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Fingers: What To Do with a Ruptured Flexor Digitorum Superficialis19-Dec-2012A year ago I injured my middle finger on my left hand, rupturing my flexor digitorum superficialis. Now I can’t make the crimp position with that finger....
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Stressed-Out Fingers27-Feb-2012Dr. J takes a look at climbing's most under-diagnosed injury: finger stress fractures....
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Fingers: Hyper-extended15-Sep-2010
I was bouldering with my left middle and ring fingers deep in a pocket. I had to quickly get my fingers out and reach up for the next hold, and as I did, I hyper-extended them. Four months later I remain unable to climb. Should I get some scans?...
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Fingers: Cysts and Pain21-May-2010
My middle-finger knuckles have tender growths. It hurts to push on the side of the joint. I'm 36 and have been climbing 17 years. The doctor said my knuckle bumps are related to Dupuytren's disease but I don't have any visible contractures on my palms or feet. X-rays and blood tests are normal. I also have plantar fasciitis in both feet....
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Fingers: Cracked Fingertips21-May-2010
My fingertips keep splitting open. I moisturize and use additive-free chalk but my hands still dry out. Any suggestions?...
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Fingers: De Quervain's Tenosynovitis09-Apr-2010
I have developed a moderate pain in the extensor tendons of the thumb: abductor pollicis longus (APL) and the extensor pollicis brevis (EPB). The pain became intense after a bouldering session on plastic. I was diagnosed with . I stopped climbing at the gym four weeks ago, and since then have only done a couple of moderate trad climbs with my hand taped to avoid any stretching of the tendons....
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Fingers: NSAID Treatment30-Mar-2010
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Fingers: Torn A2 Pulley04-Feb-2010
I was pulling on a big sloper with my feet way under me when I felt a crunch and heard a pop in my middle finger between my knuckle in my hand and the first joint in my finger. It immediately hurt (but not a ton) and later there was swelling. I took ibuprofen and iced it....
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Fingers: Trigger Thumb Syndrome02-Feb-2010
About a month and a half ago I was working a project that involved a serious left-handed pinch using just the pointer and thumb. The next day I noticed that my thumb clicked whenever I extended it. It still does....
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Fingers: Stiffness, Soreness02-Feb-2010
I'm 26 and for the past two years I have been unable to bend my fingers into a complete fist. I've started doing the finger stretches that you suggested [No. 173 or drjulian-saunders.com] as well as ice baths, but nothing seems to improve the range of motion....
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Fingers: Grip Position and Injury02-Feb-2010
Today when bouldering, I went up for a two-finger crimp with the middle and ring finger of my left hand. I'm pretty sure I heard the tiniest pop, then my ring finger went out and I felt pain in very specific spots....
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Fingers: Pinky Finger Pain29-Jan-2010
I have pain and swelling on the joint at the base of my pinky. The pain is point specific to the palm side. It hurts to bend or straighten. Grasping (steering wheel, ski pole) hurts a lot, seemingly more from contact than bending....
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Fingers: Electrostimulation29-Jan-2010
I've heard of people using shock therapy for finger injuries. Would you recommend this? If so, where can I get the equipment?...
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Fingers: Cortisone for Tendon Injuries29-Jan-2010
I recently had a cortisone shot in the tendon of my middle finger to burst some type of cyst that formed after an injury. It feels much better now and I am climbing after a three-week rest, but I am curious if the tendon will return to full strength?...
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Hands: Numbness and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome28-Jan-2010
I have numbness in my hands and fingers while sleeping. I've started spending more time bouldering in the gym and increasing the intensity level. I work at a desk, and spend most of my day at the computer....
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Fingers: Taping Truths28-Jan-2010
I found a study comparing various taping methods for pulley injuries. It mentions the H taping method as the best. What is the H method?...
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Fingers: Flappers28-Jan-2010
I recently cut off the tip of my left index finger with a plate joiner. I am a new ice climber. How will this affect my ability to climb? I am 27 years old....
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Fingers: Trigger-Finger Syndrome15-Dec-2009
The morning after a day of hard gym bouldering, I noticed a popping or mild locking in my left middle finger when opening and closing it. The feeling soon went away, but came back worse every consecutive morning. I took two weeks off from climbing and my finger was feeling good, so I climbed very moderately two days ago, but this morning the popping returned. Any suggestions?...
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Fingers: Torn A3 and A4 Pulleys15-Dec-2009
I was pulling on a small side pull in an open-handed grip with marginal feet and heard a loud pop. After that my left ring finger felt unsupported and I couldn't weight it. There was a dull ache between the middle and last joint of my finger, which has since subsided to a slight pain....
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Fingers: Cysts21-Oct-2009
I have a retinacular cyst at the MCP joint of my left ring finger. My doc aspirated it but it came back within the same week. My doc wants to do an MRI, which may or may not be followed by surgery depending on the size of the tear in my tendon sheath....
Armenia Rock Climbing
Six-sided columns ran up basalt ramparts like a stack of Grecian pillars. A dike of perfect gold stairs split a strange, 300-foot tower of gray choss. Snowy mountains with slopes of varicolored grasses fell precipitously to orchards, sedge and clear rivers. Gorges of volcanic rock were cloaked in fog.








