Grip with a fused finger

mom23mangos
mom23mangos Posts: 3,070 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I had hand surgery about 7 weeks ago on a broken ring finger and pinky. Both with mallet fractures involving large fragments across the joint. What they call a Class IV fracture. The ring finger wasn’t as bad and only needed closed reduction with a single pin. The pinky was badly deformed and required an open reduction and three pins. I was in a cast for 4 weeks. The pins came out last week and I’ve been working on getting ROM back.

My Dr. was a kitten and spent about 90sec with me total from I initial exam, pre-surgery and follow-up. He did not order PT or give me any idea of what to expect. I have emailed him to ask, but I have my suspicions he fused the DIP joint of my pinky finger. I’m getting NO movement at all, or even hint of feeling like it’s possible. I have a tiny bit of movement in the ring finger leading me to believe it can improve. After googling, it seems fusion is sometimes done in really bad cases like mine and the pics of what it usually looks like looks just like what he did.

Anyway, everything I do fitness wise involves grip. The pinky plays a huge part in grip strength. Anyone here have any experience strengthing their grip with a fused or missing pinky? I know it’s still early, but wondering if I might have to resort to straps in the short term.

Replies

  • dewd2
    dewd2 Posts: 2,449 Member
    I broke both my middle and ring fingers in a similar manner (although not nearly as bad - no surgery) and found that when the OK was giving to move them, I could not. Not even a little bit. It took several painful weeks of PT to get the movement back.

    Assuming it is not fused, PT is the key. It will take some time so be patient.

    Good luck.
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    I highly suggest that you find a second hand surgeon and go in for a consult (for a second opinion) as well as a prescription for physical therapy.
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,754 Member
    aokoye wrote: »
    I highly suggest that you find a second hand surgeon and go in for a consult (for a second opinion) as well as a prescription for physical therapy.

    Yes. this^^. I highly regret not getting a second opinion on my shoulder. My shoulder is toast. Just do this. Please.
  • Cahgetsfit
    Cahgetsfit Posts: 1,912 Member
    I third the PT option and second opinion!
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    With the RA I have deformed hands/fingers and major loss of strength in my entire hands/wrists compared to pre RA. My pinky strength are non existent in any grip and ring fingers are more in the way the helpful...lol. When my flare ups happen there isn't much bend in any DIP joint. I can certainly understand your concern.

    That being said, I have found ways to squat, bench press as well as deadlift with/without straps and build grip strength while training to be fairly competitive and likely ranked top ten in the world(all feds combined)at my age/weight class by year's end. Keep your head up and have patience :smile: .

    It's been my experience that most people will adapt and find solutions as things settle as they hopefully find answers or understanding of possibilities through a professional and not Google. Someone who has your current health history and can give you more definitive idea of what to expect through your options. Someone with your best interests.

  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,070 Member
    Thank you everyone for your input. I had already considered finding a different hand surgeon for their opinion. If I don't get anything useful out of this quack in the next few days I will be going that route. And I will also look into a PT on my own.

    @Chieflrg - I figured you had some experience with this. It's good to know that you have been able to compensate and lift even without straps. I figured that even worst case scenario that I would learn to compensate at some point. I'm just trying to think of ways to keep my strength up while waiting. Most upper body exercises are very challenging right now. And maybe I won't be able to. It may be a long road of starting over from scratch and I guess I'll have to be patient and deal with that.
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,070 Member
    You've got to be kidding me. Made an appt with a hand therapist and then they tell me that unless they have a script from the Dr, they can't treat me. I can't even get the fool to call me back. When I went to go get my cast off and pins out I wasn't informed that he wasn't there until I showed up for my appt. And then I had to call and reschedule myself when no one had called me after several days. Grrrrrrrrr. Sorry, just venting at this point. I went ahead and made the appt for next Wednesday and hopefully I'll have talked to someone in his office by then.
  • nexangelus
    nexangelus Posts: 2,081 Member
    edited July 2019
    I used that plasticine stuff to work grip and then joined a group where we just did loads of dexterity things with our newly healed broken hands....hot water stretches and flexes....I broke little finger (pinky) and one next to it had surgery and pins put in was casted for longer than 4 weeks. Can you go private physio for it or Google hand physio? I now compete strongwoman 8 years later....been building strength and grip last 2 years in earnest.
  • 99clmsntgr
    99clmsntgr Posts: 777 Member
    mom23mangos wrote: »
    Made an appt with a hand therapist and then they tell me that unless they have a script from the Dr, they can't treat me.

    I would go walk in to the doctor's office and ask for the script (and then ask why they haven't been returning calls or emails). I doubt the office's behavior will change before that happens.

    Also, if you were referred to that doctor by someone, be it the emergency room or your primary care or your insurance company, I would let them know about this. The insurance company might not care, but a primary care physician should take that into consideration when making referrals.

  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    edited July 2019
    mom23mangos wrote: »
    You've got to be kidding me. Made an appt with a hand therapist and then they tell me that unless they have a script from the Dr, they can't treat me. I can't even get the fool to call me back. When I went to go get my cast off and pins out I wasn't informed that he wasn't there until I showed up for my appt. And then I had to call and reschedule myself when no one had called me after several days. Grrrrrrrrr. Sorry, just venting at this point. I went ahead and made the appt for next Wednesday and hopefully I'll have talked to someone in his office by then.

    This is exactly why I suggested getting a second opinion and getting a prescription for PT. It's not at all uncommon in the US for PTs to require 'scripts to treat people. If anything I suspect it's the norm. Yes - I have a lot of experience with physical therapy...
    Try to see if you can get the surgeon's office to call in a script.

    edit: actually I think the idea of physically going to the office and more or less demanding a script (in as diplomatic a manner as you see fit) is more appropriate in this case.
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,070 Member
    I finally got hold of the Dr's office today and his assistant said she will fax in an order for PT. Yay! She also confirmed my pinky is NOT fused, so hopefully with therapy I'll be able to recover full ROM.

    I deadlifted for the first time today since the accident and was able to do OK with light weight and 4 fingers. Hanging grip is going to take a bit more work.
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,754 Member
    Yay!

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