Broken Wrist

[Guest guest]

Elaine,

Did you have any physical therapy on your hand while your wrist

healed? Since you seem to describe the finger numbness, and fingers

going to the left, I am wondering if this is a nerve problem. Fingers

in CMT will bend and curl inward, sort of like in a fist. If your

fingers are just numb but straight, go back to the surgeon who set the

cast - perhaps there is some nerve entrapment. Ask first see if some

PT (like with putty or a small ball or other props, maybe movement in

warm water) could help.

I haven't had this happen to me, but I see our PTs working diligently

on many hand/finger problems.

Just some thoughts.

Gretchen

[Guest guest]

Hi Elaine,

I just got my hand out of my cast after 5 weeks. It is a shocking

experience. My right side of my left hand is fine, because I was able to move

the thumb index and middle finger, but the ring and little finger were kind of

trapped in the plaster. The ability to move my wrist is much reduced, the

fingers very tight.

I strongly suggest physio on your hand. First, the fingers and carpel bones

need to be stretched out and moved. Next, with specific exercises you can get

the full movement back and the fingers will go back into place.

I got my cast off Wednesday and Friday morning had about an hour of hand work

from my physio - just stretching and movement. It was very sore at times, but

my hand and fingers started to move normally.

Before getting any surgery I would ask for this first.

All the best,

Donna from London

[Guest guest]

Thank you Gretchen and Donna for responding. Sorry its taken so long for me to

get back, but had tons of computer problems, but now all is well with that.

Since I posted, I had an MRI done. Results showed, nerve damage, carpal

tunnel, tendentious, and a cyst. What else could I have wrong with it lol. At

the end of January I go back to the University of Michigan Hospital for

consultation with a doctor there and learn the results and what he suggests.

The cast that I had was straight and did not pinch or bind. My fingers just

lean to the left and 3 fingers in the beginning were totally numb and now the

other two are going numb along with the palm of my hand.

Well keep you updated as soon as I see the Dr.

Elaine in Michigan

[Guest guest]

Hi Elaine,

I'd be interested in hearing more about your wrist and planned surgery. 2 years

ago I broke my scaphoid in a car accident and had surgery at University of

Michigan with Dr. Zvi Margaliot and was followed by Dr. Haase. I had

wonderful OT at UM - Dominos Farms clinics. I had some significant

complications b/c I have hypermobility/lax joints, and that was not accounted

for during the initial surgery, so I had a subsequent surgery at Mayo clinic.

in Michigan

[Guest guest]

Hi Elaine in Michigan,

Good luck. Stretching and gentle exercise like a stress ball may reactivate

things - keep us posted on what the doc says.

Donna from London

[Guest guest]

,

Your response to my wrist blew me away. Back in January 04 I severed my right

thumb at the wrist. I was transferred by my local hospital to U of M hospital.

Dr. Margaliot was the doctor who reattached my thumb. At the time he said he did

not know if the reattachment would take and wanted my permission to use a big

toe if after I got into surgery and he found out it could not be

reattached. I said no way, I have enough problems with my feet as it was.

He said OK but wanted me to know that because of the extent of the damage to my

thumb what might be.

Thanks to him I still have it and it works wonderfully. Because U of M was a

distance for me to travel 3 days a week for OT we made arrangements for me to

have OT at Garden City hospital which was 10 minutes from my home. So credit

goes to Rita who was my therapist also. Because of those two people I have

almost normal use of my thumb. It's just little more than an inch shorter now,

but no one would know unless the two thumbs are side by side.

Circulation causes me some problems in the winter due to the cold weather. And

the cold weather causes my thumb to turn red or purple.

Dr. Margaliot is no longer at U of M. He is in Toronto Canada. His wife is

from there and wanted to be closer to her family after their daughter was born.

On his last day there I got to meet Dr Haase. Dr. Haase is the one I am

seeing on my wrist. One reason he wanted the MRI on the left wrist is because

he had a patient who also has CMT and there were problems due to the surgery

and he wanted to know just exactly what is going on inside the wrist to

avoid any complications. I wonder if that was you. I bet it is. Now what are

the odds on this one?

Well keep you posted.

Elaine in Michigan

[Guest guest]

Elaine,

I have also had wrist problems. Not only carpal tunnel, but also ulnar nerve

compression at the wrist and elbow, and thumb weakness and freezing from

arthritis. I had surgery to correct all these problems. The doc said my ulnar

nerves at the elbow were the diameter of a pencil, probably due to CMT, that was

causing the compression. Before the surgery I could not hold a dish in my

hands. Now I can lift a turkey platter! Also I have much fewer problems wiht

the computer and my hands are stronger!

I hope you have the same success I have had with the surgery. Recommend you have

one at a time because you need at least one hand to function!

Keep the faith!

Penny

[Guest guest]

Also, Elaine, are you originally from Albany NY?

[Guest guest]

Donna,

I tap my fingers, squeeze a ball and stretch the fingers, and

nothing helps.

Elaine in Michigan

[Guest guest]

Hi Elaine,

For me I have to do exercise in conjunction with stretching.

I get stretching done to me by a stretch therapist. If you can find someone

who is trained in myofascial release and active isolated stretching and

neuromuscular therapy and soft tissue massage (sounds like a long list - but

this is usually a sports therapist who works with peak athletes and maybe UM

has someone on staff) have them stretch out and release your hand for you.

I get this done for my feet (my god it hurts) up to my hips and abs and it

really helps my mobility (if you can stomach the pain). My therapist also

did my forearm and hand post elbow surgery and it helped to feel better. I

am now out of splints for my elbow and want to get my forearm done again.

I found once out of the splint I got numb again (they moved my ulnar nerve

aside while they fixed my elbow so I suspect it is still recovering and not

used to full movement). But with more exercises this is going away.

The problem that CMT gives us is that the muscles atrophy and then can't

benefit from exercise as they are too tight. A stretch sure does help my

muscles feel good and I feel like I can actually take benefit now from the

exercises.

Donna