Finger Related Question

Hello!

Two days ago, I was hangboarding. I have been hangboarding consistently about twice a week since June. I always warm up prior to a hangboard session, massage my fingers using an acupressure ring afterwards, and I would put at least 1 day of rest in between hangboarding sessions. I also would like to mention that the days I hangboard I do not climb but rather do a weightlifting session or cardio.

So anyway, two days ago everything felt fine. I did not feel any pain during my session and I was doing my usual finger massage with the acupressure ring when I noticed some tenderness of the A2 pulley of my right ring finger. This is ONLY tender when i squeeze this finger with my other hand. Otherwise, there is no bruising, no swelling, no significant pain. I also happen to climb the next day—only doing easy routes with lots of big holds and few crimps. I tried taping my finger for the first time during the climb just to make sure nothing happens. Again, nothing significant happen. I never felt a “pop” or any major pain during my climbing session. Even right now, if i just gently put my ring finger in a crimp position, i do not feel any pain.

I figure this might just be a minor sprain. But Im curious to what you guys think as far as whether I should continue my hangboarding regimen or back off or what. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Sounds minor (and common). You should still hangboard to rehab it, but back off the load. Nothing rehabs a finger better than using it, but it has to be the right amount of use. If you overdo it one day, the finger will let you know. If so, back off more. I recommend wood holds if you have them. I’ve noticed plastic crimps hurt more with an injured finger. I believe it’s the hold flex, but I have no formal reasoning other than my own experience with plastic vs wood/rock.

bagel bagels wrote: Sounds minor (and common). You should still hangboard to rehab it, but back off the load. Nothing rehabs a finger better than using it, but it has to be the right amount of use. If you overdo it one day, the finger will let you know. If so, back off more. I recommend wood holds if you have them. I’ve noticed plastic crimps hurt more with an injured finger. I believe it’s the hold flex, but I have no formal reasoning other than my own experience with plastic vs wood/rock.

Thanks for the advice! Im currently hangboarding with the Beastmaker 1000 so I got the wood hold covered ;)

I had something similar below my A2. I found that massaging it and sticking my hand in a bucket of rice and then opening my hand helped out 

doctor—noun

1. a person licensed to practice medicine, as a physician, surgeon, dentist, or veterinarian.

climber—noun

1. a person or thing that climbs.

They are different things. :) Don't confuse the two.

caughtinside wrote:

You'd go to the doctor for a sore finger?  Come on.  

Probably not. But I'd see a doctor before I'd ask climbers to diagnose and treat it.

bagel bagels wrote: Sounds minor (and common). You should still hangboard to rehab it, but back off the load. Nothing rehabs a finger better than using it, but it has to be the right amount of use. If you overdo it one day, the finger will let you know. If so, back off more. I recommend wood holds if you have them. I’ve noticed plastic crimps hurt more with an injured finger. I believe it’s the hold flex, but I have no formal reasoning other than my own experience with plastic vs wood/rock.

I know it's super popular nowadays for people to offer this advice, especially since BD did a segment back then recommending exactly this. But your tenderness is acute and the inflammation is fresh, so it'd be best if you took a few days off from hangboarding and climbing in general, then gradually add the loads back up. If I were in your shoes, I'd stay off for 3-5 days, and during those days, alternately ice and massage the fingers as well as forearms and elbows, make sure you stretch your fingers and forearms after. Repeat 2-3 times daily. Massaging the entire path of your flexor tendon will help ease the tension on your pulleys and help with their long-term health, something that a lot of climbers neglect. 

I speak from my own struggle with several finger injuries in the past. 

Edit: I forgot to add, a clear sign of flexor overuse and excessive tension is waking up in the morning with claw hands, or worse yet - with a clenched fist. 

Fan Yang wrote:

I know it's super popular nowadays for people to offer this advice, especially since BD did a segment back then recommending exactly this. But your tenderness is acute and the inflammation is fresh, so it'd be best if you took a few days off from hangboarding and climbing in general, then gradually add the loads back up. If I were in your shoes, I'd stay off for 3-5 days, and during those days, alternately ice and massage the fingers as well as forearms and elbows, make sure you stretch your fingers and forearms after. Repeat 2-3 times daily. Massaging the entire path of your flexor tendon will help ease the tension on your pulleys and help with their long-term health, something that a lot of climbers neglect. 

I speak from my own struggle with several finger injuries in the past. 

Edit: I forgot to add, a clear sign of flexor overuse and excessive tension is waking up in the morning with claw hands, or worse yet - with a clenched fist. 

I haven’t seen the BD stuff; this is all based on my previous injuries and what worked for me. The ice and massaging advice is good. 

I should have said not to continue the hangboard program, but still do hangs or weight it as much as feels safe to do. I don’t mean for OP to go ham on crimping, just that it needs to be done still.