Pain in fingertip

I've been having some minor pain in the middle fingertip, basically in the middle of the pad, maybe a little closer to the joint. I think it came on because of climbing too hard, too often (overuse) because there wasn't any specific event involved. I've been climbing for a year, so I don't yet have the tendon strength of more experienced climbers. I never use a full crimp grip, instead opting for the open hand crimp. I avoid painful holds or mono pockets.

Anyway that is probably not relevant. What I'm wondering is what the heck I did to myself. I took some time off to rest it, because I was afraid I would injure it worse if I kept climbing. I've slowly started easy back into easy climbing, and it's been over a month now and I still feel it. It doesn't usually hurt while climbing, but sometimes aches in kind of a sharp way almost every day. From what I've read it's unlikely to be the A5, but what else could it be? Joint injury? Stress fracture? Tendon insertion? Crushed nerve? Soft tissue? I mean, what's in there that I can hurt climbing? And most importantly, is it something I can possibly injure in a traumatic way which can stop me for a long time?

I don't usually post things like this but I'm wondering if anybody has experienced a similar thing or might otherwise have some knowledge on it.

Doctors do a better job with diagnosis than climbers.

It concerns me, but not really more than curiosity. A doctor is going to tell me to "stay off it for a while". I don't have good enough insurance to be seeing a doctor to tell me that. I know it will heal eventually like all minor injuries I've had. Maybe if I were an elite athlete I'd have access to trainers, doctors, massage, etc. whenever I want. I'm not looking for expert diagnosis here, but right now I've seen zero people with similar issues so I'm just trying to do better than that.

Pain is weakness leaving the body, as with all things in nature there must be balance. There is an imbalance between the hardness of the rock and the softness of your tissue. As your fingers become harder the pain that is caused by the imbalance will subside.

FrankPS wrote:Doctors do a better job with diagnosis than climbers.

Again. FrankPS for the win!

Maybe we should just get rid of this forum and instead install a banner that says "see a doctor".

FrankPS wrote:Doctors do a better job with diagnosis than climbers.

People always say this on these threads, but in my experience it frankly isn't true. If you are able to see a really good hand specialist, who is familiar with climbing injuries, is up on the latest research/practices, and is accustomed to taking an aggressive stance in rehabbing athletic injuries, then in that case a doctor will be very helpful. But that sort of doctor is hard to find. Your typical GP will know nothing about climbing-specific injuries, and will probably provide ineffective treatment advice that is decades out of date (i.e. they will prescribe rest for tendonosis). You'll get better results by following the latest bro-science from the internet than following what most doctors would tell you. And you won't have to shell out a $100 co-pay for that advice.

JCM wrote: People always say this on these threads, but in my experience it frankly isn't true.

Who? Always? First I have heard of it. But I like it.

JCM wrote:If you are able to see a really good hand specialist, who is familiar with climbing injuries, is up on the latest research/practices, and is accustomed to taking an aggressive stance in rehabbing athletic injuries, then in that case a doctor will be very helpful But that sort of doctor is hard to find.

Not really Jerry. They're call specialist. Like Hand-Ortho specialist.

JCM wrote: Your typical GP will know nothing about climbing-specific injuries, and will probably provide ineffective treatment advice that is decades out of date (i.e. they will prescribe rest for tendonosis).

Some serious assumption and speculation Jerry.

JCM wrote: You'll get better results by following the latest bro-science from the internet than following what most doctors would tell you. And you won't have to shell out a $100 co-pay for that advice.

What's good for the goose isn't necessarily good for the gander, bro.

"I took some time off to rest it, because I was afraid I would injure it worse if I kept climbing. I've slowly started easy back into easy climbing, and it's been over a month now and I still feel it. It doesn't usually hurt while climbing, but sometimes aches in kind of a sharp way almost every day"

-Super vague. Not your fault, but
What is/was the onset (slow and progressive hurting a little worse every so often, or no pain-BAM it started at 11:52 AM on this day...)?
How much time off did you take. was the pain better at end of said time off than it was at the beginning?
What makes it hurt/worse (use, several consecutive days of use, when you wake up in the am, its fine all day and 20 minutes into sitting on the couch BAM its there, pushing on it)?
What makes it better (ice, ibuprofen not climbing, massage)?
Does it radiate?
Pain with motion, flexion/extension? If so, if you lay your hand on the table palm up, and hold your fingers down just proximal to the DIP joint (the furthest point the finger bends from the palm) and flex does that hurt? hurt worse?
Does it ever click? jam? get stuck in the flexed position?
Is it swollen, Is it red or warm?
do you have cuts on your finger tips?
how old are you?
do you have a history of arthritis? does your immediate family?

BigNobody wrote: Who? Always?

That would be Frank, aka Mr. Obvious (who has to hire guides to get around climbing), frankly.

BigNobody wrote: Some serious assumption and speculation Jerry.

Maybe, but what are you basing your opinions off of? What are your experiences on finger injures (besides Googling)?

IME, even if you end up seeing a specialist, it's helpful to gather as much information as you can beforehand.

JCM wrote: People always say this on these threads, but in my experience it frankly isn't true. If you are able to see a really good hand specialist, who is familiar with climbing injuries, is up on the latest research/practices, and is accustomed to taking an aggressive stance in rehabbing athletic injuries, then in that case a doctor will be very helpful. But that sort of doctor is hard to find. Your typical GP will know nothing about climbing-specific injuries, and will probably provide ineffective treatment advice that is decades out of date (i.e. they will prescribe rest for tendonosis). You'll get better results by following the latest bro-science from the internet than following what most doctors would tell you. And you won't have to shell out a $100 co-pay for that advice.

Doctors, schmocters? By the way, I'd assume most "climbing specific injuries" aren't climbing-specific. Take "tennis elbow" or "golfer's elbow," for example. Those are common climber ailments that aren't unique to climbers, as their names show. I'd guess pulley tears/injuries are also shared by other trades and sports. "Wrist popping" is probably also not unique to climbers. Come to think of it, I doubt there are few (are there any?) injuries unique to climbing.

Why hassle making a doctor's appointment and spending money, when you can get an untrained and unlicensed, non-expert opinion on the Internet? My internist can diagnosis some orthopedic problems, and probably a lot better than some random guy on MP.

Edit: Reboot, what does using a guide have to do with this thread? I climb with and without guides, but using a guide isn't something to be ashamed of. But if it makes you feel superior to say that, have at it. Not sure why you took a shot at me.

FrankPS wrote: Doctors, schmocters? By the way, I'd assume most "climbing specific injuries" aren't climbing-specific. Take "tennis elbow" or "golfer's elbow," for example. Those are common climber ailments that aren't unique to climbers, as their name shows.

Maybe have a listen to this?

trainingbeta.com/media/tom-…

Athletes from different backgrounds have different requirements, even if they share the same injury site.

People from other sports may suffer finger injuries, but they are nothing like finger injuries from climbing, nor are the requirements remotely close.

FWIW, I've seen GP for finger injuries (b/c I didn't have to pay anything) and it was a complete, utter, waste of my and the doctor's time.

FrankPS wrote: what does using a guide have to do with this thread?

We are talking about seeking professional help vs self-sufficiency; seems relevant to me knowing where you stand on that in general.

I'm not sure it's terribly important what exactly you injured. It doesn't sound like a major injury (consult a dr if you're that interested). The likely cure is rest and slowly getting back into it when ready. The harder you climb the more your fingers will hurt. Nearly everybody I know has had a finger injury of some sort or experiences regular finger pain.

Also, there is pain that is OK and pain that isn't. Example - I may climb a difficult boulder problem on a moon board and after I need to take 10 minute break because my finger tips/joints hurt. Also, if I come back from a tendon injury there may be some lingering soreness. That just means I need to take it easy and strengthen it slowly. Those types of pain are probably OK. If after my session or the next day I experience much pain in my fingers then that means I should probably take a rest day (or more). You have to be the one to make the judgement call on when to stop if something hurts. A little pain while rehabbing an injury is normal.

If you're experiencing a lot of stiffness and pain in a join sometimes stretching the joint can help. I personally experience this type of pain fairly often. Dr. Julian Saunders wrote an article on Rock & Ice some years back that describes the stretches. It's probably still out there.

Oh and I doubt most doctors could do anything for you here.

There is a TON of things you could have done, Gout, strain, tendonopathy, Cancer, arthritis, foreign body (splinter-wood, metal, dirt), osteomyelitis, You could have a minor tear in A4,
more likely - you could have a minor tear/strain to flexor digitorum profundus, either on the tendon itself or at the insertion point of the distal phalanx. which, to be redundant is either a Tendinosis, or Tendinitis.
If you do have a tear, or minor one (strain), continued use despite pain could result in a complete tear or avulsion fracture, that would require surgical treatment.
most likely some form of soft tissue tendinosis (with insidious onset), which take a while to heal, rest, ice, massage - ibuprofen is contraindicated and will delay healing - and rest is the only treatment and could be anywhere from 6-10 weeks, or 3-6 months for chronic problems.
If you felt an acute and sudden injury you could have a tendinitis - rest and use ibuprofen.

If it is just an overuse tendinopathy, or inflammation - rest with ice, massaging and slow eccentric exercises, with slowly restrengthening is fine.
See the trend?
You could also have an infection, a foreign body, cancer, arthritis osteo, rheumatoid or gouty), you might also just be a wuss.

Long story short. rest, and stay off crimps (at the very least) until pain resolves.

If it persists for a few weeks/months, swelling redness and warmth develops, if you get a bulge or other deformity, see your doc. to have some imaging /aspiration done depending on progression and what happens.

at the same time - hard to say without a more clear picture of what you are experiencing, and more details about your pain and what is actually happening.

Im just going to leave this here - ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl…

This may be applicable...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyugCJ40IIw

Now we are getting somewhere. Where? I don't know. To answer some previous questions:

The onset was a week of climbing where I climbed indoors Monday and Wednesday and then Friday. I was still sore so I took it easy but did a lot of mileage on decently hard for me stuff. Towards the end I started to feel like maybe I overdid it. I figured I could just take a short break, but it ended up I took about a month off, at which point I was improving and starting to feel like I could climb a little. While I was resting it would hurt a little in the morning (not bad). Now it hurts a little the day after climbing then tapers off as the week goes on. Pain doesn't radiate or hurt with motion or when I push on it, doesn't click or jam, no swelling, not red or warm, no cuts, I'm 30, no arthritis or family with it.

I feel like some rest was good but at some point I would think climbing a little would help strengthen it again. The rest of my body certainly needs to get strong again.