Author Topic: Bizarre injury has me out for awhile  (Read 5019 times)

obxDave

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Bizarre injury has me out for awhile
« on: August 12, 2020, 01:17:10 AM »
The doc calls it a finger avulsion (also called jersey finger or rugby finger). Happened on the day I was practicing those behind the back wing pass tacks. Basically missed a front hand regrab and didn’t let go quite fast enough with the other hand before doing the damage. At the time I didn’t think much of it at all. Heck, I smash, jamb, twist my hands/fingers all the time doing water play and constructiony stuff. Even kept riding for another hour, even though it was a bit sore.

A week later and the finger doesn’t seem to be improving much so the wife “strongly suggests” I get it checked (where would we be without our far more prudent better halves!). Doc looks at it for 5 seconds and says, “oh yeah that sucker’s deviated”,..... and so began my discovery of finger avulsion. Hopefully not a full ligament rupture requiring surgery (seeing a specialist next week), but there’s a small chunk of bone where it shouldn’t be (hurts like bitch if you push it the wrong way) and I’m out for at least month if not more.

I don’t think this was a boom specific injury. Figure it could’ve happened with handles just as easily. Maybe the lesson is “when in doubt let go” but my releases and regrabs happen pretty fast either way working on this move. I figure I held on for about a 1-2 seconds too long. Plenty of time to do the damage.    I was really having fun practicing the move and even found an ok attempt buried in the footage on the same day I did the damage. Oh well, crap happens........

https://youtu.be/9Qm8k7S9gwU
« Last Edit: August 12, 2020, 02:15:24 AM by obxDave »

Admin

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Re: Bizarre injury has me out for awhile
« Reply #1 on: August 12, 2020, 01:26:18 AM »
Ahhh!  That sucks, Dave.  Well, at least you live in a beautiful area for downtime that will still have great conditions when you have recovered. 

Wetstuff

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Re: Bizarre injury has me out for awhile
« Reply #2 on: August 12, 2020, 05:24:54 AM »
Dave, At least you did it 'having fun'.  It's the falls off a ladder cleaning gutters that really pisses you off.  Let's hope the hand-guy doesn't need the work.

Jim
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AGK

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Re: Bizarre injury has me out for awhile
« Reply #3 on: August 12, 2020, 06:22:48 AM »
What a bummer!!  At least you haven't missed much wind so far.  I wondered when you didn't show yesterday for the first foilable wind we've had in over a week.  I'll miss watching you glide through those 360s while I'm falling in on most of my jibes. 

Phils

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Re: Bizarre injury has me out for awhile
« Reply #4 on: August 12, 2020, 06:44:00 AM »
Sorry about your injury and I hope it heals quickly.  Your story highlights an aspect of winging that is different than other foiling activities and that is the higher potential for hand injuries.  Besides all the abrasions we are getting, I have had hyper-extension injuries to my thumb from the leading edge hitting it.  I am learning to keep my fingers closed or at least flexed as much as possible with transferring the wing around and also to let go quickly when things go wrong.

flkiter

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Re: Bizarre injury has me out for awhile
« Reply #5 on: August 12, 2020, 07:03:47 AM »
Make sure it heals properly. I've done a few of those Jersey sprains growing up. Ended up putting a bunch of tears in the tendon sheeth causing benign tumors to grow on it. Eventually I had to get the joint pinned and lost the first joint in my middle finger. That's a worse case scenario and takes years to happen with several reccuring injury (handle passes on kite) so when in doubt, let it go.

VB_Foil

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Re: Bizarre injury has me out for awhile
« Reply #6 on: August 12, 2020, 07:24:25 AM »
Bummer!  I'm in a similar scenario with some nagging index finger pain.  Mainly between the knuckle joint.  I think I tweaked mine flying the big 6M in light winds and used my finger to steer the wing through a tack or something.  Now if I put lateral pressure on it, it feels like a knife is being stabbed between my fingers.  I wonder if that is similar to yours.

I've started taping my first two fingers together during normal daytime activities to avoid aggravating it and have yet to get back on the water.  Hopefully the taping the fingers will allow me to ride pain free and not make it worse. 
I’m a 5’9” 65kg rider:

Boards:
   4' 27L Armstrong FG Wing/Surf
   4’5” 34L Armstrong FG Wing/Surf
   4'11" 60L Armstrong Wing/Sup
  
  

Foils: Armstrong HA525, HS625, HA725, HA925, HS1050, HA1125, HS1250, HA1325
Wings: BRM 2M & 3M, FreeWing Nitro 4M, OR 5M & 7M Glide

PonoBill

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Re: Bizarre injury has me out for awhile
« Reply #7 on: August 12, 2020, 09:48:02 AM »
Well, this may well be a thing.

I injured the little finger on my left hand while winging a few months ago and it's still bothering me. Not consistently, but every so often it just hurts and doesn't want to bend. I try to never close my fingers around the boom and handles for exactly this reason--injuries, arthritic changes, and fatigue result from gripping too hard. One more reason that I think floppy handles suck.

I've broken quite a few of my fingers and toes--mostly windsurfing, but some from racing motorcycles, so it's a bit of a challenge to separate old from new injuries, but I don't think I did anything to that particular finger previously. Most of my fingers and toes point in odd directions. That particular finger is surprisingly straight.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

obxDave

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Re: Bizarre injury has me out for awhile
« Reply #8 on: August 12, 2020, 09:52:24 AM »
You guys got me thinking if there might be something out there that might slightly reduce the risk of hand/finger injury. I’ve always hated wearing gloves (and booties), but I’d certainly consider something that wasn’t too bulky. Thinking of something related to gymnastic high bar grips that might help (?). I was always expecting to potentially develop some carpel tunnel systems, never a finger injury..

Anyway there’s no way I’m hanging onto a wing anytime soon. I definitely get the “let it heal properly” advice.

Have to chuckle; when I first heard “jersey finger” I had derogatory thoughts about the fine”Garden State” north of us, only to find out it was referring to those open mesh jersey’s football players would practice in that are great at trapping fingers during tackles :P
« Last Edit: August 12, 2020, 10:00:29 AM by obxDave »

PonoBill

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Re: Bizarre injury has me out for awhile
« Reply #9 on: August 12, 2020, 10:04:42 AM »
In my experience gloves make the issue worse--certainly true in windsurfing. You need to grip the bar tighter with gloves and they slip easily. In the early days of windsurfing the boom wrap was fairly thick, and screwed up my hands. I stripped it off and sailed with just the residue on the booms for grip--much mo' bettah. I've seen people wrap their SUP shafts with boom grip or use EVA covered handles--ugh. I think all of that is counter-productive. A non-slip grip is good--a squishy one just means you need to grip tighter.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

VB_Foil

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Re: Bizarre injury has me out for awhile
« Reply #10 on: August 12, 2020, 12:53:35 PM »
So here's my hopeful solution to my issue.  Funny you mentioned a low profile glove Dave! 

Finger Tape Alternative Compression Gloves Pair, Injury Jam Protection Splint & Grip Support for BJJ & Sports

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C7MCH4B/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_4EenFbAECGAC7

I just ordered a pair and I think this will help my trigger fingers current vulnerability.  Apparently these are used in BJJ to prevent and help heal jammed fingers. 

I’m a 5’9” 65kg rider:

Boards:
   4' 27L Armstrong FG Wing/Surf
   4’5” 34L Armstrong FG Wing/Surf
   4'11" 60L Armstrong Wing/Sup
  
  

Foils: Armstrong HA525, HS625, HA725, HA925, HS1050, HA1125, HS1250, HA1325
Wings: BRM 2M & 3M, FreeWing Nitro 4M, OR 5M & 7M Glide

Lazz

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Re: Bizarre injury has me out for awhile
« Reply #11 on: August 12, 2020, 01:12:07 PM »
Have a good recovery Dave.

Maybe one or the other old windsurfer guy will remember the yellow fingerless gloves from the 80s 90s. Craig Masonville from HighTech Maui and many other windsurf cracks have always worn them. I think they were called Triump gloves or so and  were made in Indiana if I remember correctly. Made from some cheap textile fabric with a yellow rubber like coating. In any case, these were the best gloves ever for windsurfing even with a sandy boom. They had a great grip and always protected my hands and fingers from calluses and any wear and tear for a long time.I wish they still exist.

surfcowboy

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Re: Bizarre injury has me out for awhile
« Reply #12 on: August 12, 2020, 07:38:41 PM »
man, sorry to hear that. Thanks for the heads up. Sounds like you may have helped some folks on here.

My last surf session I had sunscreen on my paddle and it drove me nuts.

Oh, and when I hear “Sandy Boom gave me the Jersey Finger” it reminds me of a weekend in Vegas one time.

obxDave

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Re: Bizarre injury has me out for awhile
« Reply #13 on: August 13, 2020, 12:02:58 AM »
Thanks for all the comments and input. Amazing how one little damaged knuckle can shut things down. On the bright side it’s the right hand (I’m a lefty), and of course a very minor first world problem in the grand scheme of things. Can’t grip things normally but I can put on a splint to still do my harbor swim and  bike ride for cardio. It’ll give Andy, Ross and Billy time to shoot past me on skills!

I’m sure everyone here has their list of joint injuries from sports. Mine include an arthritic left ankle from soccer and competitive skiing injuries in high school, low back surgery at age 27 after a severe disc rupture from more skiing (partial permanent muscle atrophy in left leg; had to stop running and switch to bike and swimming), some carpel tunnel from windsurfing in my twenties, plenty of accumulated meniscus tears in both knees after 19 years of kiteboard jumping (no more foot straps for me...). A few broken ribs thrown in for good measure. At least no pins and screws to set off metal detectors!

styleito

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Re: Bizarre injury has me out for awhile
« Reply #14 on: August 13, 2020, 08:51:20 AM »
It’ll give Andy, Ross and Billy time to shoot past me on skills!

Unless you think that you'll be down for a very, long time, I think that you'll still be well past us.
Anyway, we'll miss you in the mean time.

BTW, do you think you could still kitefoil?
When I broke my finger a couple of years ago, I was able to kite with my finger splinted.

 


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