my hands are closing in a fist

gigio · 11-13-2009, 11:25 AM

Since my accident I certainly had lots of improvements in my body, more trunk control, more range of motion, more muscle strengh, etc.etc...however my hands are getting worst.
At the beginning my fingers were always straight and my thonb was out, and with some wrist movement, i could perform a lot of things, and holding and picking....now, my thomb it is always curved inside and the fingers are closing in a fist.
I'm using splints in the night and gloves in the day, but it does not improve and i'm getting really worry, as my hands are becoming unusable.
Is anybody have suggestion of what i can do?
Someone mention to do surgery, or botox...any suggestions?

Alick · 11-13-2009, 11:52 AM

Sounds like you've got some serious problems with your thong, if it's curving inside you might need a break from it - try boxers. Also, personally, I don't like to see thongs out, especially not on a man.

As for your hands, I have weakness in my hands, but have retained some movement so my fingers are still quite straight. However, if you have no movement in them at all you may have to accept that this is inevitable, I know some guys who can use their hands efficiently with no movement.

Sorry, I couldn't be of more help.

SCI-Nurse · 11-13-2009, 01:20 PM

Thong? Thumb?

Are you working with an OT who is an expert on hand therapy? Some contractures can be corrected with splinting and exercise and range of motion, but if the contractures are fixed and ossified, it may require surgery. If so, that should only be done by a hand orthopedic specialist who really has a lot of SCI experience. You risk ending up with a cosmetically nice hand that has little or no functional use.

(KLD)

Liz321 · 11-13-2009, 01:28 PM

If you're a c6 as your profile suggests that's what our fingers do, they curl.

You may want to get an OT eval if you are no longer functioning at the same level.

gigio · 11-13-2009, 01:31 PM

THUMB....Sorry

jorge m. · 11-13-2009, 01:48 PM

gigio....
I'm new to the forum but also am a a c4-5 incomplete 1year and half post injury my fingers close in a fist when I over strain to reach. My ot told me to stretch my 4 fingers flat through out the day.

gigio · 11-14-2009, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCI-Nurse

Thong? Thumb?

Are you working with an OT who is an expert on hand therapy? Some contractures can be corrected with splinting and exercise and range of motion, but if the contractures are fixed and ossified, it may require surgery. If so, that should only be done by a hand orthopedic specialist who really has a lot of SCI experience. You risk ending up with a cosmetically nice hand that has little or no functional use.

(KLD)

what about Botox?

SCI-Nurse · 11-14-2009, 11:43 AM

Botox can help with excessive spasm, but as Rybread stated, you also risk loosing any motor function you have, including tenodesis. Botox also will do nothing for any actual contractures you have already developed, esp. if they are ossified.

(KLD)

gigio · 11-14-2009, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCI-Nurse

Botox can help with excessive spasm, but as Rybread stated, you also risk loosing any motor function you have, including tenodesis. Botox also will do nothing for any actual contractures you have already developed, esp. if they are ossified.

(KLD)

nothing is ossified yet...it is all muscular contraction.
with spasm all my hand is open nicely.

so you suggest me just to see an OT specialist?

Jim · 11-14-2009, 01:08 PM

Ask your OT about electric stim for your hands, works well for me.

11-13-2009, 11:25 AM	#1
gigio Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Westchester County, N.Y. Posts: 88	my hands are closing in a fist Since my accident I certainly had lots of improvements in my body, more trunk control, more range of motion, more muscle strengh, etc.etc...however my hands are getting worst. At the beginning my fingers were always straight and my thonb was out, and with some wrist movement, i could perform a lot of things, and holding and picking....now, my thomb it is always curved inside and the fingers are closing in a fist. I'm using splints in the night and gloves in the day, but it does not improve and i'm getting really worry, as my hands are becoming unusable. Is anybody have suggestion of what i can do? Someone mention to do surgery, or botox...any suggestions? __________________ ----------------------------------------- My new life started about five years ago. C4-5 incomplete Last edited by gigio; 11-13-2009 at 01:32 PM.

11-13-2009, 11:52 AM	#2
Alick Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: England Posts: 97	Sounds like you've got some serious problems with your thong, if it's curving inside you might need a break from it - try boxers. Also, personally, I don't like to see thongs out, especially not on a man. As for your hands, I have weakness in my hands, but have retained some movement so my fingers are still quite straight. However, if you have no movement in them at all you may have to accept that this is inevitable, I know some guys who can use their hands efficiently with no movement. Sorry, I couldn't be of more help. Last edited by Alick; 11-13-2009 at 11:59 AM.

11-13-2009, 01:20 PM	#3
SCI-Nurse Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: USA Posts: 41,304	Thong? Thumb? Are you working with an OT who is an expert on hand therapy? Some contractures can be corrected with splinting and exercise and range of motion, but if the contractures are fixed and ossified, it may require surgery. If so, that should only be done by a hand orthopedic specialist who really has a lot of SCI experience. You risk ending up with a cosmetically nice hand that has little or no functional use. (KLD) Last edited by SCI-Nurse; 11-13-2009 at 01:25 PM.

11-13-2009, 01:28 PM	#4
Liz321 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: NY Posts: 5,582	If you're a c6 as your profile suggests that's what our fingers do, they curl. You may want to get an OT eval if you are no longer functioning at the same level. __________________ Get involved in politics as if your life depended on it, because it does. -- Justin Dart I shall not tolerate ignorance or hate speech on this site.

11-13-2009, 01:31 PM	#5
gigio Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Westchester County, N.Y. Posts: 88	THUMB....Sorry __________________ ----------------------------------------- My new life started about five years ago. C4-5 incomplete

11-13-2009, 01:48 PM	#6
jorge m. Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: dallas,tx Posts: 76	gigio.... I'm new to the forum but also am a a c4-5 incomplete 1year and half post injury my fingers close in a fist when I over strain to reach. My ot told me to stretch my 4 fingers flat through out the day.

11-14-2009, 11:43 AM	#8
SCI-Nurse Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: USA Posts: 41,304	Botox can help with excessive spasm, but as Rybread stated, you also risk loosing any motor function you have, including tenodesis. Botox also will do nothing for any actual contractures you have already developed, esp. if they are ossified. (KLD)

11-14-2009, 01:08 PM	#10
Jim Administrator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NJ Shore Posts: 7,183	Ask your OT about electric stim for your hands, works well for me. __________________ . . . . SCINetUSA Clinical Trial Support Squad Member Please join me and donate a dollar a day at JustADollarPlease.org and copy and paste this message to the bottom of your signature. You can also support the SCINetUSA clinical trials by buying or helping to sell bracelets from SCIBracelets.com Raise money for SCINetUSA just by searching the Internet with http://www.goodsearch.com/ or shopping online with http://www.GoodShop.com (R.U. Foundation, Piscataway NJ)

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