A2 injury WHILE open handed

Hello everyone,

ive scoured the net for advice related to the way I got this injury.

Firstly, is this where an A2 injury is expected? The image shows where the pain is, right at the base of the finger. Its highly localized.

Secondly, I was hand boarding with weights, open handed (pinky down), and felt pain in the base of the ring finger. I stopped hangboarding immediately. It didn't hurt, but felt "off" and tweaky. Based on my readings, open handed should not injure the A2 pulley, yet it did in this situation (if the image indicates an A2 injury). Advice on the net says to open hand everything until it heals. Well I already mostly open hand everything and hurt it open handed. I am not sure how to proceed. The pain completely goes away in 2 days but returns with climbing (its been 1.5 weeks since injury). I don't know how to manage it. Red river gorge in 5 weeks so I am in desperation.

Help would be much appreciated

Yeah that's the right area. My A2 rupture (complete rupture confirmed by MRI) took around 6 months to fully heal and it hurt while climbing for about a year. You should reset your expectations. If you're lucky, it's not a complete rupture and only a strain, and you will bounce back quicker.

Chris treggE wrote:Yeah that's the right area. My A2 rupture (complete rupture confirmed by MRI) took around 6 months to fully heal and it hurt while climbing for about a year. You should reset your expectations. If you're lucky, it's not a complete rupture and only a strain, and you will bounce back quicker.

Mine is quite mild (I think). I'm guessing I'll need to cancel my trip. Very unfortunate :(

Normally I would agree with you, except the discomfort seems to increase even with open handed. This is why I initially questioned whether it was a true A2 pulley injury or something related, since it does not fit the traditional symptoms (no tenderness with pressure, gets worse after warming up, no pain with use but builds progressively, etc)

Make like Tom Randall and start climbing hard cracks! No pulleys required!

Could be a flexor unit strain. The circle IS in the A2 location - but I've had both A2 tears and a flexor unit strain over the years (all diagnosed by real orthos) and honestly the pain can move around. Sometimes the A2 pain migrated to the palm, the wrist, full hand, etc. and the FUS as well (at times felt A2ish).

FUS test is: pull on hold open handed w all 4 fingers - fine? Then drop the pinky and pull with 3- hurt now? If so - prob FUS

BUT....

Go see a doc. The biggest surprise for me was how cheap a visit w a PA at an ortho office can be! Peace of mind at under $250 at one of the best in the country.