About a month ago I had my hand caught in a logsplitter while working on this year's firewood, and it crushed my pinky. I had posted initially in the OT Forum.
Due to some complications I'm now faced with a couple of options, one being removing my finger. I'd be left with 1/2" above my hand. The doctor said it would be enough to curl around an object, and that it wouldn't be stuck straight (which would affect the grip of my other fingers.)
My question is, does anyone think the lack of support from my full finger curled around the bar severely affect my grip? Has anyone lost a finger and has related experience?
About a month ago I had my hand caught in a logsplitter while working on this year's firewood, and it crushed my pinky. I had posted initially in the OT Forum.
Due to some complications I'm now faced with a couple of options, one being removing my finger. I'd be left with 1/2" above my hand. The doctor said it would be enough to curl around an object, and that it wouldn't be stuck straight (which would affect the grip of my other fingers.)
My question is, does anyone think the lack of support from my full finger curled around the bar severely affect my grip? Has anyone lost a finger and has related experience?
what are your other options?
I haven't lost a finger, but you can't expect your grip to be as good as it is now minus one finger. What i would do, is try doing something like deadlifts, if you can, with 4 fingers, and see what it feels like.
You can also do exercises with things called eagle loops where you can do finger pullups to increase your hand strength.
I think with time, your grip will adapt though. For things like deadlifts, you can always do things like mixed grip and have the underhand as the one where you have the damaged pinky.
But i would really look on things for improving your grip, because your grip can never be strong enough. Ironmind has a lot of grip stuff.
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Thanks man. My other option is skin grafting to repair the soft tissue that was damaged, and fusing the middle knuckle on the finger, in order to keep it. My range of motion will be limited to the joint at my hand, and the joint at the tip (which may be limited itself, because I crushed the bone in the tip badly as well.)
This option is going to be a long, hard road, unfortunately. I'll need skin grafts over the next month or so, then surgery to fuse the joint after that heals.
Thanks man. My other option is skin grafting to repair the soft tissue that was damaged, and fusing the middle knuckle on the finger, in order to keep it. My range of motion will be limited to the joint at my hand, and the joint at the tip (which may be limited itself, because I crushed the bone in the tip badly as well.)
This option is going to be a long, hard road, unfortunately. I'll need skin grafts over the next month or so, then surgery to fuse the joint after that heals.
Mike, sorry to hear about this. Either option sounds like it sucks, frankly. If it were me, I'd go with the amputation option personally. From how you describe it, the alternative option would mean not being able to bend the finger at the middle joint with little or no bending at the end joint. I would have thought that this would be more troublesome than not having half the finger at all. Having a finger you can't bend doesn't sound very useful.
Good luck with your decision and the recovery whichever way you decide. I hope this won't affect your zamboni-driving!
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I wish you the best in whatever you decide - I have no experience with missing fingers - except my auto shop teacher who used his missing finger as a compelling visual aid (be careful where you reach if the engine is running)
In sport, I remember Dodger SS Bill Russell had a serious finger injury on his throwing hand (TR BR) and had it set *bent* so that he could still grip the bat. But that was his living not his sport- so his case wouldn't mirror yours.
I think you'll adapt to whichever decision you make .. best of luck.
Mike,
I am so sorry to hear that your hand has not healed and about these two optons. Either one is going to have drawbacks. I would have a lot of trouble making a decision. Whichever you choose, there are ways to adapt. I will be praying for you.
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I have shattered the knuckle on my left pinky, so the Proximal interphalangeal joint works through a shortened ROM, and teh Distal interphalangeal joint is fused (which is odd, becuase I broke the former, not the latter... but oh well.).
I can sorta 1/2 assed wrap it around the bar, but it doesnt grip anywhere near the same as the fully working pinkie on the right.
But, the main strength for grip on bars comes from the three main fingers and the thumb anyway, so I have never really dropped much because of the finger. Sometimes with Db rows, its the first one to give way, but I am quite happy to wear wraps. With deadlifts its fine, even over 600.
They were contemplating amputation with mine, and it still causes me grief occasionally becuase I ride my motorbike with two fingers on the left lever, and becuase the end of the finger sticks out, occasionally I can pull the lever into the end of the finger, which can be painful.
Mike,
Total bummer ... your grip will be affected to some degree as much of our grip strength comes in the 4th and 5th digits. I do think that you can adapt it over time though with Alco's suggestions.
And something else to consider ... an amputation will heal up quickly (generally speaking) and you will be able to move on with your life. If you go the other route, yes, you might keep your finger, but you might not in the end. And the recovery and putting your life on hold might not be worth it.
Obviously it is a big decision and not one to be taken lightly. Work over all the options and pros and cons with your family and your doctor.
Best of luck ...
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Sorry to hear it did not completely heal. I cut the ligmanent on my right pinky. The last joint is always slightly bent (optional surgey to straighten it but probably loss of ROM-so I have left it that way)
I do not have as much gripping strength after that and have noticed the difference in deads and chins, specifically. It has also affected my fist ( in terms of punching- I cannot completely close the "pinky" in a fist motion and the martial art I do primarily uses the bottom two knuckles (pinky knuckle/ring finger knuckle) as contact points for punches.
Even though lopping off the finger is quick and painless I would suggest taking the hard route and going the grafts and the rehab- in the long run, you will be surprised how much you will miss the pinky if you lop it off. Tough it out - take the hard road and keep the finger.
Aside from just looking better, it a pinky can be very useful for gripping, typing, getting those deep down bogers, drinking tea like a fruitcake (pinky extended), wearing tacky jewelry (aka pinky ring), to name a few.
Good luke Mike.
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Sorry to hear it did not completely heal. I cut the ligmanent on my right pinky. The last joint is always slightly bent (optional surgey to straighten it but probably loss of ROM-so I have left it that way)
Pete, that's crazy. I did the EXACT same thing to my right pinky when I was seven years old (note to self: making a playhouse out of a laundry washer box is a good idea, but using a butcher knife instead of a box cutter isn't).
Mike, totally sucks to hear, man, but best of luck. We'll be, um, pulling for you?
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I have shattered the knuckle on my left pinky, so the Proximal interphalangeal joint works through a shortened ROM, and teh Distal interphalangeal joint is fused (which is odd, becuase I broke the former, not the latter... but oh well.).
I can sorta 1/2 assed wrap it around the bar, but it doesnt grip anywhere near the same as the fully working pinkie on the right.
But, the main strength for grip on bars comes from the three main fingers and the thumb anyway, so I have never really dropped much because of the finger. Sometimes with Db rows, its the first one to give way, but I am quite happy to wear wraps. With deadlifts its fine, even over 600.
They were contemplating amputation with mine, and it still causes me grief occasionally becuase I ride my motorbike with two fingers on the left lever, and becuase the end of the finger sticks out, occasionally I can pull the lever into the end of the finger, which can be painful.
Wow, thanks man. It sounds like your range of motion is exactly what I'd end up with (under the best circumstances), according to my doctor. Glad to hear someone has some "real-life" lifting experience with the same thing.
Mike,
Total bummer ... your grip will be affected to some degree as much of our grip strength comes in the 4th and 5th digits. I do think that you can adapt it over time though with Alco's suggestions.
And something else to consider ... an amputation will heal up quickly (generally speaking) and you will be able to move on with your life. If you go the other route, yes, you might keep your finger, but you might not in the end. And the recovery and putting your life on hold might not be worth it.
Obviously it is a big decision and not one to be taken lightly. Work over all the options and pros and cons with your family and your doctor.
Best of luck ...
Yeah, you and I think exactly alike. I know that my doctor has kept me waiting so long because he needs to be confident that surgery, grafting, etc will be successful and I won't end up losing it afterward. I'm extremely confident in him. The ER referred me to him the day of the accident, so I had no idea what to expect. But, over the last month I've met a ton of people who've requested him for hand surgeries. All of this in Rochester, where we have some serious medical professionals, with the U of R and 4 major hospitals within a 15 mile radius!
It's tough....on one hand it would be so easy to say "take it off" and let it heal and move on. But making the decision to remove a finger when I know I don't necessarily have to...that's hard.
That, and I work in an office, I meet new people everyday. I'm sure people wouldn't judge someone when they shake your hand and notice 3 fingers, but they will notice.
At least if I lose it I'll look more like my avatar. 3 fingers, just like a Simpson!
(Hope it's ok to make small jokes about this, if not, then I apologize)
Nah, laugh it up...it is what it is, you know?
Funny story: The day after the accident my wife and I drove to the specialists office. As we sat there, I looked up at their logo on the wall, and noticed it was a log, being split in half! I looked at Kelly and said "Well that's a little funny and ironic!"
lol :p Glad to hear you're taking it light like this. Things like this usually go alot better if you can joke around a bit. I noticed that when I injured my knee.
Truth be told it doesn't really matter does it? You'll handle it and move on as best you can. You don't have any choice. If you want to lift you'll find a way, even if you're missing a few fingers.
Good news guys. Yesterday afternoon the doc saw my finger and noticed that the wound is growing new tissue and trying to close itself. So, as long as it looks better tomorrow, we're going to give it a few weeks to heal as much as it can. This means just a small skin graft to close the major portion of the wound, then on to fusing the knuckle and getting this thing working again! And, if we let it go a few more weeks, I can get back to work while it heals. Niiiiice!
Good news indeed, Mike. Keep us posted on your progress.
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"Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you are right." - Henry Ford
"UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." - Dr. Seuss
"Life is no brief candle to me. It is sort of a splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations." - George Bernard Shaw
I know a one-armed guy who is strong enough to put normal folks to shame on most strength-related things, because his arm got extremely strong over time. The same is probably gonna happen to your hand; it'll simply get stronger to compensate for the lost finger.
Update guys...The finger is almost healed up (the soft itssue wound). Saw my doc this morning, and he wanted me to start PT to see if I'll get any movement out of it, then decide what to do.
Called for my appointment with the therapist, and they got me right in this afternoon. The guy bent the hell out of my pinky, including the pip joint, which was seized (the one that was supposed to be pinned 2 1/2 weeks ago). OUCH!
SO, we'll see how it goes. At the moment, I have no movement in my finger if I try to power it myself. The tip was stuck solid, even the therapist didn't dare move it manually, because it was so tight.
I'm a bit curious to see if I'll get any movement back. It's pretty messed up, with a pip joint spun sideways in the socket and my dip joint at the tip appears to have healed solid, because it was crushed so badly. Part of me wants to take the thing off and move on. Not lifting has been killing me too. Who knows when I'll get back to that.
Truth be told it doesn't really matter does it? You'll handle it and move on as best you can. You don't have any choice. If you want to lift you'll find a way, even if you're missing a few fingers.
Update guys...The finger is almost healed up (the soft itssue wound). Saw my doc this morning, and he wanted me to start PT to see if I'll get any movement out of it, then decide what to do.
Called for my appointment with the therapist, and they got me right in this afternoon. The guy bent the hell out of my pinky, including the pip joint, which was seized (the one that was supposed to be pinned 2 1/2 weeks ago). OUCH!
SO, we'll see how it goes. At the moment, I have no movement in my finger if I try to power it myself. The tip was stuck solid, even the therapist didn't dare move it manually, because it was so tight.
I'm a bit curious to see if I'll get any movement back. It's pretty messed up, with a pip joint spun sideways in the socket and my dip joint at the tip appears to have healed solid, because it was crushed so badly. Part of me wants to take the thing off and move on. Not lifting has been killing me too. Who knows when I'll get back to that.
Thanks for all the support everyone!
Good news! I am sorry about this! I feel for ya. I guess things like this happen in our lives and we learn to deal and it just makes us a bit stronger.
Missing a Finger - Effects on Grip Strength
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