Trigger finger

Hi! New climber here. Would take this question to the injury forum but wanted to see what advice could be given here first...trigger finger sounds like small beans compared to the stuff going on over there.

I've been climbing off and on over the last year and a half (bad at keeping track of ticks tho!) and am trying to devote more time to it so I can start leading trad soon. When I climb regularly, I get trigger finger in my ring finger. I took a lot of time off from climbing (about a month or two) and it felt better. Trying to climb more and would like to know a good place to start to remedy this. It's not painful, just annoying, and I would like to prevent further finger injuries if I'm doing something wrong.

Do I start with forearm exercises? Hand exercises? Will taping it help? 

Thanks and happy climbing!

You could ask a doctor. You know, a hand surgeon.  

I know next to nothing about that condition, but here are some suggestions:

most connective tissue issues for climbers heal from rehab, not rest

my fingers feel happiest when they get frequent load, like either climbing or hangboarding every day, so think about a very frequent, light loading rather than infrequent, heavy exercise

try to find a hand specialist who climbs or at least treats climbers

this sounds like it's worth a doctors visit if you are serious about having a future in climbing/using your hand

FrankPSwrote:

You could ask a doctor. You know, a hand surgeon.  

Ok...let's assume for just a minute that I know that doctors exist but am having a hard time procuring the resources to visit a doctor...

You should post this on Reddit. Bigger audience there. I'd suggest r/climbharder, and maybe also a medical advice sub. There are enough people over there that questions get thorough answers.

Obviously, if you need surgery or think you do, see a doc. If your arm is going numb and you have chest pain, see a doc. But for many climbing injuries, especially connective tissue hand and finger injuries, doctors are slightly useless. Unless you want an MRI of your pinky, they can't generally do a lot. PTs, especially if they know about climbing, are more helpful because they are more focussed on treatment than diagnosis. But more than either of those, the advice of other climbers with the same injuries seems to be best. 

What is “trigger finger?”

Guy Keeseewrote:

What is “trigger finger?”

"Trigger finger is a condition in which one of your fingers gets stuck in a bent position. Your finger may bend or straighten with a snap — like a trigger being pulled and released."

I had it as a kid in one of my thumbs. It took a lot of effort to straighten the thumb and when it did, it would "snap" into that position. This wasn't caused by any injury or overuse, and I had surgery to fix it. It was quick and effective, and I've had no issues since then. It looks like there are other treatments for it, like stretching and splinting at night, but obviously the best thing to do is see a doctor. Good luck!

Guy Keeseewrote:

What is “trigger finger?”

Mayo Clinic / trigger-finger symptoms & causes

Trigger finger is a condition in which one of your fingers gets stuck in a bent position. Your finger may bend or straighten with a snap — like a trigger being pulled and released.

Trigger finger is also known as stenosing tenosynovitis (stuh-NO-sing ten-o-sin-o-VIE-tis). It occurs when inflammation narrows the space within the sheath that surrounds the tendon in the affected finger. If trigger finger is severe, your finger may become locked in a bent position.

People whose work or hobbies require repetitive gripping actions are at higher risk of developing trigger finger. The condition is also more common in women and in anyone with diabetes. Treatment of trigger finger varies depending on the severity.

FrankPSwrote:

You could ask a doctor. You know, a hand surgeon.  

I had trigger finger in my thumb.  It became very painful and difficult to climb. I went to a hand surgeon. He offered to cut the pulley. He said I don’t need that pulley. I decided to ask an acupuncturist. He said he had treated 50 to 60 people with success with the same condition. After three visits with him I was 50% better.   He believed improper function of my forearm overtime led to the problem.   After nine visits I’m about 98% better.  I still have my pulley.  

There can be more than one correct answer to the same question.

Thanks- well now I know.

To the OP… if you have “snapping” sounds coming from your fingers when you move them- see a doctor.

Home remedy- after climbing stick your mitts into ice water for as long as you can stand it. This is to help with the inflammation. In the am soak your hands in the hottest water you can stand- this helps warm them up. If you have one finger that hurts- immobilize it somehow (finger split or tape it to a finger next to it) for a few days or a week- when and if the pain goes away and you wish to climb make sure to tape your fingers (mine need taping for the “pulleys”) tape every time and always do the ice water treatment after climbing and the am hot water treatment.
So Welcome to climbing! Human hands were not made for climbing.

Edit: this is standard hand care for all climbers, most doctors, especially the non athletic ones, will just tell you to “not climb” …. But we know that’s not going to happen. Best of luck. 

Greg Dwrote:

I had trigger finger in my thumb.  It became very painful and difficult to climb. I went to a hand surgeon. He offered to cut the pulley. He said I don’t need that pulley. I decided to ask an acupuncturist. He said he had treated 50 to 60 people with success with the same condition. After three visits with him I was 50% better.   He believed improper function of my farm overtime led to the problem.   After nine visits I’m about 98% better.  I still have my pulley.  

There can be more than one correct answer to the same question.

And it might have healed without seeing anybody. 

But I think the best diagnosis is going to come from an MD. I wouldn't want an acupuncturist to diagnose anything, but that's just me.

How's the leg?

FrankPSwrote:

And it might have healed without seeing anybody. 

My injury had been going on for quite some time. I think the only way it would healed by itself is if I stoped doing everything, literally everything, which was not an option. 

But I think the best diagnosis is going to come from an MD.

Which is what I did. But even the hand surgeon kind of chuckled at me and asked me if I googled trigger finger. I said no I came to see you instead. Trigger finger is apparently quite easy to diagnose. It is simply inflammation of the tendon which makes it difficult to pass through the pulley.  If it gets bad enough, it can get stuck.     It can make a clicking noise when you force it through.

How's the leg?

The wound has healed up fairly nicely. Now I have some inflamation at the patella which is kind of nagging. But I am back out climbing. Thanks for asking. 

FrankPSwrote:

And it might have healed without seeing anybody. 

But I think the best diagnosis is going to come from an MD. I wouldn't want an acupuncturist to diagnose anything, but that's just me.

How's the leg?

Look on the bright side; the acupuncturist got paid.

Jenni Austinwrote:

Hi! New climber here. Would take this question to the injury forum but wanted to see what advice could be given here first...trigger finger sounds like small beans compared to the stuff going on over there.

I've been climbing off and on over the last year and a half (bad at keeping track of ticks tho!) and am trying to devote more time to it so I can start leading trad soon. When I climb regularly, I get trigger finger in my ring finger. I took a lot of time off from climbing (about a month or two) and it felt better. Trying to climb more and would like to know a good place to start to remedy this. It's not painful, just annoying, and I would like to prevent further finger injuries if I'm doing something wrong.

Do I start with forearm exercises? Hand exercises? Will taping it help? 

Thanks and happy climbing!

Hello, 

How did you deal with this in the end?

I've been climbing for about 3 months and the last one pretty hard and in the last 4 days I've been waking up with a trigger finger that goes away in about half an hour. 

Wondering what you did as I got the same questions. thanks!