Broken Pinky Finger - Post Surgery Stiffness

[imq]

I had surgery done on my broken pinky finger on January 1, 2008, which I broke while playing football, and I was in the cast for 6 weeks after that. After the cast came out, the doctor told me to go to therapy for 6 weeks/ 2 times a week to get rid of the stiffness in the finger. Now it is May 5th, 2008 and I have 2 more weeks of therapy left but still the finger is a little stiff. I can bend it but not fully and in terms of going back up it doesn't move at all.

The therapist has told me that doctor's could do another surgery to loosen up the tendons but I will wait to ask a doctor until my therapy is done.

The questions that I had is:

1) What are the chances that I can still gain full momentum in my pinky finger?
2) If I am not able to get the stiffness out, can anyone tell about the surgery the therapist was talking about?

Greatly appreciate your help.

Thanks

[Colnago_Rider]

When are they pulling the pins...
Its good that you have 25% at PIP. How much assisted range you have at DIP?

[jupiterpolice]

pulling the pins on the 29th!!  i have mininmal range of movement at the dip , 5-10 percent at best! do u think that has alot to do with the pins! therapist says still very swollen ,very stiff ,! the pip is getting a little better! you can see the difference if i dont stretch on my own for a few hours how it stiffens right up!, i refuse to do another surgery if i cannot get full movement at dip! guess time will tell after pins come out

[jupiterpolice]

pins are out ! what a great feeling!! i can honestly say ,you really dont feel it when he pulls the out,although later in the afternoon ,finger did swell up like a balloon!! i have limited movement at the dip (but i can move it) and some pretty decent movement at the pip! therapy starts monday so guess ill see how well she gets it movin! time will tell!!

[bcirrin]

I broke my middle finger in three places had a titanium plate put in only to find out I was allergic to titanium in 2007.  I had three surgeries on one little finger and would never do it again.  My middle finger is still immobile, scar tissue set in.  I was constantly at the PT with no results.  I give up.  I have to face it that I have a deformed middle finger that doesn't bend.  

[Colnago_Rider]

My second surgery is in two weeks. No capsillectomy, just tenolysis - from pinky tip to inch down into the palm. If tendons arent freed from that, then he goes into the wrist.

PT starts the following day, which should be a lotta laughs.

This better work, cause there won't be a third try.

[steve890]

i hope someone can help me with this.  On Jan 25th i broke the shaft of my fifth metacarpal. i saw a doctor who advised me to have surgery in order to assure the return of a proper range of motion for my pinky finger. i went for the surgery on Feb. 1st, a week after the injury. ( i was splinted up for that time). screws were placed in my metacarpal to hold it together.  following surgery i was not placed in a split becasue my doctor felt that since the screws are holding the bone together that i should take advantage of this and return as soon as possible to using my hand in order to avoid accumulating scar tissue, etc. its been 2 weeks since my operation and my surgical scar is healing up. the stitches have dissolved.  but i cannot bend my pinky at the joint. its not an issue of pain, it just stops and springs back up.  i can bend the tip and the middle joint of my pinky. just not the one attached to the knuckle joint.  its my dominant hand that is broken. im a career musician and artist. i cannot play guitar and cannot paint and hence cannot work/tour. im really scared that its going to remain locked like this and ill never go back to those things again. my doctor has not been helpful at all. during my post o visit he asked how many days it had been since the operation. then proceeded to tell me i have bad scar tissue built up and thats why i cannot move it.  he proceeded to bend my fingers forward without any kind of prep. to me knowing. it hurt like hell and i thought my finger was going to break again. i thought it was pretty shady of him to do this without at least x raying the hand first to see how things were holding up.  all he did was write me a persciption for loratab and percocets informing me that i was going to need them. when asking why he said because its going to hurt. i understand that. but he didnt even show me what to do to break up the scar tissue. he got up and left unceremoniously after 5 minutes of face time with me.
i went home not knowing what to do to break the scar tissue up and called their office back to get some more answers.  i then got referred to a OT who i will be seeing on tuesday and was told i may or may not get motion back. that its up to me.  the doctor had promised if i went through surgery i would get range of motion back. now this.... looking at my hand now, there are NO discernable knuckles on my fourth and fifth metacarpal. its just eerily flat and deformed looking.  my hand is hard around the scar. i have no feeling (numb) on the inside bottom  half of my pinky and the inside bottom half of my ring finger.  none in the dip between the knuckles.  has anyone had this experience before?  can anyone offer me any hope or advice?  im really terrified at the thought of not playing music or painting again.  i feel completely alone in this and have not been given ANY sort of indication of prognosis from my doctor. please help!