The update...
After a visit with my doctor, during which time I showed him the studies about the injury in question ("Well hey I got to learn something new, I didn't know those got injured." says he...I can't really fault him because it doesn't really happen to people who don't rock climb) and after he got on the phone with a hand surgeon the prognosis is that I do not have a full rupture, just a partial tear. Now I don't trust that diagnosis 100%, he wasn't inclined to do the ultrasound which is the definitive diagnostic test for a full tear. Again, not really surprising since it's a procedure that probably only gets done in clinics when they're doing studies on rock climbing injuries, I doubt most ultrasound techs would be familiar with the exam (they could wing it!).
So treating conservatively...I have a finger brace for the next 2 weeks, perpetually giving everyone 'the finger' 24/7. No climbing for 6 weeks. With luck, my doc is right and it's only a partial tear and I can recover fully with time.
As a sidenote, the hand surgeon said to my doc "Those are really tough to repair with surgery if they're fully torn". Great thing to hear from the guy who fixes hands for a living.
Posted on February 26, 2008 @ 5:41 PM | 0 comments
After a visit with my doctor, during which time I showed him the studies about the injury in question ("Well hey I got to learn something new, I didn't know those got injured." says he...I can't really fault him because it doesn't really happen to people who don't rock climb) and after he got on the phone with a hand surgeon the prognosis is that I do not have a full rupture, just a partial tear. Now I don't trust that diagnosis 100%, he wasn't inclined to do the ultrasound which is the definitive diagnostic test for a full tear. Again, not really surprising since it's a procedure that probably only gets done in clinics when they're doing studies on rock climbing injuries, I doubt most ultrasound techs would be familiar with the exam (they could wing it!).
So treating conservatively...I have a finger brace for the next 2 weeks, perpetually giving everyone 'the finger' 24/7. No climbing for 6 weeks. With luck, my doc is right and it's only a partial tear and I can recover fully with time.
As a sidenote, the hand surgeon said to my doc "Those are really tough to repair with surgery if they're fully torn". Great thing to hear from the guy who fixes hands for a living.
Posted on February 26, 2008 @ 5:41 PM | 0 comments
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