Finger Surgery w/ Hardware

[Lee F. Stewart]

Hey Coach!
Have seen some other scenarios on the boards here about broken hand bones and thought I would submit my own for posterity.
SS is partly to blame for this injury. I was throwing children in a pool by basically overhead pressing them up into the air.
The strength I have developed via getting to a > body weight press overwhelmed the middle finger's capacity. (no children were harmed).

Pre-Op and post Op picture attached. The good Dr. here in NZ put some metal in me. This happened about 12 weeks ago now. I've just recently PR'd my 5RM squat but have been instructed there will be no pulling until the break has healed all the way.

Just curious for your take on an injury like this one. Is the strength lifting advice to stay off from loading it until it is all the way healed? As in no chins or DLs? Or after 12 weeks is it typically about time to start loading it again?
(of course I am not looking for medical advice here...just your experience with such things).

Pre-Op.jpg
Post-Op1.jpg
Post-Op2.jpg

[Mark Rippetoe]

This is some very delicate surgery. I would stress the repair after a few weeks, very carefully. It will heal faster if it is loaded -- it will not heal if it is disrupted.

[Mark E. Hurling]

I've just recently PR'd my 5RM squat but have been instructed there will be no pulling until the break has healed all the way.

You're lucky your doc was this generous in just restricting you from pulling. I just had surgery for trigger finger last month, which is way less serious than your own injury and surgery. The doc who worked on me said NO HEAVY LIFTING! for a couple of weeks. As in none at all. I figgered some presses and curls along with some other stuff wouldn't hurt, since the positioning of the bar in the hand wouldn't stress the incision or the nick he put in the sheath around the affected tendon. As it happened, my training schedule didn't have me doing deadlifts during roughly the time frame he restricted me. When I did deadlift again, no problem with the finger or the incision.

Good luck with your own situation.

[Dr. Manhattan]

Lee,
My experience is below. Ignore it or read if you have interest.

I have very similar repair to my 5th metacarpal. Doc kept me in a cast for 4 weeks with finger bent into 90 degree angle; surprisingly this position made for less stress at the break and positive/motionless set. When cast came off, he advised to lift at will; no restrictions and offered to remove hardware if uncomfortable and I've not had it removed (for 2+ years). Slightly less flexibility but given it's pinky finger, I don't care. Given the cast, positions of fingers sticking out, and summer in TX (excessive perspiration), I stayed away from the iron while in cast. Immediately upon cast removal, I lifted (all lifts) without issue.

[Lee F. Stewart]

MEH - I used my charm and best negotiating tactics to get my physio to agree to allow me to back squat, press, and bench. I reasoned that the bar was mainly on my back or low in the hand and therefore not stressing the area of the break. She agreed and off I went to LP my squat again. It was about 2 months since squatting (was on holiday when the break happened) and resulted in some of the worst DOMs I've experienced. Off topic, I know, but I had been training consistently for about 3 years...so DOMs?! What are those!?

Dr. M- Cheers mate. 4 weeks in a cast sounds horrible. Per Rip's point it would seem counter intuitive to immobilize the injury. I found the point Rip made on the podcast about rib injuries particularly interesting. The little buggars have no choice but to heal since there is no immobilizing them.