From jwe@fc.hp.com Fri Jul 21 18:40:30 EST 1995
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From: jwe@fc.hp.com (Jeff Elison)
Newsgroups: rec.climbing
Subject: Re: Popping Tendons?
Date: 30 Jun 1995 15:37:45 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Fort Collins Site
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Bruce Hildenbrand (bhilden@stelvio.eng.sun.com) wrote:

: Actually, the best thing you could do is go see a qualified doctor.  If
: climbing plays even a minutely significant part of your life, you owe it
: to yourself to seek qualified medical attention.

: The majority of the people on the net who offer medical advice are
: well-intentioned, but there is a good reason why doctors spend 4-9
: years learning their craft.

I agree, as long as "qualified" means a doc who knows about hands and
sports injuries.  The average doc is probably useless for this type of
injury and will tell you the same old stuff "rest, ice,
anti-inflammatories".  Which isn't all bad, but the average doc won't
even be able to tell you the specifics of your finger injury.

I have a great example of this.  About 10 years ago I was training for
a marathon.  I got ITBFS, tendonitis to the side of the knee.  Three
visits to 2 docs got me the kind of advice I quoted above.  I followed
the advice and reduced activity for a month.  No change.  Then a triathlete
friend told me if it's ITBFS you should stretch it and showed me 3 new
stretches.  FOUR days later it was tons better, another week and it was gone!

Was it the stretching?  Absolutely.  I've had it flare up about 4 times
since.  Stretching takes care of it every time.  I missed a month of
serious training without reason.  Thanks for nothing doc!

I have almost the same story with finger tendonitis.  Luckily, here in 
Fort Collins we have two docs who climb and know about hands.

Mort