Hand Surgery – Dupuytren’s Contracture

[Loraine]

@JeffM.22 Hey Jeff. Any hand surgery can be challenging in recovery. I just had wrist and hand surgery beginning of October, and a 2nd right around thanksgiving. I was just given permission to try to play a little bit, but take it very slow and not push it. But it’s painful and I understand it completely. I’ve lost the strength in my fore arm, hand and my fingers. The pain stops me from pressing as firmly as I need to for barre chords, and just some normal open chords, i’m finding some open chords even to be painful or uncomfortable, such as a G chord.

Anytime you have a surgery on your wrist, your hands or pretty much anywhere on your body, you’re bound to have arthritis after it. I already had some in my thumb. It was bothersome, but not debilitating. I’m now dealing with the increased pain from Arthritis in my knuckles, in my fingers now too. I also had nerve issues with the breaks and dislocations, and the surgery having to move the nerves in order to repair the brakes, dislocations, and put plates in And I also had what’s called PTSD Carpal Tunnel from the force of my fall, causing blood to fill the nerve shaft, so I had to have Carpal Tunnel surgery. They’re not sure I’ll get complete relief from the numbness. I’ve gotten most of it back in my fingertips, but the thumb and the Palm. And specifically around the thumb and base of the hand as well as the underside of the wrist where the surgery occurred still remains numb, and it’s actually painful now, because the nerves are coming back to life. They don’t like to be moved or traumatized in any way. It takes a long time for them to settle back down. Right now, they are coming back alive, and it’s very, very uncomfortable. I wear a compression glove and I can’t stand anything rubbing against my hand or my wrist, because the nerves are so on fire. I’m praying that means that the nerves are coming back to life and will settle down.

Sounds as if your surgery just recently happened, so I would just caution you to be patient with the recovery process. I think playing the guitar will be your best defense to the Arthritis becoming unbearable. I think that movement and building the strength in your handds that comes with playing the guitar is your best therapy. My surgeon said that because I played the guitar and because of my motivation to get back to playing it have benefitted my recovrry. Yhe surgeon said its been faster and smoother than most of his patients. Just be patient with yourself and takeit slow. Just take your playing down a notch , and take it slowly, and trust it will all come together, and you will get back to playing in due time. I’m fairly certain of that, if you do your therapy, build your strength back up and your forearms, and your hand and fingers and just stay consistent, you’ll do okay.

I highly encourage you to look into purchasing compression gloves. They’re fingerless love sputtered, adds compression to your hand and the fingers.

And they might actually help you get back to playing a little bit faster. . There are also prescriptions at your general practitioner or surgeon. could write for you that would assist with some of the discomfort that you’re feeling.

Good luck with it all.

[JeffM.22]

Thanks, @Loraine . I am also having some numbness which is supposed to subside in a few months. The therapist said guitar is very good for the recovery. All in all, I am confident that I will overcome the issues.

[jumpinjeff]

Hi @JeffM.22 , I have not had this surgery but I did want to wish you speedy recovery and fast progress. There is video out there that showing how your fingers, wrist, arm move on a skeletal muscular model that I found super helpful in my recovery from other joint repair surgery. It is made by David Galvez. I found it on YouTube.

[JeffM.22]

Thanks @jumpinjeff I will check that out.