The most common climbing finger injury occurs when using the Crimping grip, which is used to climb small edges or crimpers (small holds), as shown in the diagram. There are two main causes of injury: exceeding your strength capacity and insufficient finger warm-up. This type of strain usually causes pain in the tendon between the palm and the first knuckle, sometimes between the first and second knuckles, while pain in the third knuckle is less common. Once a finger is injured, the likelihood of re-injury increases significantly, and the pain often lingers.

       The best way to warm up your fingers is to climb easy routes. If you can't properly warm up before a competition, you can use a grip strengthener or fingerboard instead. Once a finger injury has occurred, the only way to recover is to rest and avoid climbing. However, finger injuries are not easy to heal and require at least three months of rest. Of course, for a climber, taking three months off is not realistic, so there is a more effective taping method that can be used.

       Figure-eight wrapping method:

       First, prepare a wide (non-cut) first aid adhesive tape, which is available at most pharmacies. Do not apply chalk to your hands before wrapping, as this may affect the effectiveness of the tape.

       Step 1. Bend the injured finger at the first and second knuckles to form a 90-degree angle. Keep it bent during the wrapping process.

       Step 2. Tear the tape into an appropriate width (too narrow reduces support, too wide makes it difficult to wrap around the finger).

       Step 3. Starting from the first knuckle of the finger, wrap in a figure-eight pattern. The tape should cross between the first and second knuckles (as shown in the diagram), wrapping 3–5 times (depending on the individual).

       Note:

       A. When wrapping in a figure-eight pattern, make it as tight as possible without compromising blood circulation in the finger. After wrapping, the finger should be bent at approximately 90–120 degrees (you shouldn’t be able to straighten it even if you try). If all fingers are taped, they will naturally form a half-fist. The fingers will only straighten when under force (such as during climbing). If the finger can be fully straightened, the taping method is pointless.

       B. If the ring finger is injured, you can tape it together with the pinky finger.

       C. In addition to preventing injury and allowing you to continue climbing after an injury, the figure-eight wrapping method can also increase your finger strength by 25% (if done correctly!).

       D. For fresh injuries, rest is still the best approach. The figure-eight wrap is intended for rehabilitation.

       This method was taught to me by a South African climber and was previously featured in Climbing magazine.