need to ease up on the intensity and lighten my workloads? Should i give my fingers some rest before resuming training? Or should I continue climbing training and be watching my finger to see if the reduced workload clears up the injury, and if that happens gradually increase intensity?

Monomaniac · · Morrison, CO · Joined Oct 2006 · Points: 17,295

I recommend that you not "give your fingers some rest before resuming training". Instead, dial back the frequency of your workouts, while keeping the intensity as high as possible (may be even higher intensity than in the past, due to increased rest periods).

I would also recommend that you ice all of your fingers for 20 minutes or so immediately following every workout.

If you provide more details on your training schedule I would be happy to suggest some tweaks.

PTZ · · Chicago/Colorado · Joined Jul 2010 · Points: 490

You need a break. Immobilize or "buddy tape" it to the next finger.Don't take it too tight, it needs blood flow. If you let it rest, ice it and take a week or so off. It will come back. If you have a tear then you might need a little more time off.Good luck

Hoez · · Uganda · Joined Jun 2009 · Points: 1,955

Duely noted PTZ

Mono, ill hit you up soon and let you know. I'd love to rebound training regimes off of ya!

Thanks for all the info too everyone - climbing community is small here and theres not alot of local support.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Bouldering
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