Bikey Mikey

Just trying to research and be prepared for what I will need to do post-op. Yes, I'm having both surgeries done at the same time on my right hand. The trigger finger is my middle finger.

What did you experience post-op?

What type of exercises did you do with those surgeries?

How long after the surgeries were you able to get back to riding a bike?

overthehillmedi

Get a supply of plastic bags and duct tape in to wrap the bandage with in order to take a shower; make sure the doctor gives you some "Good Stuff" for pain control even if you don't think you'll need it, you got it if you do; sign up for Physio as soon as possible and do what they tell you. and buy the boss some good chocolate and flowers you'll need the brownie points for after the oper. in order to get her help to do things.

Blues Frog

Good luck on the surgery. I had C T done left and right 15 years ago. Then as soon as the Dr. cleared me I had to go to defensive tactics training at work. That was the most painful training I have ever done. Next time I will take more time off. Do the physical therapy for sure. I know it helped me. I still have the hot paraffin machine in the closet. A few coatings of that stuff and the heat was almost as good as a demerol type pain killer. It peels off and can be reused. It felt almost as good as.......... well, maybe not.

HIPCHIP

Definitely look for a sports oriented physical therapist. If you have a local college, ask their athletic trainer who they use. If you don't have an orthopedist yet, also look for a sports orthopedist. Same thing, check with the local school. Make sure you let them know that you are a cyclist and that you want to get back on the bike ASAP. Make sure you do ALL your rehab and don't wimp out, it's very important. Also, check with the ortho and see if they want you to start doing some rehab NOW before the surgery. Some strengthening may be possible now and will help you recover quicker.
You may also need to add some padding to your bars and/or gloves so that you are not squeezing down as much. Once the release surgery is done you should be OK as what is wrong now is that the ligament is too tight, but you may need to wear a brace during and after rides too to keep the problem from coming back.
Make sure you learn and do all the stretching exercises you are taught, then do some strengthening exercises, but don't over-do it or you might develop the same problem again.
You may have to try a few things, but you should find the happy medium that works out. A big thing is to make sure you stretch out your wrist and ice it after you're done.

Blues Frog

HIPCHIP was more precise. I also forgot the gloves. I use gloves to alleviate the vibrations and in cool or cold weather. Seems like I am still cold sensitive. A cold steering wheel is still a bit unpleasant in the Misery winter.

Bikey Mikey

Update: I rescheduled the Surgery for Jan 13, 2012--originally it was scheduled for Dec 30. There are going to be relatives in town the end of December/beginning of January and my daughter's birthday party will be on 7th or 8th of Jan. I would be no help or use during that time after the surgery---thus the reschedule.

HIPCHIP

Are you currently doing any stretching and icing therapy? Are you doing any light strengthening therapy? Do they have you wearing and sleeping in a wrist brace? If not, you may want to ask your doctor about doing some of this now. It may help reduce your problem now and may definitely make recovery much faster later. There should be lots of things you can start doing now, but without evaluating you all I can do is make suggestions.

Bikey Mikey

HipChip, for which, carpal tunnel, trigger? The doctor didn't suggest anything. I'm quite strong in wrist and finger strength. I probably have a firmer grip than many men my age who don't do weight training or some manual labor job that would build up grip and forearm strength. What exercises or stretches are you talking about?

Diabetics are more prone to trigger finger than non-diabetics. Carpal tunnel has been with me for many, many years in varying degrees. For quite a while, it didn't bother me at all even though I spent hours keyboarding. Keyboarding has rarely exacerbated the issue. The carpal tunnel reared it's head when I started biking back in April (vibration is often a culprit for aggravating CTS). I'm not the only one with carpal tunnel in my family--my mother had it(passed away now), and my brother and both my sisters had it(cured with surgery for my siblings--my mother never had the surgery).

To answer some earlier questions, I always wear padded gloves when biking--always did even when I was in college riding a steel roadie. As far as the grips I use on the bike, they're comfort grips on a comfort bike/hybrid--Diamondback LX. Being that type of bike, I don't really grip the bars very hard except when needed for braking or control on turns and poor road surfaces. Also, my weight isn't on my hands like it would be on a roadie.

HIPCHIP

My recommendations are more for the carpal tunnel syndrome, but it can also be transferred a little to the finger. The finger is mainly the tight tendon and connective tissue, so stretching may help to loosen up the finger a little, but I imagine the tissue is really tight, so probably a release is the only thing that will help. As for the carpal tunnel, that is a ligament that runs across the hand next to the wrist. Doing wrist and hand/finger stretches can sometimes help to loosen up the ligament a bit. Ice massage with a frozen cup of ice, can help stretch the tissue and reduce any inflammation you may have, and the wrist brace will help to keep from irritating the tendons, muscles, and ligament, so these can help. Warm/hot therapy helps to loosen the tissues and helps them to stretch (to a certain extent) and then icing helps reduce swelling and some of the impingement. Usually, heat for 20 minutes, do a series of stretches, strengthening if required, stretch again, then ice for no more than 20 minutes.

Being quite strong in the wrist and fingers my be whats causing the problem as things are too tight, but once you get the problems the strength will usually start to diminish. You also have to strengthen properly, doing a full range of motion to keep the tissues from being tight, so when you do your strengthening program (probably post surgery) you want to take it easy and do a full range of motion. That's why it's important to try and find a sport orthopedist/physical therapist. Most people just want to get back to normal, but athletes will push their bodies harder, so that has to be taken into account.

You may have to play with gloves and grips padding and hand location. You may just be pushing on irritated tissue, which would be kind of like continually rubbing a road rash, it just never gets better. Experiment with different padding, padding locations (such as a donut pad that supports the tissue on the sides of the carpal ligament but has a hole in the center so it doesn't put any pressure in the middle directly on the ligament). There's tons of different things you can try. It's easier when you have someone who knows what's going on there to say "try this" or "try that", but since you probably don't, just try different things. Find some foam and/or felt pads and get some white "Trainers" cloth tape (like is used to tape an ankle) and just experiment on your bars and/or gloves. The main thing is, if it hurts, don't do that! Hopefully you'll find a physical therapist who's also a cyclist and they can help you a bunch. Check to see if the local college has a bike race team or if the local bike club has a race team and if they have an Athletic Trainer or Physical Therapist you can bug for a cup of coffee, etc and maybe they can help you.

sam21fire

I discovered that there's been a huge improvement in the CTS release surgery over the years; I got the left done 15 years ago, 20 minute procedure, 6 weeks in a 1/2 cast, 1-1/2" scar. Got the right done 2 years ago, 8 minute procedure, 11 days w/ an ace bandage, 1/2" scar. In both cases I waited until the affected hand was almost non-functional and I could barely sleep before having the surgery (using NSA's, therapy, ice etc etc until then). I also now have double padded bars with lightly padded gloves which seems to help w/ the vibration and cold. Good luck!

Bikey Mikey

Going under the knife tomorrow morning at 07:00 EST USA, that's 7AM for those who don't know. I have to report by 05:30. Yes, that's correct--I have the surgery on Friday the 13th--glad I'm not superstitious.

Fit my last ride in for a while today. I'll likely be very antsy not being able to ride.

Bill Kapaun

Good luck!
I'd be interested in reports on your "rehab".

I went to the doc 3 weeks ago because of severe numbness in my L hand that "came on" over a period of about 3 weeks.
The doc said CT doesn't do that, but I have many of the "classic textbook" symptoms of CT.
I go back in 3 weeks for "further evaluation.
Meanwhile I have a wrist/thumb splint I'm to wear while sleeping. (doesn't seem to make any difference)

HIPCHIP

Set your bike up on the trainer now, then it's all set up and you can ride sitting straight up.

Bikey Mikey

The bike doesn't have the correct type of connector(quick release) for the hub that will fit a trainer. Plus, I'd have to purchase one and I've set what money I can use aside for a new road bike in the middle of March or early April. I'll also need a stand, a few tools, a small bag for the tools and extra tube, and I'll be wanting to get a carrier to go on the back of the car trunk to transport the bike(not going to remove the wheel and throw a $1400+ bike in a Camry trunk). Anyways, a bit late for a conversion now as my surgery is in 2 hours.

Be back to read and post as soon as I can type...or I'll just type one handed, s l o w l y.

Blues Frog

I hope things went well for you Mikey. Let us know when you feel like it. Blues Frog

Bikey Mikey

Dr. felt all went well. Some pain at the moment, but Vicoden is helping as well as elevation and ice. They did a block for the whole arm--shoulder down--and it felt like I had a dead piece of meat in the sling. The twilight anesthesia worked really well--don't remember a damn thing.

The bandage is making typing interesting. I'm already antsy to get back on the bike. I did go for a 2 mile walk today.

Blues Frog

I think the walk is good for a while. The bumps up and down would not be good for a fresh repair on one's hand. That parrafin in a tub is a good little gizmo to buy. The hot wax is at a regulated temperature and heats the hands and fingers all the way around. When the heat is gone just peel the wax off and return it to the heater. The heat was about as good as any meds I used. Ask the Dr. Good luck and God Bless.

Bikey Mikey

Later I did stair stepping (up(forwards) and down(backwards)) on the stairs(3 steps)leading from the garage to the house for 20 minutes--no problem. I'll increase it to 30 minutes tomorrow likely and then to 40 minutes. I think that will help with keeping up my endurance and cardio until I can get back on the bike in 3 or 4 weeks.

Bikey Mikey

Went to my first physical therapy today. The therapist seemed impressed by the range of movement I had post surgery. Also, no clean up was necessary. She removed the bandages and looked surprised that clean up was unnecessary. Got a demonstration of the exercise/range of motion routine I need to do 2-4 times a day 10reps each. Won't see her again until after the stitches are removed on the 25th where she'll check the progress and talk to me about what lotion to use to reduce scaring. Maybe I'll get different exercises as well(won't know until then). All I have now are bandaids for the 2 incisions and stitches and a wrist brace to wear occasionally.

overthehillmedi

Viamin E and Polysorin ointment worked for me on the incisions.

Bikey Mikey

Thanks. Obviously I have to wait for the stitches to be removed first.

Bikey Mikey

Stitches removed today. Doc was extremely pleased as I could make a complete, well, 98%, tight fist. He said it's unusual to have that much range in less than 2 weeks. The Celebrex may be aiding in that as it's a good anti-inflammatory. Unless I have some sort of complication, he doesn't expect to see me back and the therapy, which was just instructional for massaging the incision, would be my last as well. I can start using Vitamin E cream or Mederma, or Bio Oil by Saturday. They want the suture holes to fill first, but I am to massage starting now several times per day.

HIPCHIP

Congrats!

Bikey Mikey

Thanks. I can't wait for 4 weeks to be over, February 10th. He said I could get back on the bike in 3 weeks, but 4 weeks might be better so the incisions didn't hurt as much. He also said, that he doesn't see an issue with riding a road bike that soon, but I want to give it at least another 2 to 4 weeks in addition before getting the roadie--since more weight, pressure, is on the hands than when riding my comfort(supposedly a hybrid, but really a comfort) bike. Can't wait to buy the Defy 1, but don't want to longingly stare at it in the garage while waiting to ride it--so I'll pull the trigger much closer to the time I'm able to hop on that roadie.

HIPCHIP

You have to find the happy medium between waiting too long and not waiting long enough. Very hard to do. As long as the sutures have been removed (the skin is healed up and no openings are present) you can put your hand in cold water, before that, you can use a baggie with ice in it, so if you go ride and it starts to hurt, then ice it 20 minutes MAXIMUM with a baggie of ice and keep your hand dry. It will just help to reduce the swelling. No aspirin as that promotes bleeding. They probably set you up on light stretching, so do that first (pain free!!!) and then do the ice. Remember extra padding on the bars for the time being. As for the new toy, you might as well wait until you're 100% so you can hammer and not do something stupid.

Big thing, you have to remember the 90% rule. When all the swelling is gone, range of motion is back to normal, and you are pain free, you will only be at 90%, so make sure you keep up on your rehab to strengthen the tissues and get to 100%+ so you don't re-irritate the area.

You'll get there, just don't push it or back off. Find the happy medium.