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Yo!

So I was planning on spending the Spring enjoying the climbing in the Red. I've had a nagging finger injury that was recently diagnosed as a lumbrical strain/tear. The good news with this injury is that I can in theory continue to climb. The bad news is that separating the ring finger and pinky (in the way you do to grab a 3 finger pocket) is BAD, along with open handing. The doc I talked to is a climber and cautioned against the Red due to hold type. Anyways, I am a little worried because from my very limited experience in the Red there are a ton of 3 finger pockets and other holds that separate ring and pinky. Does anyone have any experience with lumbrical tears and climbing in the Red? I am really hoping you guys will laugh at my stupidity and ignorance about climbing in the Red so I head out there with confidence.

Thanks!

It's like playing guitar, when you break a G string, keep playing you just can't go THERE.....

Had that a few seasons ago. Just go all four in pockets or use your front two. Took about 4 months to heal and i climbed/trained the whole time.

"Does anyone have any experience with lumbrical tears" I used to go with her sister. She was a great big ol girl. Put a sheet over her head an went trick or treating as a glacier.

Cool guys, I appreciate the advice... even if I have no idea what some of it means. tbwilsonky, did you find anything that helped mitigate the discomfort, or any exercises that strengthened thing well?

i'm a bit wary to use the first three digits without the pinky these days, but otherwise i'm fully recovered without any specific treatment.

It never ceases to amaze me how people will pay money to go see a doctor about an injury they have and then turn around and ask for advice on this website. What are the chances that you would find a doctor that climbs and would know about the hold selection at the Red? He advises against it because he is attempting to think about your longevity in not only this sport, but in your life. I don't know man, you gotta listen to your body. If you're having nagging finger pains leading up to a long climbing trip, maybe that's life, or Buddha, or Jesus, or evolution, or Karma trying to tell you something about your life choices... Or maybe it's just a finger injury and you should totally ignore it. Who knows?

He advises against it because he is attempting to think about your longevity in not only this sport, but in your life.

assuming the diagnosis is correct (which is a big if for most soft tissue injuries in or near the hands) most doctors would advise against a return to sport because that is the general recommendation for hand/wrist trauma not because of some special fidelity to hand/life longevity.

bonus points for the dramatic flair.

tbwilsonky wrote:He advises against it because he is attempting to think about your longevity in not only this sport, but in your life.

assuming the diagnosis is correct (which is a big if for most soft tissue injuries in or near the hands) most doctors would advise against a return to sport because that is the general recommendation for hand/wrist trauma not because of some special fidelity to hand/life longevity.

bonus points for the dramatic flair.

No dramatic flair. I just laugh every time I see someone asking for medical advice on this site because they don't like what the doctor told them: REST. God forbid one actually takes some time off to let their body heal. Either way, he's going to do what he's going to do and best of luck to him.

R-Power, I asked for internet doctors, not psychiatrists! Anyways, the Doc gave me the go ahead to climb this spring. I was fully planning on resting, but it sounds like with the lumbricals if you climb with attention to holds and how you grab them you can do OK. He recommended staying out West and go to areas with less pockets, but I've always wanted to spend a season in the Red... I am not trying to find a diagnosis I like better or usurp the doc; I am just trying to get the most information I can to decide where to go from here.