Friday night getting into the van, hand round the A pillar, driver slams the door 🙁 Not his fault, I should't have put my fingers in harms way! Anyway rode two more rocky days in the Lakes (last one on a fat bike) and it didn't hurt too much but was clearly wonky.
So X-ray this morning and th bone is broken at top knuckle. Tendon fine. Currently in single finger splint. Nurse reckons 6-8 week to heal. Seeing Orthopaedic doc tomorrow to see if they want to do anything else (as the bone is kind of hanging off to the side so it might not graft
Can't see how to hold a bar with a finger splint but willing to experiment. Really don't want to not ride for 6 weeks esp this time of year. I have a feeling the answer is '6 weeks, suck it up' but....
Oh no. I did that once when I had a shoulder injury. Never Again. I'll go running instead. Assuming my knee gets better. It's great this getting older/falling to bits thing 🙁
lol they will keep you fit...
Quite like the humour
that means I'd have to find my road bike. Lent it to someone a while back. Can't quite remember who!
My wife broke the top of her left index finger in August 2015.
Luckily we live near one of the top NHS specialist hand units in the country.
Three (at least?) operations. Numerous complications. Stray bits of stitching and wire left in. Very close call with full blown sepsis.
The finger is still broken. It only hurts if she catches it on something. But she doesn't have full use of that arm/hand anyway due to her existing disability, so how often is that likely to happen? 🙄
👿
HTH
I broke my thumb once (caught in shifter as I went over the bars), turns out opposable thumbs are actually quite useful things to have 🙁
healed up eventually, but took it's time, and still doesn't quite work like it used to...
and still doesn't quite work like it used to...
Both thumbs now.... and one finger tip that doesn't bend all the way.
Do the physio!
Not quite the positive reaction I was hoping for 😉 I guess i got lucky as apart from it pointing down (as bone is broken) and being a bit painful if I knocked the knuckle, it didn't hurt much. I'm now thinking when they reset it and it heals it might be a bit less flexible.
On the downside it's my drinking hand, on the upside it\s not my braking finger!
not being the braking finger is a positive as the vibration is a killer!
I broke my finger about 18 months ago. It's mostly fine now, apart from sticking out at a funny angle, but does stiffen up in the cold or on long days on the bike and hurts a bit. Good job it's only the little finger on my left hand.
I didn't go to the hospital til a doctor friend saw it and told me I should, during which time I did some jobs I knew I wouldn't be able to do with a splint, e.g. drilling with a hammer drill to put some shelves up. I road to and from the hospital (mainly one-handed) and continued to commute. It encouraged me to fix my commuter's front brake properly.
I advise you rest it as much as possible and do everything the doctor says.
Do as I say, not as I do.
your [b]SO[/b] selfish, what about your [i]poor[/i] bikes in this...someone needs to ride them otherwise they'll be obsolete by the time you get back
dibs on the fattie 😆
I broke mine.
I also boke my arm by bending an old plate in there to fix a previous break, and ripped out a load of the screws. The finger was the least of my worries.
I was more angry about the finger though, as until that point I had a prefect record of only breaking the same (left radius) three times!
Blimey it's like victim support in here!
@TNW - if I can drive, I can work. I can drive with the splint on so hopefully no worse than that. I only ever used the first two fingers for typing anyway.. also means I can be excused from any washing up 🙂
@v - good of you to be thinking of the bikes. Picked the perfect time to fit some new forks to the Stache. I reckon if I'm riding anything it's going to be the fattie - nice and slow..
@tinas - nasty, very nasty!
I'll see what the leech-man says. I might just not ask the bike question. In case I don't like the answer...
Oh and I think there might be a DH uplift pass going in the classifieds after tomorrow. June 4th at Antur? I think that's probably somewhere on the line between optimistic and deluded.
I (probably) broke my little finger when I fell off my road bike going round a bend on ice. The finger got bashed between the handlebar and road. It was quite painful, swelled up, and went purple and black but as it wasn't sticking in the wrong direction I just let nature take its course. It's slightly misshapen and won't straighten properly, but otherwise fine.
sounds similar in terms of a crush injury. Problem is mine is now about the same shape as a t5 a pillar 😉 One of my kids has described the current splint as 'like a dog cone of shame'. It's starting to feel like that!
like a dog cone of shame
reported to mods to get this added next to your name 😆 😆 😆
A badge of dishonour 🙁
My cricket bust finger never healed and hangs off sideways, in a permanent tea drinking pose.
I have bust several others (goalkeeper / wicketkeeper) and they all fixed OK, so you might be lucky 😉
I broke the tip of my left little finger in a crash a couple of years ago. Basically the bone fractured where the tendon joins at the top. After the crash i couldn't straighten the finger and it turned a nice shade of purple. I ignored it for a few days, but it didn't improve, I think a session in the swimming pool actually made it worse.... An x-ray showed the damage and I had to wear a splint to keep it straight for about 6 weeks. The worst bit was straightening it to put it in the splint.
I did ride my bike a bit with the splint on, but found it a bit painful as my little finger couldn't grip the bar and was unsupported so bounced about a bit. A couple of years later and it is fine, with full movement.
I'd imagine a single finger splint will heal in ~6 weeks.
I can testify to complete hand casts being more messy! Cast was too tight, lost all movement in all fingers, not just the two broken metacarpals. Ended up staying at Odstock Road specialist unit every Mon-Fri for 5 weeks, they did an amazing job! Two and a half months off in total, but I did have other issues as well after my RTA.
Bloody hell, I'm opening this thread with some trepidation now! Some horror stories in here.
I've taken the 6 weeks thing and tried to ignore any other possibilities. I quite like the splint I have now, it reminds me of Jason from Friday 13th Franchise...
Currently in week 6 of having a fractured/cracked finger, where the tendon attaches. Not riding is killing me! Hoping the OT says I can move to a night time only splint when I go see them tomorrow.
I have two broken fingers in my right (dominant) hand and one of them has two fixed screws.
It took lots of self physio time to get them to a point where I could wrap round grips but they are awkward to use on the best sections of trails (read: DHs).
Screws if you have any are uncomfortable in hot or cold weather I find.
It's a sodding pita as before I could lift heavy timber and bike downhill without discomfort and lack of strength.
It really is frustrating and I often lift things which I shouldn't.
All the best with your finger 🙂
Oh and chicks dig scars and dare I say bionic fingers 😛 😯
Dont start talking about metal work! Maybe I'll hack the whole thing off and run with 3!
Bust some fancy bone attached to my little finger back in December 2011, slipped on a wet root, landed in a puddle and when I got up my hand felt crunchy. The break healed fine but they couldn't do anything about the soft tissue damage to the neighbouring finger (2nd finger right hand). They just used a finger splint to keep the little finger immobile alongside that one, but by the time I went back in the 2nd finger was pretty much locked solid. Still can't bend that properly, can't make a fist and have no grip strength in that hand. And wet roots really mess with my head.
Oh, I forgot to add, MrsMC has been told that the only thing they can do if she gets fed up of the pain when she knocks it to cut it off.
HTH
That was an option with my pinky, but I've adapted sufficiently to manage to avoid it.
It just looks 'gommy' (my kids' words, not mine)
Broke 3rd & 4th finger on right hand in a crash in Finale at the EWS final on day 1. Taped them, slit glove and taped fingers over the new DuoFinger™ and then taped one of those Vileda microsponge things on over my grip. Raced day 2, came home a week later, went to hospital and they were starting to heal.
You'll be fine. Sponge thing on the grip, fingers taped together, couple of nurofen before the next ride - sorted.
Broke my middle finger by ramming it into floor when knocked off my bike 10 years ago.
3 operations and 10 years later and it still doesn't bend more than 20 degrees at the knuckle and hurts after each ride (and you don't want to see the finger positions I have to use to get certain chords on guitar)
Think mine was an unlucky break though...
Broke the tip of my thumb playing football of all things, was put in splint for 6 weeks.
A bit of physio & I was good to go after 8 weeks.
The worse part was I broke it 8 days after getting my S-works 🙁 so each night when I came home it was sat there in the garage laughing at me. Also when the splint came off the muscle wastage meant I couldn't operate the shifter 🙁 thought I might have to go gripshift instead.
Take it easy & come back to biking when it is mended properly, if not you'll be having trouble with it for years.
Hit a bridge (don't ask) went over handlebars, broke ring finger top joint and my pride.
Healed reasonably quickly, but finger doesn't bend properly anymore.
As Mikewsmith says, DO THE PHYSIO!
Friend had taken his boy in after falling and hurting his arm. Nurse noticed my friend had a rather wonky finger (caught in horse bit a month earlier) after sorting his boy out. Berated him for not sorting it sooner, told his boy daddy was brave too, as she re-broke his finger and he had to stifle a whimper. About a month later he was teaching tree climbing again.
Not broken. But dislocated all my fingers in a snowboarding incident. Had to drive to the hospital which was interesting. Snapped back in place and bandaged up and a day off work for a long weekend and back to work Monday. 🙂
In my experience with broken digits if a clean break, two weeks of cast/splint then a couple more weeks strapped to next digit, they like to get stuff moving as quickly as possible these days.
It does vary from depending on doctor, one doctor was worried about the angle of a finger whereas another not bothered due to the battered and scarred look of the rest of my fingers/hand.
well it's been an interesting insight into your medical histories 😉
I'm seeing finger-quack at 1135. It did amuse me a bit when the nurse said 'the x-rays go straight across' but we need to fax your notes. I didn't even know there were two working fax machines left in the UK!
I guess it'll depend on the broken bit of bone that's been moved off to the side by the impact of the door. Hopefully it's close enough to knit back without major complications.
If I miss a few weeks riding to get it as right as possible, that'd be good outcome. I just can't see my patience lasting that long! Especially as it's sunny out there 🙁
Oh and if I can I'll take some pics of the x-ray. It's macabre but fascinating looking at broken bits of your own body!
I've hesitated to post as by break wasn't the finger, but the bit that joins the finger to the wrist. It's been just over six weeks now since I crashed in the Arenberg forest and broke this, and I've been back on the bike for a couple of weeks. Initially it was too much to do anything, but I was ok on the turbo after 2 weeks.
[img] 
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Lots of almonds...
What have you done you numpty! 😆
I take it you'll not be going to antur?
Nick - slammed it in a door 🙁 I can ride apparently but I think Antur might be too much. Going to rebook for my birthday Aug 16th if you fancy it again...
Some pics...
Original X-ray
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7406/27182738856_00616a3d19_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7406/27182738856_00616a3d19_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/Hq3Dej ]Wonky finger[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
New splint, 1.2mm gap. No op required 🙂
[url= https://c5.staticflickr.com/8/7639/26941352660_d316e4ebc4_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://c5.staticflickr.com/8/7639/26941352660_d316e4ebc4_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/H3Htwm ]Wonky finger[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
Consultant thought he'd need to wire it. 12 weeks min off the bike and loads of possible complications. New splint and the gap went down to 'knitting distance'. Always going to be lumpy, increased chance of arthritis and grip strength may not come back 100% but depends on how it heals/physio
Massive splint now for min 8 weeks. Back to hospital in four for another x-ray. But I CAN RIDE 🙂 But not crash. Might leave it a week or so then a gentle pootle. The op sounded bad, I think I JUST dodged a bullet there.
palmer77 what bone did you break? broke the scaphoid in my wrist 3 weeks ago still in a cast for another 5
I posted a picture above from DropBox but not sure if it can be seen in phones etc... Apparently its the metacarpal for the middle finger. Fortunately on my left hand, following a crash onto the pave!
I'll stick the date in my diary. Heal soon!!
The Jason mask for the finger is great.
I'm thinking horror finger bobs toys for kids - dragon's den here I come.
No - one has mentioned the cold - it'll hurt in winter - at least my thumb(crash on ice -Garburn Pass) and my little finger(cricket ball dislocation) DO!!
For riding I would tape it to it's neighboring digit.
I slammed my finger in a car door about 6 weeks ago. I'm pretty sure it was broken but didn't get it checked out. I've only now got full movement back in it and it only hurts slightly if i'm gripping tightly with that finger.
Ever since I did it though I've had a lump on top of my finger which has now turned red and spot like. I think it must be a fragment of bone working itself out of my finger.
In hindsight, I probably should have got it checked out at the time.
one has mentioned the cold - it'll hurt in winter
Yeah well it can join my aching knee and general creaking and cracking of other joints!
For riding I would tape it to it's neighboring digit.
Interesting. I might try that, thought it would stick out too much but will do a test later to see if that's better than it just pointing like I'm trying to be posh drinking tea
In hindsight, I probably should have got it checked out at the time.
I was pretty sure it was broken as it was pointing down. If I could have convinced myself otherwise I'd have left it as it didn't really hurt. But my wife is more sensible than me!
Like a few on here, I came off a bike and bashed my small finger, felt it painful but carried on riding/living for a while before heading to the doctor.
Eventually got it pinned but I've lost the use of a knuckle due to it being completely smashed.
I was riding with the pin in it.
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Well that's put me right off my breakfast!
So - I won't bore you with the history - but I broke two fingers, one in my late teens and one in my early 20's. Annoyingly on different hands. I am in my mid 40's now and here is the thing - the circulation is screwed in both fingers. They get really cold quickly and become useless.
So the point here - is come the winter - get good gloves! Carry spare gloves - and keep extra gloves in the 'glove' box of your car.
Years ago I went to A&E to check out my left ring-finger after coming off my bike. Doctor said, "It's broken along the same place as it did before." "Before?" says I. Might explain why the tip off that finger points backwards now if I try and hold the finger straight (aches in the cold too, senor j!).
I've done other fingers too: both pinkies, other ring-finger, right middle, right thumb twice and left thumb once. Been lucky that all healed quickly with no lasting complications.
So it seems even with a broken finger your still 5 seconds faster than me down dowies - i thought you were supposed to be taking it easy 😆
*walks off, throws bike in canal*
🙂 Sorry about that Mark. I'm not sure that riding 3 times in 4 days was quite what the fracture doc meant when he said I could ride my MTB. I'm slightly nervous about the vibration stopping the joint knitting but not concerned enough not to ride while conditions are great.
In a mildly tangential point, I'm not pushing it at all as I don't want to crash. However, it seems I'm at least as quick as I normally am when chasing my faster riding buddies. So I assume there's something about smooth then fast rather than fast then smooth.
I've taped the fingers together... it's not ideal as one of them has a massive plastic sleeve on it, but better than leaving it 'in the wild',
[url= https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7350/27201476281_ecab02f7c3_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7350/27201476281_ecab02f7c3_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/HrGFdn ]CHUBFINGER[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
Strangely, descending is okay, steep climbing is harder as I can't grip the bar with 2 out of 4 fingers on my right hand.
Oh and those same mates have convinced me to go to Antur. I'm taking the bike but also my big D-SLR and some strict instructions from my far-more-sensible-than-me partner not to ride the black!
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😀
Definitely. I call that finger 'Jason' 🙂
You didn't take much convincing
🙂 It's still a bloody stupid idea. I'm already thinking of the lies I'll be telling the finger-quack if the next x-ray in three weeks doesn't show a finger with just the one bone in it...
Update for anyone vaguely interested. A whistle stop tour of the fracture clinic saw me dispatched with 'chubfinger evo'. A far smaller splint I only have to wear at night for the next month then I am SPLINT FREE 🙂 Finger not droopy which is good. Consultant - lovely fella - reckons it should give me 95%+ movement if I start the physio straight away.
I decided not to proffer any information re: 9 runs at Antur or crashing on it at the weekend. He didn't x-ray it again but since it seems to work and point in the right direction without dropping, I'm fine with that!