Hi everyone, I hope this is the right place to post but I'm desperate for a bit of advice if anyone has experienced this.
The PIP joint of my middle right finger is sore and swolen. After a climb it often looks bruised but the colour tends to go away the next day. It doesn't hurt whilst climbing; it's always afterwards and when I bend or manipulate it such as use a spanner. I notice it when I'm doing day to day things like picking something up, opening a door. This started about 4 months ago. It's not awful, more uncomfortable, and it's an ache more than a sharp pain. I can't bend it fully after climbing.
The history is that it got gradually sore and I also bashed it a couple of times both indoor and outdoor. I can't really work out if it's originated from a bash.
The pain is inside the knuckle and on the top of the finger. There is a hard swelling below the knuckle. This is tender to massage, as is the area slightly to the left on the top edge of the side of the finger towards the hand. When I bend it the pain extends to the top of the finger above and below the joint.
What I've tried:
- I've just rested for 2 months.
- I started climbing again two weeks ago (after recommendation from both the doctor and the consultant) and have been bouldering lightly twice a week. It's been OK I was feeling relieved. Today I climbed outside and then went to the gym for a little bit (I climbed easy) and it's bad again. See pic.
- had an xray (thought cracked knuckle at first) and ultrasound. The latter showed no pulley or tendon damage, but fluid inside the joint. The doctor said it was soft tissue and swelling of the tendon sheath from the bash.
- I've been taping it above and below the joint. Doesn't seem to help and almost seems to make it worse.
- Little bit of icing and cold water baths but very little if I'm being honest; I thought that inflamation was part of the healing process so have been worried about interfering with this.
- applying ibuprofen gel twice or three times a day.
Can anyone help? I really don't know what to do; some people say climb often and easy to promote healing, others say rest completely. The rest hasn't really fixed it.
Cutting out climbing completely is having a really negative affect on me in several ways. I'm a pretty novice climber so not doing anything above VS outdoor and leading 6b+ indoor but it's a big part of my life.
Some advice/shared stories would be great as I am getting conflicting advice from both doctors and climbers and I'm in a bit of a mess about it.
Thanks everyone.
Post edited at 13:40