Weird injury to my hand - looking for advice

[jiujitsumaniac]

Had a weird one happen last week - I was defending against a Kimura (my opponent on bottom) against a pretty strong guy - I S-gripped my other hand - brought my hand up and through (with a lot of resistance from my opponent) - and then noticed my pinky finger and ring finger on my right hand would not respond -

I did not feel anything "pop" or experience anything that seemed like a significant injury.

It sort of felt like my hand/fingers were cramping - so I did not think much about it - but almost 1 week later my hand still is not working correctly. It is getting better, but very slowly. I am icing a few times a day. I have very weak grip strength. My ring finger will not bend/grip without assistance, and I have swelling in the palm of my hand.

Any ideas what may have happened? Anyone experience this type of injury before? Do I have to go to the doctor or will it get better in another week or so?

[Hari Khalsa]

It would seem that if the pain has subsided a little, and your current treatments are working, then you can skip the trip to the doctor. Resting it and icing it (and even ice/heat applications) should be all you need.

Swelling in your hand, cramp like sensation and the fingers affected gives me the very basic indication you could have a sprain/strain in a ligament in your hand and at worst a carpal fracture. If the swelling does not go down after a few (3) days, medications like ibuprofin along with ice and elevation are not alleviating the swelling or pain, and/or it's starts developing a bruise, and if it goes on a week without much improvement, then you should seriously consider seeing your doctor as a precautionary measure.

Your hands are important, as I'm sure you know. If you get the feeling you should see a doctor, then you should go see a doctor. And that's the paramedic in me talking.

[tonypetras]

man you better visit a doctor... it sound to me that some legament might be torn and if you do not rehabilitate it correctly it might never be back to normal

[Otto]

If you have insurance, go see a hand specialist. Could be a lot of things, no use speculating on-line.

If everything is structurally okay, you're going to need a lot of range of motion exercises before getting back into the swing of training. Again, if you have insurance, I think an Occupational Therapist could help you more than anything else.

Hang in there, bro, we're with you.

[SavageKitsune]

Hands are not a thing to screw around with.... we NEED our hands, to make a living if nothing else.... any other body part, I tend be like, "Eh, let's see if it gets better on its own..." but hands..... you'd really better have it looked at by a medical professional.

[mattamatta]

I'm surprised none of you who recommend a doctor said "You need to see a doctor, hands down" or any such pun.

Too good, too good....

[jiujitsumaniac]

Well, I finally went to the doctor because my hand was not getting better.

I got really bad news - 90% chance my hand is permanently damaged.

I will get an ultrasound next week to confirm, but it seems that I ripped the small tendon off the finger on my right hand. The tendon is now wadded up in my palm. The doctor said this can not be fixed with surgery. I will never be able to fully bend or grip with that finger again. The doctor was not optimistic at all. She actually used the words "I am really sorry to tell you this...but..."

I am crushed over this one guys. JJ is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. I am questioning whether I am going to continue with JJ. I have been hurt before - even permanently - but this time I was not over doing it, going to hard, being stupid, or anything like that and I still wrecked my hand.

It was my dream to eventually get my black belt and maybe open up my own school. At a minimum I wanted to practice JJ with my son when he gets older. Now, I am questioning the wisdom of all of that.

[Ari Bolden]

I am very sorry to hear this my friend but I need to tell you 2 things.

1) Get a SECOND opinion.

2) Ever hear of a guy named JEAN JACQUES MACHADO!?!!! Please see interesting fact here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Jacques_Machado

This is life and it threw you a curve ball. You'll GET your black belt. You just have to adapt a bit. JJ was one of the best grapplers in the world and he did it with ONE HAND.

Understanding and using the under and over hooks while grappling is going to help you. Fall down 7...get up 8!

[SavageKitsune]

That sucks, that sucks really really bad. I am feeling your pain. I'm so sorry. :(



That said, take a poll of everyone who's been doing martial arts for a long time, and pretty much NONE of them are whole. This is a dangerous passion. But since it *IS* a passion, one must find ways to work around one's unavoidable reality of limitations. Don't give up. This is going to make it more challenging for you, but you have what it takes to say, "This will not stop me."

[younwha]

Injuries are part of the life as a martial artist. I'm not going to say I have any major injuries as of yet... but from years of playing soccer and martial arts I have some really messed up hip flexors. About 6 months to a year ago I broke my right wrist and never did much about it aside from wrap it myself, so anytime I'm put in any sort of wrist like I cringe like a girl. Both middle fingers, and one thumb have been broke - again never went to the doctor because I'm an idiot. Which means I have trouble bending them sometimes, or pulling them in one direction or the other. Cartilage damage in my left knee, and some really weird sharp pain in my right knee. Broke my big toe now I can't curl it down.

I know - it sucks being injured. And sometimes it makes you want to quit. But that's what separates a martial artist from everyone else.

[SavageKitsune]

BTW, listen to Ari about getting a second opinion. From a SPECIALIST. When it's this serious, you always need a second opinion from a specialist.

[Micky]

Sorry to hear about your situation fella.

Is it suspected that you will loose motion of both your fingers?

Maybe the ultrasound will show less damage than originally thought.

If your finger is permanently damaged I hope you can address this issue and treat as just another challenge the sport has to offer. I realize this is easier said than done though.

Good luck.

[jiujitsumaniac]

So, here is the update:

Confirmed with the hand surgeon/specialist - tore the tendon off my right hand ring finger.

Prognosis: Likely can not be fixed. I am going in for surgery on Weds or Thursday of this week.

When you lose this tendon your grip in your entire hand goes away. Go ahead, try it - keep your ring finger straight and try to grip or make a fist with your remaining fingers.

For those of you so inclined - i could use the prayers.

The doc is going to go into the hand - depending on the condition of the tendon, she will either (1) try to reattach or (2) just cut it out and fuse the bones in my finger together.

She is 90% sure that she will have to go with option #2 - this is due to the fact that I have a "stage 3" rupture, meaning the tendon has pulled all the way down into the palm of my hand.

With option #2, I not only get the prospect of weeks of pain and recovery....but my hand will only be partially functional for the rest of my life. (read this with sarcasm...). If we can go with option 1, then the recovery is much longer (up to 6 months) - but my chance of a fully functional hand is much better.

I will likely have trouble gripping anything smaller than a coffee cup with my right hand for the rest of my life - but will still have grip/pinch with my thumb/index/and middle finger.

So, what have I learned:
1. Whenever possible, use a gable grip. S-grip is dangerous.
2. If you have a very tight grip on something (Gi, opponent, your own hand) and your opponent is trying to rip it away - let it go and try something else. This is not a totally uncommon injury. 75% of the time this is the tendon that fails in the hand in these situations. It is not worth it.
3. If you do hurt your hand and can not actuate a finger after 2-3 days, do not wait - go to the doctor immediately. Every day counts with tendon injuries. In my case she said it would not have made much of a difference, but many times it can.
4. Life throws you curve balls - be ready to take the strike and move on. The finality of this type of injury is pretty stunning. I understand that this is not the worse thing anyone has ever lived through, and in the grand scheme of things life could be much worse, but this still sucks. I am just trying to figure out what God is teaching me through all of this.

My training future is still uncertain at this point. Have to see how I heal up physically and mentally. It is hard to give up 15 years of martial arts and I just don't know if I can. I will still check in and see what the chatter is from time to time.

[NebS]

I will pray, but let me say this bluntly first:

If you decide to give up your passion for the last 15 years because you can't grab anything smaller than a coffee cup; then what were the last 15 years for anyway?

You're a martial artist my friend. I have complete faith in your ability to continue to train, teach, manage and participate in martial arts.

Your hand may not be in the best shape - but you've still got the best weapon anybody can ask for my friend:

Your mind. I whole heartedly feel you will be able to use that weapon to it's full potential, and you will become a martial artist ten times the one you are now because of it.

Good luck, bro.

[SavageKitsune]

He's right. Don't give up. Cruel fate can take part of the usage of your hand away from you, but you still have your mind- as well as lots of other body parts and the skill and knowledge to use them.

All that time and sweat and hard work you have put into your MA- you have RESPONSIBILITY to yourself, to your teachers, and to your future students to not throw it away. It's too valuable to waste.

[AJ]

Sorry to hear about your injury, I'm sure I would panic if such a permanent injury occurred to me. That being said, check out this picture..

http://www.bullshido.org/w/images/thumb/8/8e/Jean-Jacques_Machado.jpg/150px-Jean-Jacques_Machado.jpg

[jiujitsumaniac]

OK - over my pity party.

Planning on starting to train again in 7-8 weeks (hopefully!!) I will just figure out how to adapt.

Dropped by my gym tonight to say hi to everyone - man I miss it! They were training my favorite "go to" choke.

Here are the pics (see attached images)post surgery - my wife now refers to me as "frankenhand".

.....cut open the hand, removed the tendon, put a screw down the center of my finger through the tip.

[AJ]

Gnarly. How's it feeling?

[jiujitsumaniac]

It is feeling better now - only a dull pain in the palm and wrist. Hurt like a mother the first week or so - you know that feeling after you smash your finger in a car door or with a hammer...maybe smash it so hard you tear open the skin - that sharp, stinging, stabbing, sometimes burning pain.......It felt like that for the first 3 days - then got a little better each day. Popped plenty of pain pills those first few days....now getting by on ibuprofen for the most part.