new Open-grip injury: FUS

Of course no climbing injury could really be "new", but this one has only had a name and been discussed on the Web for less than seven years -- much of that confused -- and little on MountainProject.

Oddly it usually comes from using a 4-finger Open grip (not from Crimping), or sometimes from small pockets.

I've got it myself, and I've only mentioned to two other people at my gym, and both of them said they had it too. Maybe just a statistcal oddity, but maybe a signal that FUS is (only just now?) more important than we knew.

Be glad to hear more experiences and links to more helpful into about it.

"Flexor Unit Strain" seems to be its most popular name (but does not strike me as very useful terminology).

Most frequently associated with the ring finger, and typical symptom is that the 4-finger Open grip from a single-knuckle-tip edge (0.75 inch / 18mm) feels completely normal and pain-free, but the 3-finger Open grip from a single-knuckle-tip edge feels obviously painful and weak.

Best description and treatment I've found is (again) in Dave MacLeod's new book, Make or Break , page 145.

Another helpful source is Dr Julian Saunders

Under the name "lumbrical tear", see Tom's Physiotherapy

Good news is that FUS seems usually fairly manageable.

Ken

I have this. It sucks. Sometimes I go for days with no pain and think it's getting better, only to re-tweak it doing something ridiculous like shutting a door or picking up a pot that just happens to load the ring finger.

That Dave MacLeod book sounds amazing, especially to a chronically injured climber who has often struggled to find good info on climbing injuries both online and from docs. But damn, $50??

I think I've had this! Pain in my palm (on the pinkie side) between fingers and wrist after working out on small two-finger pocket (middle/ring). Buddy taped my ring and pinkie fingers together for like 6 months and it eventually went away. Still haven't pulled hard on pockets since.

Does that sound like what you're describing?

That sounds like it.

I just bought the MacLeod book. Hope it is as good as it sounds.

This exactly describes the injury I sustained a little over a month ago.

Middle and ring finger in a two-finger pocket, locked off — OUCH. No swelling or bruising, just mild pain at base of ring finger. After five days or so the pain was gone unless I loaded the finger, which was still quite tender.

Plateaued here for five weeks of not climbing. Just had my first light gym session two days ago. Buddy-taping with the pinkie finger was effective, but I still had to focus on not pulling with ring finger.

For others who have had FUS: How long did it take you to heal? Anything you did that was particularly helpful, either to speed up healing or to keep climbing before you were 100%? Anything in particular to avoid (aside from shutting doors the wrong way, apparently).

Also discussed here. mountainproject.com/v/-poss…

I'm dealing with this right now. Felt bad today, did some light climbing(ARCing) and some light boulder problems up to v2 and it actually felt better after. Half the climbing was buddy taped to middle finger half was not. Actually felt better without tape, just had to be careful of how I grabbed holds

What is the treatment recommendation from Dave MacLeods book by the way?

FUS = no fun.
Lots of tweaks in climbing make it so I'm not sure what I should rest to heal, and other junk I need to push through.

My little bro works for a physical therapist named Chris, who works magic here in Colorado Springs, CO. He has a machine called ARP (Accelerated Recovery Program @ Dunamis). The system of recovery will help you get back on the rock, quickly. If you have a licensed ARP therapist in your area check him out. It may fix FUS and other ailments you're pushing through.

Hey, I've also had this (pop and twang in my ring finger and down my forearm while twisting in a MR 2 finger pocket), full strength on 4 finger open-hand but no ability to hold with 3 fingers.

and was kind of frustrated with the lack of information available about it. After a month off and little improvement, I eventually found Macleod's recommendation to just start climbing on it and gradually ramp up (avoid MR 2 finger pockets obviously), this basically worked. Recovery was really slow and is still not at all gone (likely some kind of tear), but I can basically campus 2 finger pockets after a little more than a year. I would say it was about 6-8 months before I could really crank on 2 finger pockets again, though I was using them carefully after about 5.

Another thing that worked was training the three finger open hand with weight removed on a hangboard. One realization from the hangboarding: as I was forced to be really conscious about my hand position, I noticed that the angle in which I held with the fingers really made a difference. If I let the pinky side of my hand sag downwards and my ring finger sag/twist on the hold (elbows inwards), then it began to hurt. Improving my open-handed three finger strength basically allowed me to keep the angle right (stronger ring finger) so that it didn't hurt. This also makes sense as I originally hurt the finger by twisting in a two finger pocket. When your not strong enough to pull down on the pocket you can sag/twist to cheat a little, which I think is how people get this injury.

sanz wrote:I have this. It sucks. Sometimes I go for days with no pain and think it's getting better, only to re-tweak it doing something ridiculous like shutting a door or picking up a pot that just happens to load the ring finger. That Dave MacLeod book sounds amazing, especially to a chronically injured climber who has often struggled to find good info on climbing injuries both online and from docs. But damn, $50??

yeah $60 total with shipping!

drewp wrote:Hey, I've also had this (pop and twang in my ring finger and down my forearm while twisting in a MR 2 finger pocket), full strength on 4 finger open-hand but no ability to hold with 3 fingers. and was kind of frustrated with the lack of information available about it. After a month off and little improvement, I eventually found Macleod's recommendation to just start climbing on it and gradually ramp up (avoid MR 2 finger pockets obviously), this basically worked. Recovery was really slow and is still not at all gone (likely some kind of tear), but I can basically campus 2 finger pockets after a little more than a year. I would say it was about 6-8 months before I could really crank on 2 finger pockets again, though I was using them carefully after about 5. Another thing that worked was training the three finger open hand with weight removed on a hangboard. One realization from the hangboarding: as I was forced to be really conscious about my hand position, I noticed that the angle in which I held with the fingers really made a difference. If I let the pinky side of my hand sag downwards and my ring finger sag/twist on the hold (elbows inwards), then it began to hurt. Improving my open-handed three finger strength basically allowed me to keep the angle right (stronger ring finger) so that it didn't hurt. This also makes sense as I originally hurt the finger by twisting in a two finger pocket. When your not strong enough to pull down on the pocket you can sag/twist to cheat a little, which I think is how people get this injury.

Helpful and good to hear. I've basically been buddy taping and trying to hit the sweet spot of climbing normally but not pushing it too hard. But its tough when you see your buddies getting psyched on a hard bloc!

One good thing is that I use index and middle for pockets, so it's only the three finger open that hurts for me. But I love that grip, and I started using it a lot after hurting pulleys! So now I'm retraining myself to use the grip that caused one injury (4 finger crimp) in order to recover from another...

Ryan M Moore wrote:What is the treatment recommendation from Dave MacLeods book by the way?

I'll post this up when the book arrives.

Mike Knight wrote: yeah $60 total with shipping!

or 45 bucks and free shipping if you have amazon prime...

amazon.com/Make-Break-Climb…

frankstoneline wrote: or 45 bucks and free shipping if you have amazon prime... amazon.com/Make-Break-Climb…

awesome even better they have used! $35 Shipped

I'm posting this for posterity since when I had a flexor tendon strain, I struggled to find any good information. Back in February, I was boldering in the gym, did a dynamic move backwards to a jug, caught it with the smallest tips of my fingers and held on. This sudden and stressful open hand position caused stretching and numbness immediately in my forearm. Pain radiated up through my palm and to my fingers soon after.

I took a 1.5 weeks off, began climbing easy stuff and it sort of improved. Then, I climbed some routes without very much warmup and tweaked it again. I took 2 weeks off, then continued to climb easy stuff only in the gym about 1-2 times a week. It did not improve after light climbing (which Dave McLeod's book suggests to do) and as the summer began to approach, I wanted to prioritize sunny granite climbs over plastic holds on the east coast.

I decided that complete rest would be my best bet, so I took 6 full weeks off. I massaged my arm daily from the wrist to elbow, anterior and posterior sides. I also did super slow reps of open hand wrist curls with light therabands. With the palm face up and fingers together and straight, I placed a theraband over all fingers and curled towards my wrist.

Bottom line: Rest is the best answer for this injury and after 6 weeks, my injury was completely gone. Screwing around on easy climbs only frustrates you and inhibits the healing process.