Finger Problems In Rock Climbing

The earliest known rock-climbing ascent was of Mont Aiguille by Antoine de Ville in 1492, according to Rock-climbing-for-life.com. It was not until the 1950s that rock climbing was accepted as a sport and started to increase in popularity. Certain injuries are common for rock climbers, mostly involving the shoulders, arms, hands and fingers. Finger injuries occur due to overuse or incorrect gripping technique.

According to a 2008 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, about 50 percent of climbers had sustained one or more injuries within the period of a year. Of those in the study, 33 percent had chronic overuse injuries, 28 percent had acute injuries caused by strenuous climbing maneuvers, and 10 percent sustained an acute climbing injury as a result of a fall. According to a September 2005 article on Acupuncture Today, rock climbing has four common grips that can predispose climbers to finger injuries: open, cling, pinch and pocket. Common finger injuries include soft-tissue damage, sprains, strains, stress fractures, joint contractures, tendonitis, and tenosynovitis. Less common injuries are ruptures, dislocations, and avulsions, otherwise known as finger amputation.

Soft Tissue Damage

Soft-tissue injuries are the most common injuries to the fingers. Cut fingers, scrapes, and bruising can occur while rock climbing.

Sprains

Sprains are injuries to the ligaments that connect bones to bones. According to MayoClinic.com, sprains are caused by excessive stretching of the ligaments, causing partial or complete tears. Common sprains happen at the metacarpophalangeal, proximal interphalangeal, and distal interphalangeal joints in the fingers. Pain can occur on one or both sides of the affected knuckle.

Strains

A strain is an overstretching or tearing injury to a muscle or tendon. A common rock climbing strain is to the flexor tendons and sheaths, also known as climber's finger. The flexor tendons are involved in flexion or bending of the fingers. The finger tendons can also develop nodules because of strains. These nodules can cause trigger finger or locking of the finger because the nodule is catching on a pulley. Pulleys hold the flexor tendons and sheaths close to the bone and keep them in place. Injuries are common in the pulleys from partial tears to complete ruptures.

Stress Fractures and Joint Contractures

Stress fractures are injuries caused by overuse by repetitive use of force. Typically seen in any weight-bearing sport. In rock climbing, the fingers are consistently put under loads of stress, making them more susceptible for stress fractures. Joint contracture is stiffness of the finger joint that prevents full extension of the fingers. This injury limits range of motion in the fingers.

Tendonitis and Tenosynovitis

Tendinitis is inflammation of a tendon while tenosynovitis is inflammation of the sheath surrounding the tendon. Both cause pain, redness, swelling and tenderness in the affected area. Tendonitis and tenosynovitis can be chronic problem.