Wrist/Forearm pain

Hey everyone, I probably need to see ortho or PT to get this checked out. But figured I would see if anyone had any ideas to what this could be.

For the past 6ish months I have been getting this pain that sort of originates near my right lower under forearm near my wrist and extends to the middle of my forearm. It really only starts happening when I am towards the end of my session and getting pumped. It feels sort of like an electric pain down a tendon or muscle. It subsides after my pump starts to go down a bit. It is a really unnerving feeling when it starts up while I am climbing. It seems to be extra aggravated by sloper and wide grip type holds.

Any thoughts? Have looked online but of course it could be so many different things according to the internet.

Thanks in advance!

Hi Tanner!

That sounds really frustrating to deal with, especially since it has been going on so long. You're correct that going to a PT would be the best idea to get to the root cause of your symptoms. That being said, I'm going to attach two articles about wrist pain from The Climbing Doctor blog that is run by Dr. Jared Vagy, a PT who specializes in climbing from Southern California. If your wrist pain is on the thumb side of your forearm, the first article might be most applicable to you. If it's on the pinky side of your forearm, and located closer to your wrist the second article would be more appropriate. If neither of these sound like your discomfort then seeing a PT in your area is the next best step. As a PT myself, it is always easiest to determine what someone needs with a one-on-one evaluation since each person is so different. If you're in Boulder you're really lucky that there are several physical therapists around that area that specialize in climbing! The good news for you is that your pain seems to be related to activity as you've described so it should be something that is manageable conservatively. The difficulty will be that it might take a while since it has been going on for so long. Try your best to stay patient! That being said, being evaluated by a PT would be more helpful to give you a concrete plan and prognosis. 

Pinky sided: https://theclimbingdoctor.com/tfcc-injury-a-common-source-of-wrist-pain-in-climbers/

Thumb sided: https://theclimbingdoctor.com/thumb-sided-wrist-pain-in-climbers-2/

Please reach out if you need anything at all! 

Chronic compartment syndrome?  More typical in runners, but who knows.....