Sorry if this is boring.
For about a month now, I’ve been limping along with a latent wrist injury. Well. Really, I’ve had this problem off and on for… seven years. It goes like this: sometimes when I use an open-handed hold/ sloper, my wrist does a fancy little fake-dislocation thing. Though my hand doesn’t change grip, and my arm may not change position, the wrist itself suddenly just drops out or “fails”. That is, though I don’t relax, strain, or flex, the entire complex shifts and lengthens. Essentially, it’s as if the wrist dislocates. Once it’s done this, there is no way to muscularly reduce it; the only way to “fix” it is to let go and allow itself to correct.
Normally this is OK; it’s a bit uncomfortable, but doesn’t really hurt. Especially if it only happens once, and I don’t repeat the offending move. But once it’s happened, the wrist is always a bit weaker and prone to repeating the subluxation. Still though, if I’m even somewhat cautious, it’s usually a'ight and I can continue climbing.
However, about a month ago, I experienced a severe, acute occurrence of this injury. Without warning, my left wrist failed and it hurt.It hurt a lot and immediately made me question whether I would be able to climb much at all in the following weeks (and months).
Luckily, the next night I spoke with a doctor in camp who is familiar with this exact injury. He gave me a fantastic tape job that, in fac,t supported the wrist wonderfully. I eased back into climbing and found that, with this slick, new tape job, I was essentially able to use the wrist at full-function. Bam! Wrist power! Even with discretion on open-handed holds. And it didn’t even seem to be doing the wrist any harm; rather it seemed to be healing while I was climbing…
Fast forward a few weeks. And then put Christine on an overhanging route with a crux. Though neither the route, nor the crux, are that hard, my method for climbing the crux involved a two-finger, one-pad, undercling pocket. With the left arm. It was better balanced that way, you know?
Well. I don’t know who I think I am –or more precisely: when I forgot my predisposition to injuries– but I, of course, tried this route, wrist and all, and voila! I tore or strained something in my palm.
Oh Crap.
I tried to belay: Pain. I tried to pick up a water bottle: Pain. I got dressed in the morning: Pain!
Crap.
Just as this happened, two friends of mine were moving to leave Ceuse (one because of injury), so I decided to get a clue and take a ride to Geneva, where I would be able to stay in a friend’s apartment and recover. And reflect on my real ambitions on this trip, my attitude toward climbing, and my reasons for staying in Europe for the fall. Because, to be honest, flat affect, self-doubt, and buyer’s remorse (regarding my decision to not return to the US) had been getting me down just as much in the days leading up to my hand injury as my wrist injury itself. Furthermore, given possibly seriousness of the injury, I needed to take a few days to gauge my pain and mobility to determine whether I would stay in Europe for the fall –or whether I would just head back to Utah and do some book research. (But… even freaking typing hurt!)
Anyway.
Fast forward a few days. Reading, running, situps, etc, etc… Ibuprofen. Voltaren. Ice. Ice. Ice. Working, internet, showers, sightseeing, swimming… Geneva! Old Town, cafés, cobblestones, parks, barbecues, music. Reading, reading, reading, art, writing, writing, writing. Internet. A real treat. And then…
Pushups! Pullups? Yes! Pullups!
I was so glad to be able to painlessly bear weight on my hand. And only after about five days of rest! Not only did this feel OK, but it also seemed to help loosen up the injury and make it feel better. This told me that the injury was probably just a damaged sheath in my palm that bundles the tendons of my middle- and index fingers together. (Anatomy?) So I decided to return to Ceuse.
As of now, I’m taking it pretty easy/careful… only am doing routes that don’t strain the hand too much (as it still feels a bit vulnerable and prone to being, ehm, crunchy). I’m also taping the two fingers together, but so far, I think I’ll be able to climb through it... And that said, it seems I'm healing and have even been able to pull kinda hard (for me) on it, and it's not getting worse. Woo hoo!
Ok.
I'm off to Mallorca, Spain tomorrow... Bye Ceuse!
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