Skier's thumb a story of woe...

[Jisch]

A month or so ago I was skiing in the woods behind my house. Really the trees are too close for skiing, and the day I was skiing there was a nasty crust under 6" of powder. Yes I'm lining up the excuses for why I fell. I was headed down a hill, had my turns planned out when one of my skis sunk into the crust and decided going straight into a tree was a better idea than that turn I had planned. I honestly am not sure what happened exactly, my recollection was that I punched the tree with the meat of my thumb, but I am not 100% sure.

What is sure is I injured my thumb. It swelled up and got black and blue close to my hand, but that quickly went away - maybe two or three days at most. It really doesn't hurt most of the time. My pinch strength (if that's what you call it) is pretty similar between my two hands. The issue is I can't shift my bike with that thumb, in fact I have a hard time keeping my thumb wrapped around the bars at all. I did a bunch of reading last night and it seems like "skier's thumb" but by my diagnosis it is relatively minor as some of the symptoms I read are way beyond anything I have.

As I'm almost certain its a strain and not a rupture, the treatment seems to be immobilization for 6-8 weeks. So here's where I get to the stupid part - what happens if I don't immobilize it? Will it just take longer to return to normal or am I putting the opposible thumb thing at risk by not doing what I should. Since this seems to be one of the major advantages we have as humans I am loath to give it up. By the same token I will go crazy if I can't get out and ride my bike, it is my heroin, I am addicted and I admit that. I can ride 1x9 and move my seat height actuator over to the other side and still ride while I "rest"

John

 

[TC]

It sounds like you fractured your thumb. 6-8 Weeks is about right. I had never broken a bone. I fell off a ladder, into the ladder and jamed my thumb in to the ladder. I continued to work (Landscape work) and then went to get it checked out (after all thats why I pay all that medical). It was fractured. 4 weeks in a thumb spiker and two weeks thumb rehab. It's not that bad, but for a wile you know that you screwed up.

 

[Geoff]

Jeez. I've had a number of sprained thumbs from skiing over the years. I got my most recent one the last Saturday in March last year going over the handlebars on Flume at Killington. I couldn't use my normal hand position on my mountain bike until June. I couldn't open a peanut butter jar all summer. I'd still notice it once in a while after 6 months.

I'm not a doctor. I don't play one on TV. I haven't stayed in a Holiday Inn Express. It's already been a month. For a minor sprain, just get on with your life and don't do things that cause you pain. I'm sure you'll find a hand position that works on your bike and find a way to operate the shifter and brake. It will gradually get better.

 

[Swamp Dog]

- what happens if I don't immobilize it? Will it just take longer to return to normal

well, I don't know what will happen to you, but I'm going on 3 months now and still have reduced mobility and strength. I was hit and left for dead right after Christmas. Sprained left thumb and still don't know what's going on with my right shoulder. I am "too stupid" to remain immobilized and was back on the snow a week later.

I have re-tweaked the thumb at least 3 times, luckily later in the day since it is always a day-ender. My bruises in the hand lingered for weeks, colors I've never seen before, a truly ugly thing. Dr. was pretty sure it was just a sprain, nothing ruptured or torn.

I wish I knew how to immobilize it and still get a glove or mitten on. That's part of why I posted on your thread. I'm hoping someone will help us both out. And the shoulder? Finally getting an MRI this week. Even with a fractured humerus, it shouldn't hurt this much by now.

Good luck, I hope you get to ride your bike!

 

[kingdom-tele]

you immobilize it to allow the ligament that has been overstretched to heal in a better position, ligaments do not have the elasticity of tendons and require a controlled enviorment(bracing) to hopefully develop scarring in the right place and minimize the long term instability.

you certainly can get by without splinting it, but your long term thumb stability would benefit from the splint

that being said, with the instant black and blue/edema it was at least a grade two tear and the ligament is likely worth very little at this point

 

[Jisch]

Thanks for the responses - just to be clear my thumb swelled up over a day or so, but didn't turn black and blue for a day or two - and then was only discolored for a few days. No technicolor type deal - I just re-read my description above and its misleading.

John

 

[riverc0il]

You can see my thread on Who Needs Ligaments for my recent run in with a thumb impact while skiing. Doc thought it was skiers thumb when I went to the ER (which I gather is a torn ligament) but the orthopedic guy I visited seemed to thin a stretch only. I have been in a splint for three weeks. I am 50% in a splint for one more week. Then back to the orthopedic for a green light.

My opinion is this isn't worth screwing around with. Get it checked out. Long term sacrifices are not worth short term trying to deal with it.

 

[kingdom-tele]

ligaments are ligaments, whether in your ankle, back, or thumb, they all get treated the same way, some are just easier to control motion and protect. the recipe for recovery is the same, make sure you regain all strength in all planes of motion before dropping the splint with skiing/mt biking

but go ski and ride