Anyone got any positive stories about finger injury recovery?

Gary_W

Groupie
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Hi everyone,

Unfortunately I had a fall at the weekend (very dull story - looking for a car park machine, fell off a kerb and went flat onto my front). I need a better story for this but that beige, unexciting mundanity is what happened.

Hurt my ribs and little finger on my fretting hand. Being an idiot, I did nothing about it (bought car park ticket, went to lunch). My wife finally persuaded me to go to A and E two days later - I thought the finger was just bruised as it’s not painful enough to be broken but…. Middle bone on my left hand little finger is snapped like a breadstick and not at a great angle. I’m booked into hand clinic tomorrow and they’ll tell me what’s next. The emergency guy said that I can expect surgery. He may be wrong but looking at the X-ray I can’t see a way it will heal straight without intervention so I’ll be pleasantly surprised if that’s not the next step.

It’s a really good hand clinic here (I actually work with ultrasound machines to fund the music habit and I know quite a few of the team at the local hospital - they have a reputation for hand surgery). I’m in the U.K. so the only thing I have to worry about is the outcome…. I play guitar badly enough with four fingers and I kind of need that forth one. I know it could be worse as I could have trashed multiple fingers or my wrist - I went down with a heck of a bang.

Anyone got positive recovery stories for me? I’m hoping to retire in a few years and throwing the time at music that I unfortunately don’t get now was one of my plans. As well as guitar (a lifetime of fun and learning in itself) I’d like to get much better at bass and do more on piano besides picking out chords. Chat gpt just told me about Tony Iommi 🙄. Could do with a few folks telling me they were fine as the less positive side of my brain has been going down the road of never being able to play my favourite songs again. Which is almost certainly ridiculous but brains aren’t always helpful at times like this!
 
If they set the bones OK and you do the physio chances are you'll be fine, I reckon (from my extensive medical training, er, ahem).

I've had carpal tunnel surgery on both hands this year. First one I was gigging again 4-5 weeks after the op, and second one is progressing nicely.

I have somehow fucked the first one up though, so am currently not playing again regardless of healing time on the second. Fairly sure I just over-cooked it too soon, hence saying follow the guidance and ask for hand therapy (fnarr) or other physio support. I think my current problems are all tendon/swelling related so will pass with physio and time.
 
Man, what a bummer. Not a personal anecdote, but John Mayer slammed his hand in the door of a truck last summer. Played 3 shows a week later with one less finger, his left index, captain of the fingers! Honestly, if you weren't watching his massively bandaged hand, you wouldn't have noticed from how he sounded. I don't know, all this to say, even if your pinky never returns to its original mobility, you can still play, brother! Good luck with treatment and recovery, you got this!
iVyZjENl.jpg
 
Currently working thru trigger finger on
My ring finger left hand.
Had a injection ten days ago, it's not a hundred percent yet. A follow up coming soon, surgery may be next. At 68, I say, what's next.

Kids, don't get old
 
If they set the bones OK and you do the physio chances are you'll be fine, I reckon (from my extensive medical training, er, ahem).

I've had carpal tunnel surgery on both hands this year. First one I was gigging again 4-5 weeks after the op, and second one is progressing nicely.

I have somehow fucked the first one up though, so am currently not playing again regardless of healing time on the second. Fairly sure I just over-cooked it too soon, hence saying follow the guidance and ask for hand therapy (fnarr) or other physio support. I think my current problems are all tendon/swelling related so will pass with physio and time.
Thanks for the reply - much appreciated. I wish you well with your carpal tunnel recovery…. That is no fun but I’m sure you’ll get there.
Man, what a bummer. Not a personal anecdote, but John Mayer slammed his hand in the door of a truck last summer. Played 3 shows a week later with one less finger, his left index, captain of the fingers! Honestly, if you weren't watching his massively bandaged hand, you wouldn't have noticed from how he sounded. I don't know, all this to say, even if your pinky never returns to its original mobility, you can still play, brother! Good luck with treatment and recovery, you got this!
iVyZjENl.jpg
Thanks for the reply - That’s inspiring to see actually. I’m sure I’d adapt in some way if needed but would rather not. I suppose it’ll be a good time for me to practice triads all over the neck! For a giggle yesterday, I picked up an acoustic and played ‘Where is my mind’ by The Pixies. It sounded wistful due to me making accidental 7th chords for most of it which sounded appropriate :)
I can tell when it's going to rain or snow 24hrs in advance with my WeatherThumb. :rofl
That sucks - I live in the U.K. so rain and snow is pretty much default settings :)
Currently working thru trigger finger on
My ring finger left hand.
Had a injection ten days ago, it's not a hundred percent yet. A follow up coming soon, surgery may be next. At 68, I say, what's next.

Kids, don't get old
Sorry to hear this - I hope you have a good outcome with that and get back where you want to be soon. I’m 56 now and bits of the system are failing. I trashed a posterior cruciate ligament plus meniscus tear 20 months back just by twisting funny - Google told me PCL is usually road traffic accidents so that’s a good effort for me to do it by walking. Treatment-wise, I got away without surgery - just rest then lots of work with the physio and gym eventually. It’s taken a long time and it’s still not fond of too many stairs but I’ll take that as an outcome.

That was part of my brain’s stupidity with recognising the broken finger - it didn’t hurt enough vs what I’d experienced before. When my knee snapped, that was medieval. This was no fun but I just thought I’d bruised it which is surprising when you see the X-ray.
 
2001 was working with an idiot who dropped a running skil saw on my right hand. lost half of my thumb and the very tip of my middle finger. had two month living graft and months of physical therapy to get mobility back, but as soon as i could squeeze a thumbpick onto stubby (what i jokingly call my right thumb), i started playing every day. you acclimate, regear, and move on. if ya wanna play, youre gonna. dont sweat it.
 
2001 was working with an idiot who dropped a running skil saw on my right hand. lost half of my thumb and the very tip of my middle finger. had two month living graft and months of physical therapy to get mobility back, but as soon as i could squeeze a thumbpick onto stubby (what i jokingly call my right thumb), i started playing every day. you acclimate, regear, and move on. if ya wanna play, youre gonna. dont sweat it.
Yikes! I’m sorry to hear about that. Having used skill saws I don’t even want to imagine that!

Thank you for the encouraging words - I’m sure I’ll get there :)
 
I saw one of the surgeons in hand clinic this afternoon who confirmed it’s a bad break and I need surgery. They’re doing it Friday afternoon.

I explained that I’ve been playing guitar for almost 30 years (you wouldn’t think so if you heard me - I’m a slow learner). He shouldn’t play poker as his face didn’t look so great. He said he’ll do his best for me but, best case, it’ll be 80% of where it was before in terms of mobility. Not sure if it’ll be pins only or pins and a plate till he gets in there.

I’m hoping for the best - what else can I do as ‘I am where I am’. I told him I’d write him a song and record it if he gets it good enough to play again. And I will keep hoping I can do that in a way that doesn’t need me to adapt too badly but we will see.

I now need to teach my daughters how to shake cocktails before I’m a pin cushion so they can keep me supplied next week. I don’t think I’ll be doing that myself for a while and frankly a drink will be a good idea :)
 
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