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Common Finger Injuries

To aid climbers experiencing finger pain, Dr. Warme (aka The Climbing Doc) put together a series of articles on the most common finger injuries climbers experience.

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Looking to help a finger injury heal?

Pulley Injuries

aka Climber's Finger

Pulley injuries are far and away the most common hand injury that climbers experience. A2 pulley tears are so common in rock climbers, the condition has been given the moniker “Climber’s Finger.”

To learn more about Climber's Finger, or if you’re still not sure you have a pulley injury, check out the article!

Lumbrical Strains

If you’re fairly certain you avoided a pulley injury but are still experiencing hand pain, you may have injured a lumbrical. Lumbrical strains are much more rare, challenging to diagnose, and can be accompanied by an audible “pop” similar to that heard with A2 or A4 pulley tears.

In this article, The Climbing Doc explains how to diagnose lumbrical injuries, manage them effectively, and train wisely to avoid this injury.

Youth Athlete Finger Injuries

While A2 and A4 pulley strains can occur in high level youth athletes, growth plate injuries are much more common.

In this article, The Climbing Doc describes how these injuries present themselves to help you notice the issue early and take care of your fingers.

Minimizing Injury Risk

While Using a Climbing Training Board

“Standardized Interactive Climbing Training Boards” (SICTBs) have become increasingly popular over the past several years, fueled by the pandemic, the popularity of indoor climbing and the desire of boulderers and climbers alike to climb harder. SICTBs help to develop strength and power in our climbing, however, the finger intensive training can lead to finger injuries and pulley tears. 

In this article, The Climbing Doc provides a guide to minimizing risk of finger injury while using a climbing training board.

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