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HELP - I grew a new knuckle overnight? Finger injury question!

Original Post
KevinShea · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2014 · Points: 5

Hello,

I went really hard at the gym yesterday for an extended period of time. I climb a lot at the gym usually 3-4 times a week but yesterday was about a 2-3 hour session as opposed to my normal hour or 90min.

When I woke up this morning I noticed something that I have never noticed before (see photo) a weird pretty large bump between my knuckles. I experienced no trauma to the finger yesterday, just hard climbing, and neither the bump nor my finger have any pain whatsoever, just this weird bump. When I push on it, it feels like it is full of air, and will even disappear for a minute before swelling back up.

I'm laying off of it for a bit but is this a major concern? Will it just go away? Again, no trauma, and no current pain. Am I ok to continue climbing maybe just avoid the campus board for a while?

Any help is hugely appreciated, my health insurance is dodgy.

My new knuckle

Mark E Dixon · · Possunt, nec posse videntur · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 974

Maybe Google ganglion cyst.

KevinShea · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2014 · Points: 5

Thanks Mark - yeah I was going down that road. Maybe the thing had been there longer and I just haven't realized? Seems strange. Any thoughts on whether I should avoid climbing? Most articles seem to say try and smash it or just let it go away. It isn't bothering me.

FrankPS · · Atascadero, CA · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 276
mountainproject.com/v/gangl…

Edit: The ganglion cysts I have had have been between the main knuckles on the back of the hand, not on the finger like yours.

Edit II - Is your fingernail painted sky blue, Kevin?
KevinShea · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2014 · Points: 5

Thanks Frank - it's definitely a cyst. I'll give it a few days before maybe trying to smoosh it.

Only question is- is it ok to climb on? Again no trauma and no pain...

FrankPS · · Atascadero, CA · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 276
KevinShea wrote:Thanks Frank - it's definitely a cyst. I'll give it a few days before maybe trying to smoosh it. Only question is- is it ok to climb on? Again no trauma and no pain...
I don't think climbing on it makes it any worse. I'm not a fingerologist, though.
KevinShea · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2014 · Points: 5

Thanks again Frank. Yeah I will probably just take it easy on in and monitor for a while.

KevinShea · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2014 · Points: 5

Yes Frank, sky blue.

john strand · · southern colo · Joined May 2008 · Points: 1,640

Did you ice it by any chance ? If so, did it change ?

I have nodules from arthritis, but they grow directly on the knuckle(mostly) and generally are not from short term trauma.

Dustin B · · Steamboat · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 1,275

A friend of mine had one of these, he was drunk and we convinced him of an old home remedy to smash it with a bible. so he put his hand down on the table...WHAM. Funny thing is, it actually worked!

Paul Coakley · · KY · Joined Dec 2015 · Points: 25
KevinShea wrote:Yes Frank, sky blue.
Maybe it wasn't climbing related...
Maybe it's a fingernail painting injury...
LOL
KevinShea · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2014 · Points: 5
john strand wrote:Did you ice it by any chance ? If so, did it change ? I have nodules from arthritis, but they grow directly on the knuckle(mostly) and generally are not from short term trauma.
Hmm yeah I thought of that but I don't think I have any symptoms of arthritis, no pain. I didn't ice it at all. Sometimes after a hard climbing session the following morning my hands feel kinda creaky and I have a tendency to pop my knuckles but I don't think I have any arthritis that I know of... or maybe I might?
KevinShea · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2014 · Points: 5
KevinShea wrote: Hmm yeah I thought of that but I don't think I have any symptoms of arthritis, no pain. I didn't ice it at all. Sometimes after a hard climbing session the following morning my hands feel kinda creaky and I have a tendency to pop my knuckles but I don't think I have any arthritis that I know of... or maybe I might?


I should add this isn't on the knuckle but it is very close.
Buff Johnson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2005 · Points: 1,145

can you transilluminate it?

KevinShea · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2014 · Points: 5
Buff Johnson wrote:can you transilluminate it?
I don't have a super powerful light but from what I see it looks sorta empty, just sorta glows red like light passing through the skin and not much blocking light inside the bump.
Buff Johnson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2005 · Points: 1,145

omg, yer gonna die!
it's fine

Rob Gordon · · Hollywood, CA · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 115

Video tape the smash and share.

Bill Lawry · · Albuquerque, NM · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 1,812

... and don't worry about Frank. While he has issues, he's harmless.

John Tex · · Estes · Joined Mar 2013 · Points: 0

I've got dorsal ganglion cysts in both wrists and they flare up about once a month and I normally can't flex my wrist they are so damn painful. Had them both aspirated, and that didn't work. Just had them surgically removed, was out almost 2 months for recovery and one month after that the left one is back... If the right one comes back im just gonna cut off my hands.

Kevin Neville · · Oconomowoc, WI · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 15

Full of air or full of fluid? Looks like bursitis to me. I got it on an elbow once, woke with it the day after weightlifting plus climbing. Rested it and it went away over a week or two.

Rob Gordon · · Hollywood, CA · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 115

Fucking bursitis. I have it on my right elbow from smashing it against poorly set holds in the gym.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Injuries and Accidents
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