TimL Posted November 17, 2003 Posted November 17, 2003 Yikes…so this weekend at Smith with Fred Rogers I think I totally screwed up a tendon while crimping on the crux holds of Darkness at Noon. This is my deal. I have about a 4 inch section of my tendon that starts hurting just below my wrist and continues into my forearm. It’s definitely my pointer and middle finger tendon. Its not horrible pain but it doesn’t feel like anything I should climb on. Has anyone had this problem? Is there anyway to tape? If I need to stop climbing on it, typically how long should I stop rock climbing? What have people done in the past to help an injury like this heal? Thanks for any and all info and thank God ice season is just around the corner. Quote
specialed Posted November 17, 2003 Posted November 17, 2003 As your attorney, I advise you to drink heavily. Quote
RuMR Posted November 17, 2003 Posted November 17, 2003 Tim...leave that thing alone...don't climb for at least 3 weeks, if it feels ok then, GRADUALLY start climbing harder stuff and if you must climb now, stay outta pockets/crimps and only climb BIG jugs... It sounds more like chronic as opposed to acute (actual tearing)...give it time...you break it, and your done for a year or more... I popped a tendon in 1994 and it took close to two years before it felt anything like healed... Quote
matt_warfield Posted November 17, 2003 Posted November 17, 2003 I have spent years getting to know my tendons and agree with RuMR. Tendons heal very slowly and going back to climbing too quickly will just buy you a longer injury......and tendons can be injured a looooong time. Put the "proj" on hold until spring. Quote
lummox Posted November 17, 2003 Posted November 17, 2003 above the wrist kina pain CAN be from simple tendonitis. it COULD be cause that hole through your wrist where your nerves and tendons and shit go through is too small cuase you stressed you tendon and it swelled up. try ibuprofen and lots of water which is like cheap and safe to try. should feel better in a day or three. avoid crimps for a while and quit beatin off or your arm will nver heal. Quote
Dave_Schuldt Posted November 18, 2003 Posted November 18, 2003 Ice several time a day for 15 minutes. Go to a sporting goods store and buy an ice wrap, they have fake ice that doesn't leak. Quote
dr._jay Posted November 18, 2003 Posted November 18, 2003 as your physician, i also advise you to drink heavily... Quote
tread_tramp Posted November 18, 2003 Posted November 18, 2003 Would that be from a corked or twist top bottle... Oh, wrong thread. My bad Quote
Jens Posted November 18, 2003 Posted November 18, 2003 Load up on the maximum daily dose of Glucosimine/Chondroitin. Take it with food. Keep it at your work home, car, etc. ------ Watch out for everyday stuff that you would never expect to tweak it- mowing yard, carrying bags of groceries, etc. --------- Show up at Marymoor Park for some killer one handed bouldering problems. Quote
brukb Posted November 18, 2003 Posted November 18, 2003 As a physical therapist and a climber I've dealt with injuries like these on a pesonal and professional level. It sound like you overstressed a tendon, meaning there is likely some degree of tearing of the tendon fibers. Assuming that this is correct, this is how I would treat it; Use ice only if it is painful, swollen or flared up, otherwise start using heat to facilitate blood flow to the tendon (tendons have relatively limited blood supply which is one reason they can take a long time to heal). You can try alternating heat and ice, 15 minute sets, for 1-3 cycles, finish with whatever feels best. Do light massage work to the tender areas, extending up the forearm toward the elbow, again to facilitate blood flow as well as to decrease the guarding muscular tension of the attached muscle (probably flexor carpi radialis or flexor digitorum superficialis). Keep the massage light, some discomfort is o.k. but it should not be flared up long after you finish, may follow this with ice if needed. Light stretching; with your arm extended forward (elbow straight), pull fingers backwards with other hand (opposite the motion of making a fist). Also try bent-elbow stretching; put your hands together, palm to palm, finger tips to finger tips, in front of your chest, raise the elbows to feel stretch in wrist and forearm. Stretching should be light, not painful. Warm the area up first if possible. Rest; Like the others said, you could easily reinjure the tendon if you start climbing "too early," which is difficult to define. But personally I would not use it at all for a week, then start light wrist flexion and gripping exercises, then bouldering (gym is ideal for controlled environment) or climbing where you can keep more weight on you feet. If you don't need to be doing any training for hard, crimpy climbing this Fall, then I would stay away from it completely until Spring. When you start working back into climbing motions start with grips that mimic holding an ice tool, since that sounds like what you will be training up for. This will be LESS stressful, but still has the possibility to overstress the tendon. Basically you need to reduce enough stress to the tendon to let it heal, then gradually reintroduce appropriate, and gradually increasing stress to increase the strength of the tendon again. As far as meds/supplements; glucosamine is for joint structures (cartilage primarily) and will not do anything for a tendon problem, if it even does anything at all. I personally would not take Ibuprofen unless I really needed to (flare-ups, excessive pain), just because I like to stay away from meds as much as possible. Try to control pain and inflammation as much as possible with rest and ice/heat. Be patient, climbing tendon injuries can suck for a long time. Quote
matt_warfield Posted November 18, 2003 Posted November 18, 2003 The poor blood flow means antiinflammatories don't work very well and it also means that healing takes much longer than for muscles. Ice is often talked about but heat, massage, and rest are what's going to heal things. And the big problem with going back at it too early is that the tendons might not tell you they've been further injured until the next day or later even though you just pulled down like a mutha. Good luck. Quote
RuMR Posted November 18, 2003 Posted November 18, 2003 Matt and others are correct...DO NOT START CLIMBING TOO EARLY...and if it bothers you QUIT IMMEDIATELY...you rupture the tendon completely and you are screwed....big time... Quote
texplorer Posted November 19, 2003 Posted November 19, 2003 That's what happens when you aren't climbing cracks. He ehe Sounds like your screwed for life Tim. You should just give up climbing and send me all your gear. PM me for my new address. Actually, good luck on getting better soon. At least its winter and you wont be as tempted to go out and thrash it on pockets and crimps much longer. Quote
RuMR Posted November 19, 2003 Posted November 19, 2003 Cracks Mono's Just kiddin'...its all good... Quote
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