clicking fingers?

[mynameismudd]

I use a pistol grip and I have started to notice that my fingers seem to kinda pop and click when I open and close them. Does this sound wierd? Its hard to explain and gets worse after a competiton but never really goes away. Should I see a doctor?

[RITFencing]

Couldn't hurt to talk to one. Also, make sure you're not holding the weapon too tightly; they can lead to health issues (as well as bad fencing.)

[Katman]

Hey, my middle finger does this. Sorta. It doesn't make any popping or clicking sounds but it sorta stutters closed and open and doesn't seem to want to do either.

[Purple Fencer]

Sounds like a condition called "trigger finger" I had it myself. It's an inflammation of the tendons in the hand. Weilding a weapon, we get more impact transmitted to our fingers in a day of competition than we'd get in a month normally. The sheath the tendon runs through at the base of the fingers gets inflamed from the fregular hits, it swells a little bit, and the tendon itself has a harder time running through the sheath smoothly.

A doctor may give a cortesone shot (which is only temporary) or you may be advised to stop fencing and allow the inflammation to die down naturally....but in my case that took a couple of years, and only then because I stopped fencing competitvely in foil.

[stealingophelia]

yea i recently have gotten the same thing
my middle finger stutters a little bit, lighten your grip if you can. a lighter weapon can help

[RITFencing]

Also, for tendon issues, make sure you are not gripping hard with the ring finger. It is not as strong as the other fingers, but orthopedig grips put just as much stress on it as the others. You might want to try putting some medical tape around the first knuckle to prevent yourself from over gripping.

[DJ Apostrophe]

my finger did this for a while, and it got quite annoying... its gone away and i don't know what caused it to... but recently it has been replaced with a dull ache in the middle knuckle of my middle finger on my weapon hand... it just always feels like it needs to pop, but it rarely does, and even when it does, it doesn't feel any better <shrug> i realize this reply was fairly useless, and for that i apologize, but i wanted to let you know you weren't the only one.

-w

[rcmatthews]

I just started to develop it in my middle finger. I guess it means that I am actually using my fingers to manipulate the blade though, so thats good.

[stealingophelia]

I just started to develop it in my middle finger. I guess it means that I am actually using my fingers to manipulate the blade though, so thats good.

well technically your middle finger shouldnt be incharge of manipulating the blade haha

its most likely from a tight grip, i have it too.
a few years ago i used to hold drum sticks too tight and afterwards i couldnt open my hand, it would click open.

loosen up

[rcmatthews]

Well, since I don't really have a tight grip, i don't think that is the problem. As far as I know, and have been taught, the sabre is to be manipulated with the thumb and first finger, with the back three fingers acting as aides. It is the back three fingers which make the cut by squeezing. So, it would make sense that the middle finger feels the most amount of stress becuase it is essentially acting as a pivot.

[VELISARIOS]

My advice is to go to the doctor. Immediatly.

[stealingophelia]

Well, since I don't really have a tight grip, i don't think that is the problem. As far as I know, and have been taught, the sabre is to be manipulated with the thumb and first finger, with the back three fingers acting as aides. It is the back three fingers which make the cut by squeezing. So, it would make sense that the middle finger feels the most amount of stress becuase it is essentially acting as a pivot.

ohh
you should have said you fenced saber, for some reason i assumed you used a pistol grip

yea thats plausible, see a doctor though ahah