I have already consulted a physician about the injury in question, and this is not a solicitation of medical advice. Rather, I am looking for anecdotes about recovery times from people with similar injuries.
Back in early May, I sprained my right pinky. I stumbled on the steps and grabbed the handrail - poorly. My weight forced my pinky against my hand. I left it alone for a day or two, and the pain, swelling, and stiffness mostly subsided - I applied pressure and received no sharp pains in response, so I determined that it was not likely broken.
Nevertheless, it weighed on my mind and I visited my G.P., and he checked it out, no X-ray, and concluded it was likely a sprain as well.
My problem is this - I still have a little residual stiffness in the finger. The joint that is second from the end still looks slightly larger than the comparable joint on the other pinky. I can pop the joint on the left one, but can no longer pop the joint on the right one, because it’s painful to press it down far enough. Also, whereas the left pinky’s middle joint will allow me to bend it slightly backwards, the right will no longer do that.
I’m wondering if people have seen residual stiffness from sprains three months out from the injury.
I tore a tendon in my pinky 2 years ago - I still have occasional pain. The swelling lasted a year.
If the finger hurts these days I just tape it up and get on with things.
Sweet merciful Og, so did I. Twice, even. It wasn’t until the second double-take, while I was actually in the process of clicking on the thread, that I noticed I had misread it. Apparently I’m sharing brainwaves with you, Markxxx, and Gatopescado. :eek:
The following is NOT medical advice. I’m not a doctor. I don’t even play one on TV.
My orthopedic surgeon (I get hurt a lot so we’re on a first name basis) is a big believer in stretching injuries out after the initial healing process. I.e., he tells me not to stretch things out the first few weeks after I’ve torn/broken/sprained/ripped/mutilated some part of my body. But there comes a time when my body has done the healing, but there is still pain. So I stretch out the injured part of my body…VERY slowly and gently, but to the point of pain. This is done a few times a day, for maybe 3 to 5 reps. It takes a few weeks, sometimes months, but the pain eventually goes away. The most recent example was when I dislocated my left thumb last Christmas. It hurt a LOT a month later…but I stretched it out and used it hard in the weight room, and six months later it’s as if it never happened. My two shoulder injuries? From YEARS and YEARS ago? STILL hurt, until I remember not to be lazy and stretch them out. They may hurt the rest of my life, but stretching them reduces the pain.
This was a personal anecdote and was in no way intended to be read by anyone.
