Torn Finger Ligament- Rehab ideas?

Hey MP,

I'm having a hard time rehabbing a finger injury and I'm looking for some exercises or just to hear from someone with a similar injury before. I'm told it will heal just fine in time and to keep climbing, which I'm doing and have returned to my former glory (v4-5 boulders & leading 5.10b-c). Having said that, crack climbing anything with a handjam seems like it will never be an option due to (hopefully temporary) loss of flexibility... and pain. PLEASE NOTE: I'm an optimist except when it comes to injuries.

Medically, I tore the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in the PIP joint on my left middle finger. For the layman- when looking at your left hand, it's the side ligament on the outside of your middle finger on the ring-finger side. It dislocated, bending towards my index finger/thumb, rupturing the UCL or at least "tearing it pretty bad" according to the orthopaedic surgeon who examined me in mid-May.

Has anyone out there tore this before and fully recovered? Mostly recovered? What's your story?!

As of now, I can grab any hold pain/problem free- including finger pockets if I'm very deliberate about it- and I have no trouble opening or closing the finger (to make a fist, etc.). What really hurts is straightening the finger the last 5% and pushing down towards my palm once I've made a fist.

My healthy right middle finger bends back a little bit PAST straight (see first picture), where my left, I have to force to get the last little bit to straight. And the same goes for the other direction when making a fist- I have to really work to get it curled up that last little bit.

If you read this far, I know you're wondering what happened. Back in late-April, I was stupidly climbing wet rock at dusk to clean a top rope anchor. While safely on my personal anchor at the top, I fell and instinctively grabbed the left permadraw (SO STUPID, I know, I should've just let my PAS catch me). That's when the dislocation happened- and what a miserable rappel down that was.

Thanks all,
Josh

Sorry to hear about your injury. Did you ever hear back from anyone? How has your recovery been?

I came searching for some advice on a volar plate injury to my PIPJ as well, looking for similar rehab advice. Have you posted on the accidents/injuries thread?

I just watched the Lattice Training 2 part YouTube videos on finger injuries.  Gives a good background and what to expect from rehab . I found it more helpful than just directions.

Hopefully yours does better than mine.  Sad to say but mine has never been the same since I tore it.  I've had some really strong periods/years where it worked really well (climbed 5.12 consistently) but in the end it just is so easy to re-injure and I have done that to it for 50 years.  At one point mine was so weak that it would try to dislocate turning the car blinker on.  Now days, at almost 70, it will be perfect one day and just f*cked the next.  It keeps me from climbing hard more than any other injury I have had.

It's pretty good now, a couple years later. It's still got a gnarly bump which still hurts when I push on it, but it no longer semi-dislocates and I can climb on it hard without pain.

The only thing that hurts or where I really notice is trying to squeeze my fist as hard as I can with extra pressure on the middle finger... or when I try to force the finger all the way straight. As you can see below, it only gets about 95% straight without assistance.

https://rocknsport.square.site/product/sport-kit/1?cs=true&cst=custom

https://beta-angel.com/research/technology-reviews/pulley-protection-brace/

I know this is pulley but may support your finger to speed up process.

 I had a tendon thing ball up on my knuckle, I just massage it every day to loosen it up, 2 years later it’s almost back to normal and general pain has gone away.