Ruptured Middle Finger Tendon this afternoon

[ultrarunner]

I was catching up on some chores with today being a holiday and all.

Last week I was sent to pick up food for a work staff meeting the aluminum casserole tray leaked onto the front passenger seat between the backrest and seat cushion... it was really dried in there so I went to clean out the crevice...

Looks like I snapped the middle finger Extensor Tendon... heard it pop.

Made up a splint and will know more first thing in the morning when I see the ortho guy.

The Extensor Tendons are used to extend the fingers and the flexors to close them.

Like most of us I make my living with my hands... so I'm hoping for the best.

Keep thinking what a dumbbell thing to happen.

Would like to hear outcomes from anyone that has experience with this.

 

[CADplans]

WOW,, good thing you live on the west coast,, you can not drive on the road in many east coast cities,,
without being able to extend your middle finger!!

OK, we got that out of the way!!

I severed that tendon to my pinkie finger,,, handling some just cut-to-length steel roofing.
I cut the back of my hand, about an inch away from the knuckle.
I severed one, and "nicked" the next one.
The doc just sewed it back together, in his office,
it took WAY longer than I thought the procedure should take.

That shortened it,, some,, I could not touch the finger to my palm at all for 6 months.

I seem to remember an inch gap, minimum, finger tip to palm, for about a year.
Lay the fingers of your "good" hand to your palm, like making a fist.
notice how the fingers just close the gap of the finger tips to the palm.
Even a decade later, it takes some (VERY little) effort for the tip of the finger to touch the palm.
(I just checked!! LOL!!,, I had not even "checked" that in five years or more,,, )

Within a year, the finger had zero limitations, as far as use.
Actually, it was so little limitation, I actually remember after a year,,
that I would forget it happened, my limitations were so minimal.

I was a "paper-pusher" except for my hobbies,,
so not using the pinkie finger for a year was not an issue to me.
I "baby-ed" that finger as much as I could,,, I figured I was gonna need it for a LOT of years.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

You want a good HAND surgeon to do the repair not your average ortho. I think your going to be disappointed with the rehab time but it will be better with a more sophisticated repair. I hope you don't need that hand for a few months.

 

[EddieWalker]

Sorry to hear of your injury.

How did you hurt it? Did you get it caught inside the seat?

 

[downsizingnow48]

As I recall when you got hit by a car you did not see a doctor! Please take Luke advice and get expert help for that finger.

 

[the old grind]

I have 'been there!!!' (RH middle signalling device) Happened 6 or so years ago.

Surgery isn't the first/best option, nor a given in just any case, and there is quite a difference between a 'drop finger' injury and a severed/cut tendon. Since the tendon doesn't stretch it can reattach if the finger is held in it's original (straight/extended) position long enough to heal into its 'socket'.

It's important to keep the finger fully extended ... for weeks, and with no exceptions. ('Ortho' might provide splint sticks and tape .. didn't use 'em all) Showering with a finger splint is a bear, but only requires refreshing the tape after it comes loose, not the same as post-surgical care and keeping the site dry. Movement/use will return much sooner than with 'cut & stitch' I had assumed would be necessary.

btw, A note to those who accrue this injury at an odd time of day or when a walk-in clinic is not accessible. Don't just rush to 'emergency room' at 11:00 PM b'cuz you fear the worst and don't know if you'll recover fully without proper & expedient treatment. I did and payed ~$800 for not understanding the classification and coverage 'if not life-threatening' ...

RESULT: One of many times I felt a treatment was more 'natural' than 'best', and not the first such learning experience. I wore the splints for weeks and normal use of the hand/finger returned quickly, once given the OK to remove by the Dr. (also best hand-surgeon around here if it was best to do that ... and with longer recovery)

Still a bit tender between nail bed and top knuckle if I bump it. Some soreness just before hands go numb when plowing snow (no cab ) & that's a sign to come inside and 'feel the burn' of dipping them in lukewarm water to recover.

Overall, it's pretty much as though nothing had happened to me. :thumbsup: Total recovery took about a month vs two from a bullet in the L wrist (.380 RNFP, point blank ) ... and before I was playing piano or guitar again. tog (jon)

 

[roadhunter]

Oh man. Sounds like something I could pull off. Hope it heals fast.

 

[oldballs]

If you can find a hand surgeon, that would be best. That could be difficult unless one has gobs of money. But to continue the middle finger signage, I did that to a tailgating young buck driving a PU..last Sunday,.... .on my way to church no less. Now, I'm too old to fight and it is a bad habit anyway.......so, guess I'll value that finger a little more now.........maybe I'll just use my thumb.:thumbdown:

 

[cqaigy2]

Oh man, that doesn't sound pleasant at all. Sounds like some good advice given so far in the thread. Good luck and do the PT. Was mountain biking and after all the whoop dee doos and jumping off of stuff during the ride. I fall down in just off the parking lot and find that my thumb is hyper extended and it ended up down by the the wrist. The PT i did religiously and now i have a fully functional.

 

[ultrarunner]

Appreciate the encouragement... just about half of what I feel is mental... September 13 is the day I go in to re-apply for my job of 25 years due to the sale... never taken a sick day in all those years... sick time kicks in after 3 days of PTO and a Doctor note... so no idea how being laid up will affect this as I use my hands for everything at work.

Went to my Ortho guy who is a friend... he is knee and shoulders and refers hands to the local specialist.

It was easier to drive to the specialist who I learned is in surgery most of the day... I recognized one of the office staff and she promised to get the message to the Doctor.

Also researched and learned the Golden State Warriors hand specialist is with Stanford... guess this could be another option.

Typing with one hand is slow going.

My Ortho friend is the same one who looked at my foot after being hit by a car... never did have any followup with the driver that hit me.

This being a short week means the offices are on a short schedule... I'll keep it splinted with Popsicle sticks until then.