# Dislocated finger...................



## Bent Wheel (Oct 6, 2007)

playing around on some boulders today, did a slow OTB. After collecting my thoughts for a second I looked at my hand and my ring finger is pointing 90 degrees towards my pinky. This has never happened before so it kinda tripped me out. So I grab ahold of it, close my eyes and pulled until it popped and viola back where it belongs. Now tonite its completely purple and hurts like hell. Whats the heal-up time for something like this? Anyone. :eekster:


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## Gemini2k05 (Apr 19, 2005)

I broke and dislocated the "middle" joint in my left index about 2 months ago. Had to get a pin put in there for 6 weeks. I was "able" to ride about 4 weeks after surgery (xc/moderate DH). It really hurt though, but worth it. Then after I got the pin out, waited another 2 weeks, road some more xc/light DH then after about 2-3 weeks after getting the pin out have started doing GNAR dh. I still have very little strength in the finger, i can almost make a 90 degree angle with it, can almost fully extend it. It mostly just stiff but doesn't hurt too bad when riding. It isn't really holding me back at all though now (10 weeks later)


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## Bent Wheel (Oct 6, 2007)

Today the back of my hand and my palm are bruised and my finger is stiff as a board. 10 weeks, sounds like an eternity.


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## scblur (Oct 12, 2006)

*Dislocated too*

I am there too bud...

Sept dislocated the right pinky. Not my knuckle, but the next joint. Left it go and had to have surgery. Pin in and tendon taken from the palm to heklp repair it. Surgery was far far more painful than the dislocation. I am 4 wks out of surgery and get about 25 deg out of it which is next to nothing really. Weak as sh!t. Problem is it hangs out and will catch on anything causing pain and possible re-dislocation.

Planning on a set on gloves with the pink and ring finger sewn together to keep in home where it belongs.

Good luck with yours.

Scott


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## Bent Wheel (Oct 6, 2007)

been almost 3 weeks now and my finger is still twice as big as my other ring finger and looks crooked. I do have some movement but not much. So I tape my ring finger to my middle finger so I can still work and ride. Hanging on to the bars is'nt to bad so far. But I do hit it on everything possible.
p.s by taping them together I believe it has helped with the movement issue.


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## D4ng3r (Jul 26, 2007)

I was pushed as I was about to catch a football two years ago, it hit my pinky and dislocated the second joint. I popped it back in place under the guidance of my gym teacher, iced it, went to the nurse, got it taped to my ring finger with some guaze in between to give a bit of a cusion. took about 3 weeks to settle down and not be as painful.

my BIGGEST TIP that I can give to you is this: As SOON as you can start moving your joint again, start stretching your finger tendon gently. scar tissue heals much tighter than regular tissue, and it can restrict your movement.

hold your hand in a bit-bigger-than-lose-fist. so, half open, and half closed. now take a look at one of your joints on your hand, see how its bent a bit? It will stay like that (at a similar angle after healing) if you do not stretch out the joint regularly to restore normal flexability. I have a slight (only 5 or so degree) reduction in my flexability in my pinky because i was not quite as dilligent as I should have been in recovery. Dont make my mistake, you can come out PERFECT from this if you keep it flexible.


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## Bent Wheel (Oct 6, 2007)

*will do...........*



D4ng3r said:


> I was pushed as I was about to catch a football two years ago, it hit my pinky and dislocated the second joint. I popped it back in place under the guidance of my gym teacher, iced it, went to the nurse, got it taped to my ring finger with some guaze in between to give a bit of a cusion. took about 3 weeks to settle down and not be as painful.
> 
> my BIGGEST TIP that I can give to you is this: As SOON as you can start moving your joint again, start stretching your finger tendon gently. scar tissue heals much tighter than regular tissue, and it can restrict your movement.
> 
> hold your hand in a bit-bigger-than-lose-fist. so, half open, and half closed. now take a look at one of your joints on your hand, see how its bent a bit? It will stay like that (at a similar angle after healing) if you do not stretch out the joint regularly to restore normal flexability. I have a slight (only 5 or so degree) reduction in my flexability in my pinky because i was not quite as dilligent as I should have been in recovery. Dont make my mistake, you can come out PERFECT from this if you keep it flexible.


I want this thing to heal up PERFECTLY or as close to it as possible. I am pissed that I have done this just cause I dont like being hurt. I work in a sawmill, so I have a tendency to hit this thing on every possible object available. So anything that helps me heal faster & better, I will consider doing. THANX. :thumbsup:


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## bloodpuddle (Jun 15, 2007)

I hope you heal up soon.

I went OTB 2 weekends ago and dislocated my right ring finger at the next joint along from the knuckle. My finger was basically pointing up at about 45 degrees the wrong way at that joint.

Couldn't budge it out on the track, and by the time I extracted myself from the ride and got to casualty it was about 7 hours later. They relocated it under local anaesthetic and gave me a splint to stop it dislocating again.

The swelling went down pretty quickly. They told me I'd need to wear the splint for at least 4 weeks, and it'd be at least 2 months before I had full strength back. Whether I get full flexibility back depends on how diligent I am in doing the exercises they showed me.

So far so good - although the flexibility is clearly compromised, at this point I can (just) make a fist.

It's prevented me from riding in a 100 next week that I'd been planning/training for months, but I'm just grateful that I should get full function back.


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## mlepito (May 1, 2007)

Have you had an xray? With the bruising you're describing, it sounds broken. It is not uncommon for finger dislocations to cause fractures at the joint. You need to have it xrayed. I would suggest seeing a hand specialist if you want it to "heal perfectly".


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## Bent Wheel (Oct 6, 2007)

mlepito said:


> Have you had an xray? With the bruising you're describing, it sounds broken. It is not uncommon for finger dislocations to cause fractures at the joint. You need to have it xrayed. I would suggest seeing a hand specialist if you want it to "heal perfectly".


4 weeks later.Is it to late for x-rays? What if they do find it is broken, is there something they can do? never messed a finger up like this one. any info would be great. THANX.


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## mlepito (May 1, 2007)

Yes you can still get an xray, and if there is a fracture it will show up. If it is broken, it's a good idea to know so it can be immobilized and heal 100%. Plus, dislocations can cause intra-articular fractures, meaning in the joint itself. These may need further evaluation to make sure you don't need minor surgery.


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## Jimboborunie (Sep 2, 2008)

if your finger is or was broken they will have to rebreak it. If a tendon was torn and reattached then it is what it is.


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## mlepito (May 1, 2007)

not if there was a non-fusion or the fracture is healing without complication.


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## Jimboborunie (Sep 2, 2008)

well i disagree on the non-fusion there is a gap in there 
but ya if healing with no complications then its fine.


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## Bent Wheel (Oct 6, 2007)

the only concern I have is that the middle knuckle is still really swollen, and when I bend the finger the first knuckle ( the one closest to the fingernail) does not bend . so when I make a fist that finger sticks out. I have a Dr appointment on the 14 so maybe then i will know something. I just can't miss any work with thing. Thanks for the info guys.


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## D4ng3r (Jul 26, 2007)

imho having a working hand > missing a bit of work.


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## mlepito (May 1, 2007)

How did your Dr. appointment go? Is it broken, avulsion, or just sprained?


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## Bent Wheel (Oct 6, 2007)

Appt. was changed to the 21st, so more waiting. The knuckle is still huge and very painful and still cant bend the first knuck.But I can grip things ok. I will defintly let you know Fri. evening what the verdict is.


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## Bent Wheel (Oct 6, 2007)

No x-rays, Doc says no reason to. If it was broken and is healing ok now, dont fool with it, unless I wanted to go thru surgery. So time will tell. CHEERS!


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## mtp123 (Feb 14, 2005)

Is that what it looked like aside from being a different finger? Hurts, mine was kind of locked in place, they shot my hand up and popped it back @ the local hospital. Knock on wood, have not done that in a long time.

https://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e256/bikemike1165/25689207020001.jpg


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## Bent Wheel (Oct 6, 2007)

Yes sir, same direction too. I don't think I could have made it to the ER, so I pulled it back into place myself. I don't want to do it again, I've had enough to last me awhile.


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## fighterinsnatch (Jan 30, 2008)

skip canfield said:


> playing around on some boulders today, did a slow OTB. After collecting my thoughts for a second I looked at my hand and my ring finger is pointing 90 degrees towards my pinky. This has never happened before so it kinda tripped me out. So I grab ahold of it, close my eyes and pulled until it popped and viola back where it belongs. Now tonite its completely purple and hurts like hell. Whats the heal-up time for something like this? Anyone. :eekster:


Had the exact same thing happen to me while playing flag football. I did the exact same thing you did and after about 6 months my finger was 100%. Do not go to a doctor because they will just give you a mini finger cast.

Good luck,
Ryan


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## nurb13 (Nov 2, 2009)

so what was the total time til your finger quit hurting and had full range of motion back


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## Bent Wheel (Oct 6, 2007)

nurb13 said:


> so what was the total time til your finger quit hurting and had full range of motion back


Still hurts today, and never regained full range of motion.


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## Iceman2058 (Mar 1, 2007)

I had EXACTLY this injury a year ago or so...I splinted the finger myself for a while, went back to riding with the pinky strapped to the ring finger. Guess what? Yep, it was broken, and no, it did NOT heal properly with the DIY method. So today, the 2nd joint won't bend fully (I can get about 90 degrees out of it), but I am entirely painfree, and I have a very strong grip on the bars...so I figure to hell with it for now, I'll enjoy riding with it like this for the foreseeable future, and maybe when I'm like 75 and it still bothers me, I'll do something about it. "Fixing it" would mean surgery, basically breaking the bone again, and hoping that it would piece back together properly this time (not guaranteed).

Kids, don't DIY. Go to the doc, get some X-rays...it's worth it, it's your body...


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## ptcutch (Aug 3, 2009)

Can you hold the middle joint straight? Or does it stay bent all the time with the end joint straight? If so this is a boutinierre deformity and means you've torn the extensor hood which requires 4-6 weeks of immobilization as the first step. The other differential diagnosis if it's the middle joint that doesn't bend (flex) is volar plate avulsion injury which is a commonly missed diagnosis. Lots of stiffness and pain on the front side of the middle joint (palm side). A mid-high grade collateral ligament sprain with dislocation can take 6-8 weeks to heal. If things don't improve with motion or mobility you should see an orthopaedic specialist/hand specialist as most G.P.'s will miss a volar plate or extensor hood injury. Good luck with your recovery.


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## PissedOffCil (Oct 18, 2007)

It will take a while boy! I sprained both ankles last summer when doing trials and didn't go with any kind of ankle support or anything. It took forever to heal and the right one still feels clunky.

The only thing I could do was to rehab by training and stretching and it get better every week but it takes forever. Today my right feel still feels swollen and I'm pretty sure I have bad blood circulation in it...

In the same vein, I had a nasty road bike crash and bruised both wrists. Again I didn't do a thing about it and after 1½ year they stopped hurting but still and most probably always will crack...

I hate going to the doctor so I live with my choices...


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