The following article is a compilation of what I have learned about finger injuries and how they are treated. I am not a medical doctor, and cannot tell you how to treat an injury. My objective is to share with you how I and others have handled or avoided finger injuries. If you have an injury that you are concerned about, talk to your medical doctor.

Rock climbing puts a lot of stress on our fingers. If a 150 pound climber hangs from eight fingers, each finger carries an average of almost 19 pounds! It is no wonder that these tiny appendages take a beating while climbing. I have listed below, the most common finger injuries experienced by rock climbers, and explain how they are typically treated and avoided.

Pulley injuries:

There are two tendons, the FDS and FDP tendons, which flex your finger. These tendons are held in place next to the bones and joints of the finger by a series of ligamentous bands called pulley tendons.

Annular pulley tendons (A1-A5) hold the FDS and FDP flexor tendons near the fingers and joints during flexion, while Cruciform pulley tendons (C0-C3) stabilize the finger joints and are not that important to finger flexion. The most common pulley tendon injuries occur in the annular pulleys A2, A3, and A4. Injuries in A1 and A5 are much less common, and cruciform pulley injuries are also less common. Pulley tendon injuries in A2, A3, and A4 in the middle and ring fingers account for 30% of finger injuries in climbers.

Injury of the A2-A4 pulleys range from small tears in a single pulley to complete rupture of all three. Complete rupture is characterized by severe pain and swelling, and complete loss of finger function. If this happens to you, see your physician, as you may need surgery.

Smaller tears in these tendons typically heal well within a few weeks to months with the right treatment. Such tears are characterized by swelling in the region of the tendon, pain or discomfort when crimping or pinching holds, and tenderness to the touch. If you experience these symptoms, the following can help you heal more quickly.


About Don McGrath

Don McGrath created masterrockclimber.com to help climbers train much better for rock climbing. This site was designed to share what Don McGrath have discovered while climbing. With his experience in climbing he gives you a wealth of training guidance, tips, and tools that will help you rapidly and vastly enhance your rock climbing ability.

Please visit http://www.masterrockclimber.com/ to find out more about Don McGrath's vertical mind books, which he published to help climbers and other athletes reach high degrees of performance. These programs are guaranteed to help you improve your climbing.