Distorted Hand(?)

Hey folks, first time posting here and unfortunately not with the greatest news. I'm a beginner at climbing, usually V3 or V4 indoors and easier outdoors. This year I began climbing things that were more overhung only to end up hurting my right arm/pulley/hand(?). I cannot say exactly what I hurt because I don't really know nor am I an expert in anatomy but I can only say that the pain gradually developed on my arm after an overhung climbing session after feeling a muscle "shift" on my arm, after that happened I realized I couldnt climb properly and my whole lower-left-arm area hurt for quite some time, on like 2 occasions it also went numb for a while, and then it after a few days the pain subsided on my arm and concentrated on my finger/pulley area. After hearing from folks that I should give it a couple weeks rest, I decided to stop for 6 weeks. Today at work I decided to put my hand in various positions to see if I felt any pain only to notice that my fingers were not aligned properly and in fact, when I crimped, the two fingers between my pointer and pinky ended up looking distorted. Does anyone know what this could be? What type of specialist should I go see? I'm really afraid that I let it "settle" and that it might have healed incorrectly. I don't feel pain unless I exert pressure and the pain is all relative to the amount of pressure I put on it. I also haven't tried climbing on it. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Edit: I said arm because I think there definitely was a pulley involved. When I flexed my lower arm and pulley I could feel significant pain. Now only my fingers hurt and only when i put pressure on them.

See an orthopedist, specifically, a hand specialist.

And before someone else says it, May the force be with you!

FrankPS wrote:

See an orthopedist, specifically, a hand specialist.

And before someone else says it, May the force be with you!

It's "live long and prosper" you idiot! You sound like a damn fool when you say it wrong!

jg fox wrote:

It's "live long and prosper" you idiot! You sound like a damn fool when you say it wrong!

Darn, I tried and failed! I don't even know if that's Star Wars or Star Trek. I hang my head in shame.

I took two more photos because it might help to see how my hand looks like not in any position and what it looks like with a slight fist. Looks kind of like my middle finger is slightly curved.

FrankPS wrote:

Darn, I tried and failed! I don't even know if that's Star Wars or Star Trek. I hang my head in shame.

Its cool, you probably spend all your free time climbing.

I suspect it is a sagittal band rupture with some injury to the juncturae tendinum. 

Whatever it is, you need to see an orthopedic surgeon. I don't know how long it has been but the sooner you get it checked out the better. Good luck!

Note that an ultrasound might be helpful to better identify the soft tissue injury.  As long as your kidneys and GI tract are okay, it probably won't hurt to start some NSAIDs.

I think your problem is the thumb being on the wrong side. I am confused you said left lower arm was hurt and than show pictures of your right hand???

ViperScale . wrote:

I think your problem is the thumb being on the wrong side. I am confused you said left lower arm was hurt and than show pictures of your right hand???

Good catch!

Kevin C wrote:

Hey folks, first time posting here and unfortunately not with the greatest news. I'm a beginner at climbing, usually V3 or V4 indoors and easier outdoors. This year I began climbing things that were more overhung only to end up hurting my left arm/pulley/hand(?). I cannot say exactly what I hurt because I don't really know nor am I an expert in anatomy but I can only say that the pain gradually developed on my arm after an overhung climbing session after feeling a muscle "shift" on my arm, after that happened I realized I couldnt climb properly and my whole lower-left-arm area hurt for quite some time, on like 2 occasions it also went numb for a while, and then it after a few days the pain subsided on my arm and concentrated on my finger/pulley area. After hearing from folks that I should give it a couple weeks rest, I decided to stop for 6 weeks. Today at work I decided to put my hand in various positions to see if I felt any pain only to notice that my fingers were not aligned properly and in fact, when I crimped, the two fingers between my pointer and pinky ended up looking distorted. Does anyone know what this could be? What type of specialist should I go see? I'm really afraid that I let it "settle" and that it might have healed incorrectly. I don't feel pain unless I exert pressure and the pain is all relative to the amount of pressure I put on it. I also haven't tried climbing on it. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Have you tried pouring coffee on it?