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Broken Pinky Finger - Post Surgery Stiffness
I had surgery done on my broken pinky finger on January 1, 2008, which I broke while playing football, and I was in the cast for 6 weeks after that. After the cast came out, the doctor told me to go to therapy for 6 weeks/ 2 times a week to get rid of the stiffness in the finger. Now it is May 5th, 2008 and I have 2 more weeks of therapy left but still the finger is a little stiff. I can bend it but not fully and in terms of going back up it doesn't move at all.
The therapist has told me that doctor's could do another surgery to loosen up the tendons but I will wait to ask a doctor until my therapy is done.
The questions that I had is:
1) What are the chances that I can still gain full momentum in my pinky finger?
2) If I am not able to get the stiffness out, can anyone tell about the surgery the therapist was talking about?
Greatly appreciate your help.
Thanks
The therapist has told me that doctor's could do another surgery to loosen up the tendons but I will wait to ask a doctor until my therapy is done.
The questions that I had is:
1) What are the chances that I can still gain full momentum in my pinky finger?
2) If I am not able to get the stiffness out, can anyone tell about the surgery the therapist was talking about?
Greatly appreciate your help.
Thanks
Dog leash broke pinky about 2 years ago.
Used duct tape and pencils to make a cast using the the ring finger as a support. The cast was removable and covered palm and knuckles. Left it on for 6 weeks.
Forgot about movement exercises and it got stiff but could still play guitar with it kinda.
The reason really for this posting is because of the meridian points connected to the pinky. If you Google "wingmakers" and "fire meridian pinky" you will find the importance of your pinky and its movement.
In short the small intestines lock up and cause much discomfort which the body experienced many effects on sugars prior to the massaging of the pinky such as, a fire in the chest that kinda reminds of claustrophobia or something similar. I find it pertinent that this information is available because of the issues the body went through due to the pinky being stiff which caused much discomfort in the body all over, it was confusing. When the information became clear then so did the issues in the body that was leading to much annoyances and intolerance to many situations with social interaction/food/sleep.
A technique that was used was taking duct tape and wrapping it around the pinky when the threshold bending was reached and leaving it on for about 6 hours and massaging the pinky in that position all over. During this process the organs unlock and much discomfort is evaded. Remember its the body, not you.
Used duct tape and pencils to make a cast using the the ring finger as a support. The cast was removable and covered palm and knuckles. Left it on for 6 weeks.
Forgot about movement exercises and it got stiff but could still play guitar with it kinda.
The reason really for this posting is because of the meridian points connected to the pinky. If you Google "wingmakers" and "fire meridian pinky" you will find the importance of your pinky and its movement.
In short the small intestines lock up and cause much discomfort which the body experienced many effects on sugars prior to the massaging of the pinky such as, a fire in the chest that kinda reminds of claustrophobia or something similar. I find it pertinent that this information is available because of the issues the body went through due to the pinky being stiff which caused much discomfort in the body all over, it was confusing. When the information became clear then so did the issues in the body that was leading to much annoyances and intolerance to many situations with social interaction/food/sleep.
A technique that was used was taking duct tape and wrapping it around the pinky when the threshold bending was reached and leaving it on for about 6 hours and massaging the pinky in that position all over. During this process the organs unlock and much discomfort is evaded. Remember its the body, not you.
Hi there, I cut myself chopping food with a brand new knife, 95% laceration on left hand index finger, extensor DIP. Surgery after 10 days, including spending 3 days mulling it over - they told me if I've cut it pretty bad, then it won't heal on it's own and it looked 75% cut from lack of bend.
Went for the surgery, had under LA, no complications, all went well. Told me it was 95% laceration. Well done me :-/
Splint and bandage for 5 days, agonising pain, then dressig removed, and fitted with a custom made (thermo-plastic) splint - after the 5 days.
Then 5 days later, (day 10) - went to have stitches removed.New splint fitted as swelling had gone down. Told to stay in splint and not to bend under any circumstances for 3 weeks.
Had 3 week check-up, told everything OK, then 3 more weeks.
At 6 weeks, told to move/try to bend it. Sent to certified Hand Therapist after this appointment (as my hospital is not local).
CHT said OK, now it's been 6 weeks, we can start therapy, got me to do loose fist & lift and hold. No movement from DIP doing loose fist but could just about do lift and hold.
She said for 1 week, remove splint only for therapy - 3X a day every day, loose fist x 10 reps and lift and hold x 10 reps.
That was week 1.
Week 2, she said same exercises 3X a day but remove splint for 1 hour a day, 3X a day and do light activities and a 3rd exercise - actually bending the tip over the edge of a flat surface (whilst holding down the PIP joint).
Week 3, I went and showed her my progress, she said she was not happy with the bending exercise, it was not progressing fast enough, she said I need to start using it more, getting it in warm water, fiddling with things, anything to encourage movement.
So here I am nearly at the end of Week 3 and due for my next CHT appt in 2 days and the bending exercise still doesn't seem like it's progressed. I don't have anything to take measurements with but I'm guessing it's only 10%.
PIP seems OK, it is stiff from the splinting (it had restricted movement as the splint was taped up and the tape extended to cover my PIP joint and I didn't question it).
I have over 90% bend in the PIP after a few wiggles to warm up.
I can make a fist but DIP does not bend and sticks out a little.
Still have a little swelling and numbness.
Lack of movement is making me very frustrated and upset and I end up crying everytime I read something negative. I was advised this was the best course of action for me as it was a clean cut, no crushing or knocking, no boney fracture.
I'm 31, from the UK but living in NZ for 2 years on a working holiday visa.
Would appreciate yours and anyone else opinion.
I feel like I need support from people who have been through this.
Thanks :)
Went for the surgery, had under LA, no complications, all went well. Told me it was 95% laceration. Well done me :-/
Splint and bandage for 5 days, agonising pain, then dressig removed, and fitted with a custom made (thermo-plastic) splint - after the 5 days.
Then 5 days later, (day 10) - went to have stitches removed.New splint fitted as swelling had gone down. Told to stay in splint and not to bend under any circumstances for 3 weeks.
Had 3 week check-up, told everything OK, then 3 more weeks.
At 6 weeks, told to move/try to bend it. Sent to certified Hand Therapist after this appointment (as my hospital is not local).
CHT said OK, now it's been 6 weeks, we can start therapy, got me to do loose fist & lift and hold. No movement from DIP doing loose fist but could just about do lift and hold.
She said for 1 week, remove splint only for therapy - 3X a day every day, loose fist x 10 reps and lift and hold x 10 reps.
That was week 1.
Week 2, she said same exercises 3X a day but remove splint for 1 hour a day, 3X a day and do light activities and a 3rd exercise - actually bending the tip over the edge of a flat surface (whilst holding down the PIP joint).
Week 3, I went and showed her my progress, she said she was not happy with the bending exercise, it was not progressing fast enough, she said I need to start using it more, getting it in warm water, fiddling with things, anything to encourage movement.
So here I am nearly at the end of Week 3 and due for my next CHT appt in 2 days and the bending exercise still doesn't seem like it's progressed. I don't have anything to take measurements with but I'm guessing it's only 10%.
PIP seems OK, it is stiff from the splinting (it had restricted movement as the splint was taped up and the tape extended to cover my PIP joint and I didn't question it).
I have over 90% bend in the PIP after a few wiggles to warm up.
I can make a fist but DIP does not bend and sticks out a little.
Still have a little swelling and numbness.
Lack of movement is making me very frustrated and upset and I end up crying everytime I read something negative. I was advised this was the best course of action for me as it was a clean cut, no crushing or knocking, no boney fracture.
I'm 31, from the UK but living in NZ for 2 years on a working holiday visa.
Would appreciate yours and anyone else opinion.
I feel like I need support from people who have been through this.
Thanks :)
Hi, does anyone know where I can find the finger exercises to see if I can get my finger to bend again? I can't seem to find them anywhere.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Your comments inspire me. I fell hiking in Adirondacks in October and got a bony mallet injury on left pinky. I did nothing for 5 days then splinted it on my own with popsicle stick on whole finger then on top of of the joint. Finally went to see someone at 3 weeks post injury. That's how I found out it was a mallet injury. They made a splint which I wore for 8 weeks then x ray showed no improvement and now I wear the splint at night. The bugger of all this is that I play guitar and had to relearn the entire Nutcracker suite to perform in December without my pinky. Now I am using it to play but of course it hurts & my nail is buckling upwards. See the doc next week, I may not do surgery after reading everyone's comments.Although it hurts, I have 90% mobility.Thank you for your comments.
Hello all,
Firstly, thanks to everyone who has posted on this thread. I have just read it from beginning to end and am a lot wiser than when I started reading!
My position is similar to many here:
19 October 2013 - Broke pinky finger playing rugby. Boned sheared across the proximal phalanx. I initially thought it was not broken and waited 12 days before getting an x-ray. The following day an orthopaedic doctor recommended surgery to reset the bone. The surgery took place on 12 November. I was told to remove the bandage after 2 days and try to move the finger joints as much as possible. On 19 November I had my first appointment with the physio to start the rehab. Despite the swelling and pain I thought I was making pretty good progress with the rehab. I was very good at working on my flexion however I did not realise the potential for extensor lag. The physio recommended the usual stretching exercises and I have been quite diligent in carrying this out. 4-5 weeks post-op I found my range of extension starting to reduce slightly from about 40-45 degrees from straight to 50-55 degrees.
On 24 December I saw the orthopaedic doctor for a follow up. Unfortunately it was not my original surgeon but she was a hand specialist so I accepted this. My new x-ray showed that the bone had healed pretty well and straight. However, she was concerned about the tendon lag and recommended a new surgery to address this. I told her I would think about it. I decided to continue work with my physio and leave the surgical option open for a later date. Since then I have been working flat out to improve the lag. I have used a capener (sprung) splint to keep my finger extended during the day and a fixed splint to keep it extended overnight. I am doing a range of passive and active stretching and strengthening exercises. I have also got a box splint which enables me to keep the finger in maximum flexion. The finger is still very very stiff in the mornings and stiffens very quickly when I am not using it.
Having read the previous posts I am convinced that the non-surgical route is worth persevering with. In particular I am interested in the people who say that the blocking exercises have helped to free the stuck tendon. I am working much harder on this and will report back on my progress.
Firstly, thanks to everyone who has posted on this thread. I have just read it from beginning to end and am a lot wiser than when I started reading!
My position is similar to many here:
19 October 2013 - Broke pinky finger playing rugby. Boned sheared across the proximal phalanx. I initially thought it was not broken and waited 12 days before getting an x-ray. The following day an orthopaedic doctor recommended surgery to reset the bone. The surgery took place on 12 November. I was told to remove the bandage after 2 days and try to move the finger joints as much as possible. On 19 November I had my first appointment with the physio to start the rehab. Despite the swelling and pain I thought I was making pretty good progress with the rehab. I was very good at working on my flexion however I did not realise the potential for extensor lag. The physio recommended the usual stretching exercises and I have been quite diligent in carrying this out. 4-5 weeks post-op I found my range of extension starting to reduce slightly from about 40-45 degrees from straight to 50-55 degrees.
On 24 December I saw the orthopaedic doctor for a follow up. Unfortunately it was not my original surgeon but she was a hand specialist so I accepted this. My new x-ray showed that the bone had healed pretty well and straight. However, she was concerned about the tendon lag and recommended a new surgery to address this. I told her I would think about it. I decided to continue work with my physio and leave the surgical option open for a later date. Since then I have been working flat out to improve the lag. I have used a capener (sprung) splint to keep my finger extended during the day and a fixed splint to keep it extended overnight. I am doing a range of passive and active stretching and strengthening exercises. I have also got a box splint which enables me to keep the finger in maximum flexion. The finger is still very very stiff in the mornings and stiffens very quickly when I am not using it.
Having read the previous posts I am convinced that the non-surgical route is worth persevering with. In particular I am interested in the people who say that the blocking exercises have helped to free the stuck tendon. I am working much harder on this and will report back on my progress.
3 and 1/2 weeks out from tendon surgery and my pinkey finger cannot extend much at all. Very pissed because doc never warned me that this could happen. It's bent over about at 80 degrees from the PIP. I can passively retract it down but actively I have very little movement. Passively I cannot extend the finger passed 80 degrees, feels totally stuck. Anyone know if PT can do anything for this level of "stuck," or am I destined for tenolysis?
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