BJJ Finger Injuries

[Carl_AK]

So four months ago, on Easter weekend, I was rolling with a really good brown belt. I was doing alot of spider guard stuff, and somehow during the roll I screwed up my right ring finger bad. It got all swole up and couldn't bend. Xrays showed no break, but it was really screwed up.

I keep tweaking it every once & a while, even though I buddy tape it to my middle finger, whenever I'm on the mat. And then yesterday (I wasn't even on the mat, I was just goofing off with my nephew at dinner) I reached across for an arm drag, and snagged the finger on his sweater. Now it's swollen bigger than ever, I have even less range of motion, and I have a tournament in 2 months. I'm soooo pissed.

How long does crap like this tend to heal? How do you prevent re-injury, when you're always grabbing someones gi?

Thanks,
-Carl-

 

[stile0]

I'm not sure there is an exact timeline but I'd say a very long time. Especially if you're still training. I have it in my thumb and pinky from judo and it will be alright for a few months and then get messed up again. =(

 

[879lexus]

you need to get the swelling down first...Lots of ice and get a heating pad and heat it up at night.......and drink lots of water to keep your body hydrated.

 

[Rod1]

Tricks of the trade,

No judoka will have a healthy hand if they look to get into high competition, that's why you see them all taped in competition.

So learn to tape your fingers.

 

[curb1850]

Hurt mine a year ago and its still screwed up. I just live with it.

 

[elbigsam]

I've found buddying it to the pinky to be superior. Stop armdragging your nephew when he's wearing sweaters maybe 8p

 

[Rws177die]

My finger got caught in someone's GI as they ripped it back. I would buddy tape it but it took like 5 months before it felt normal again. Seems like it's easy to keep re-injuring fingers like this.

 

[POPPA ROTZEE]

Same problem for me on my right thumb and ring finger and then my left middle finger. I can just now barely close my hands into a fist after 6 months and thats only at the end of the day. When I wake up I have to push it in really hard and it hurts but it brings back the flexibility.

I had to tape up my finger for the IBJJF Houston Open and barely use my hand because I injured it like 2 weeks before the tournament. Its just a part of Jiu-Jitsu man.

 

[Carl_AK]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I guess I'll just keep taping them up, and hoping for the best. In 10 years I'll probably have big, gnarly, monster hands! Or at least this one massive knuckle, which would look kinda weird.

 

[Sean-Roberts]

I have to crack all my fingers before i compete/train or else they hurt really bad. I've switched to pistol grips.

 

[Sloth]

So four months ago, on Easter weekend, I was rolling with a really good brown belt. I was doing alot of spider guard stuff, and somehow during the roll I screwed up my right ring finger bad. It got all swole up and couldn't bend. Xrays showed no break, but it was really screwed up.

I keep tweaking it every once & a while, even though I buddy tape it to my middle finger, whenever I'm on the mat. And then yesterday (I wasn't even on the mat, I was just goofing off with my nephew at dinner) I reached across for an arm drag, and snagged the finger on his sweater. Now it's swollen bigger than ever, I have even less range of motion, and I have a tournament in 2 months. I'm soooo pissed.

How long does crap like this tend to heal? How do you prevent re-injury, when you're always grabbing someones gi?

Thanks,
-Carl-

I have some of the same problems in my finger joints, especially the base of my thumb from armdrags. Whenever my fingers start hurting really bad I buddy tape them and just do no gi for a while until I'm comfortable gripping again.

 

[Sloth]

I have to crack all my fingers before i compete/train or else they hurt really bad. I've switched to pistol grips.

Same here with the pistol grips. Mostly because of joint pain, but also because my fingertips are pretty sensitive and fingers in grips hurt like hell.

 

[JRT6]

My fingers are pretty bad. Whenever I hold something like my phone to my ear with my left index finger extended for longer than a minute then I can barely get the finger to bend again. I have to tape my finger for work.

 

[mtruitt76]

Had something similar happen to my ring finger. It has been over 6 months and it is still a little jacked up and swollen. Personally I just ignore it and go about my day.