Han Kuo-yu reveals the pros and cons after climbing a tree ~ Doctor: The second pulley of the finger is very stressful!

A few days ago, Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu inspected the prevention of dengue fever. In order to understand whether there was water accumulation in the tree hole, he actually climbed a 3-meter-high tree, making "tree climbing" a hotly discussed topic. In the eyes of rehabilitation physicians, tree climbing can certainly bring many benefits, such as making the body more flexible, improving physical fitness, and increasing the ability to judge risks. However, they also remind people to be careful of finger injuries when doing climbing exercises such as tree climbing or rock climbing. The most common of these is the "second pulley injury of the finger."

There are many benefits to children climbing trees: improving physical fitness and the ability to judge risks, but there are also potential risks of accidents

Let’s put aside the relevant political comments from all walks of life for the moment and just look at the behavior of climbing trees, what are the pros and cons? Taiwan not only has "arborists" who specialize in diagnosing and treating tree diseases, but children, especially at this age, have more opportunities to climb trees. Lin Xingqing, chief physician of the Rehabilitation Department of Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and cooperative physician of the Mixed Martial Arts Association of the Republic of China, said that based on a questionnaire study on children's tree climbing, tree climbing may bring the following benefits, including: increasing self-confidence, making the body more flexible and promoting physical fitness, increasing the ability to judge risks, and improving spatial concepts and problem-solving skills.

However, tree climbing is not without risks. When climbing a tree, you must pay attention to your own safety and avoid harming the tree. Climbers must be able to identify fragile branches and avoid climbing if the tree is wet. Common tree climbing-related accidents include: concussion, bone injuries, dental injuries, especially if an accidental fall occurs, which may cause nausea, vomiting, slurred speech, weakness in the hands and feet, or abnormal sensations. It is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible to avoid long-term cognitive problems due to brain damage without knowing it. It is recommended that parents should supervise children when they climb trees.

Tree climbing or rock climbing often results in second pulley injuries

In addition, finger injuries caused by climbing activities such as tree climbing or rock climbing are also common, the most common of which is the "A2 Pulley injury". What is a pulley? Dr. Lin Xingqing said that in principle, the finger tendons have five annular ligaments that bind the tendons to the bones. If there is no such annular ligament as the "pulley" of the ligament (the thing that hangs the rope on the well), when the finger is bent, the tendon will separate from the bone and form a bowstring shape with the bone. In fact, this kind of human body structure allows the muscle power to be transmitted to the fingers most efficiently!

A powerful tool for diagnosing finger pulley injuries: testing finger extension and bending movements + ultrasound imaging

How is a finger pulley injury diagnosed? He Changxuan, a resident physician in the rehabilitation department of Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, said that doctors usually diagnose this type of finger injury by testing the finger straightening and bending movements, and check whether there is any combined damage to the joints, tendons, and nerves. A rehabilitation physician with expertise in ultrasound can use soft tissue ultrasound images to confirm the location of the pulley damage and inject medication for treatment. Other possible treatments include anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications, heat therapy, and stretching exercises.

In addition, taping can also reduce the force on the pulley by 10%. It is more important to follow the instructions of your doctor and therapist, take adequate rest, and gradually train to rebuild your finger range of motion and grip strength. Depending on the severity of the injury, assessment can be done every two weeks, with training gradually increased as appropriate.

Grip training increases the strength needed to climb trees or rocks and prevents injuries

How can you develop the strength needed to climb a tree or rock without getting injured? Dr. Lin Xingqing said that we all know that muscles can become thicker and stronger through training, and so can the tendons and pulleys responsible for bending the fingers. People who have a long-term rock climbing habit have thicker pulleys and tendons than ordinary people. Because tendons need a long time to adapt to external forces before they can become stronger, and the gripping strength of fingers requires even longer to adapt. As a reminder, you may train your grip strength at ordinary times, but you must proceed step by step. You can use 70% of your maximum grip strength for training, 2 to 3 times a week, and gradually adjust every 12 weeks.