Recovery from UCL Surgery of Thumb...

biondo
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biondo
Edited Date/Time 4/8/2021 8:42am
Hi all finally had surgery on my torn UCL ligament torn from crashing at Pala 🦊 5weeks ago...Thursday pain was bad! Saturday and Sunday now much better! Thanks to
Hydro Codone🤪..Dr Patel of Escondido California performed surgery...he said all went great 👍 he installed internal brace system of fiberwire and anchors ..
Anyone out there had similar surgery?
And what to expect for recovery etc. ..
Thanks y’all! Bummed i missed 2stroke races...
2
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this_is_mookie 4/5/2021 10:41am
4/5/2021 10:41am
Not a doctor, but broke my thumb twice from moto (and yet they still call it skier's thumb), both times the ligament held and the bone fractured but stayed in place.

Obviously not the SAME injury, but I bet the rehab will be close to the same. Eventually you will get a nice working splint that will allow the tip of you thumb to work while keeping the second joint immobile.

Hand and finger injuries will NOT heal on their own, they are more likely to freeze themselves in place without proper rehab, which cannot be rushed, but also must be rigorous and often enough to keep it moving and healing and strengthening.

When you can give a maximum pinch of fingers and thumb without (or with minimal) pain, you will be ready to ride. Hand strength is worth working and waiting for a sit is so critical on the bike and controls. Also, get back on advil and away from anything stronger as soon as possible.

Good luck and stay positive, you will be gripping and ripping in a few months, for sure!

Midpack

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biondo
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biondo 4/5/2021 12:41pm
4/5/2021 12:41pm
this_is_mookie wrote:
Not a doctor, but broke my thumb twice from moto (and yet they still call it skier's thumb), both times the ligament held and the bone...
Not a doctor, but broke my thumb twice from moto (and yet they still call it skier's thumb), both times the ligament held and the bone fractured but stayed in place.

Obviously not the SAME injury, but I bet the rehab will be close to the same. Eventually you will get a nice working splint that will allow the tip of you thumb to work while keeping the second joint immobile.

Hand and finger injuries will NOT heal on their own, they are more likely to freeze themselves in place without proper rehab, which cannot be rushed, but also must be rigorous and often enough to keep it moving and healing and strengthening.

When you can give a maximum pinch of fingers and thumb without (or with minimal) pain, you will be ready to ride. Hand strength is worth working and waiting for a sit is so critical on the bike and controls. Also, get back on advil and away from anything stronger as soon as possible.

Good luck and stay positive, you will be gripping and ripping in a few months, for sure!

Midpack

Thanks ! I did just take some over the counter ibuprofen that seems like it is working ok 👍 the codone knocks me out! 🤪 I’m gonna take it slow...as I’m a young 67 before getting back in the saddle 🤠
captmoto
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captmoto 4/7/2021 10:44am
4/7/2021 10:44am
biondo wrote:
Thanks ! I did just take some over the counter ibuprofen that seems like it is working ok 👍 the codone knocks me out! 🤪 I’m...
Thanks ! I did just take some over the counter ibuprofen that seems like it is working ok 👍 the codone knocks me out! 🤪 I’m gonna take it slow...as I’m a young 67 before getting back in the saddle 🤠
Try 2+2, tylenol and the Ibuprofen. My wife was told by her niece doctor and one of my ridding buddie's wife is a pharmacist says 2+2 works well.
2
Nathaniel129 4/7/2021 11:51am
4/7/2021 11:51am
Just got my cast off after 6 weeks. More of a dull ache as far as pain goes, unless I move it JUST right (wrong).
My ortho said ligament is totally healed so it's just a matter of breaking down the scar tissue and slowly building range of motion. I start 2x a week PT next week.
Just take the recovery slowly, thumbs are important!! Mine was repaired rather than reconstructed, so similar but not exactly the same as yours.
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biondo
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biondo 4/7/2021 3:28pm
4/7/2021 3:28pm
Hi Nate thanks for info ....it seems like a slow process! hoping with the Fiberwire brace tecnique my doctor used it goes
faster... supposedly i have cast on for 2 weeks then a removeable splint...for 4-6weeks...
Did not realize how important a thumb is!! Hope we get back out there Sooon!
thanks Warren














biondo
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biondo 4/7/2021 3:35pm
4/7/2021 3:35pm
biondo wrote:
Thanks ! I did just take some over the counter ibuprofen that seems like it is working ok 👍 the codone knocks me out! 🤪 I’m...
Thanks ! I did just take some over the counter ibuprofen that seems like it is working ok 👍 the codone knocks me out! 🤪 I’m gonna take it slow...as I’m a young 67 before getting back in the saddle 🤠
captmoto wrote:
Try 2+2, tylenol and the Ibuprofen. My wife was told by her niece doctor and one of my ridding buddie's wife is a pharmacist says 2+2...
Try 2+2, tylenol and the Ibuprofen. My wife was told by her niece doctor and one of my ridding buddie's wife is a pharmacist says 2+2 works well.
thanks i have been off the codone seems like what you used is doing the job!

Hoping it Heals Fast but at 67 thinking everything goes Slower!!
TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 4/7/2021 6:55pm
4/7/2021 6:55pm
On a funny or ironic note: I go to get my thumb/UCL checked tomorrow!
From a crash, at Pala...on 2/20.
Grinning
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biondo
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biondo 4/7/2021 8:05pm
4/7/2021 8:05pm
TeamGreen wrote:
On a funny or ironic note: I go to get my thumb/UCL checked tomorrow!
From a crash, at Pala...on 2/20.
Grinning
Crazy! I went down on 2/21 on double on main track...Thinking at my age I’ll stay on vet track in future...!
Hope doc says your ready for action 🤠👍
Sounds like you had surgery soon after ...
I’m on Medicare HMO took forever to get approved for surgery...
300exc
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300exc 4/7/2021 8:25pm
4/7/2021 8:25pm Edited Date/Time 4/7/2021 9:34pm
Had that exact surgery 10 years ago or so. Never had an issue since.
Good as new. Just let it heal properly
1
profeshenal125 4/7/2021 8:55pm
4/7/2021 8:55pm
My left thumb dislocates a lot. I wonder if that ligament is bad. The pain lately has been pretty bad. Truck is more work than running a jackhammer, seriously. I,m gonna say fu I quit. Tape my thumb for riding, hope it works. I googled ucL ligament, it said it’s in the elbow.
biondo
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biondo 4/7/2021 9:22pm
4/7/2021 9:22pm
profeshenal125 wrote:
My left thumb dislocates a lot. I wonder if that ligament is bad. The pain lately has been pretty bad. Truck is more work than running...
My left thumb dislocates a lot. I wonder if that ligament is bad. The pain lately has been pretty bad. Truck is more work than running a jackhammer, seriously. I,m gonna say fu I quit. Tape my thumb for riding, hope it works. I googled ucL ligament, it said it’s in the elbow.
Hi there is a UCL ligament in elbow as well as thumb...I read that baseball players Have problems as in throwing arm...I’m not a doctor but have done a lot of research on net...from what I read One should have it repaired if UCL ligament is torn completely .
I got a MRI which shows Soft tissues etc
I have a friend who didn’t have it repaired and he says it doesn’t really bother him...another fellow cyclist also same injury he said it got worse so he had it repaired but
It's more difficult to repair if you wait too long from what I’ve read...
Have it looked at by hand specialist...
Stay Safe
TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 4/8/2021 8:42am
4/8/2021 8:42am
TeamGreen wrote:
On a funny or ironic note: I go to get my thumb/UCL checked tomorrow!
From a crash, at Pala...on 2/20.
Grinning
biondo wrote:
Crazy! I went down on 2/21 on double on main track...Thinking at my age I’ll stay on vet track in future...! Hope doc says your ready...
Crazy! I went down on 2/21 on double on main track...Thinking at my age I’ll stay on vet track in future...!
Hope doc says your ready for action 🤠👍
Sounds like you had surgery soon after ...
I’m on Medicare HMO took forever to get approved for surgery...
I haven't had it looked at, yet. I had a pretty bad fall...but...seemed to have been pretty damn lucky as far as nothing Real Bad happenign to me...LOTS of ugly bruises and contusions. Since then, the right thumb had numbness and that "funny bone" feeling that AIN'T FUNNY...goin on all the time.

The Ortho-group I'm going to is the same group of peeps that put me back togehter after a -reallu bad- crash at the Baja 500 in 2011. Shasta Orthopedics...They're AMAZING

Thanks for the good wishes. I need them! Grinning
1
profeshenal125 4/8/2021 8:54am
4/8/2021 8:54am
Ok thx, I had the 2 incision elbow surgery on 1-11. Pinky and next finger threw the hand into my wrist is always numb. 2.5 hrs working on my funny bone nerve. He said you hv the most active nerve, he ever saw. My arm I guess was twitching non stop. I had a infection on 1 incision, lucky to hv my arm. Be careful you don’t get the incision infected. I,m trying to wake up, was up over a day. Usually get up around 4am, earlier my time if I,m in So Cal. Best of Luck healing up.
1
motox505
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motox505 12/28/2021 7:52am
12/28/2021 7:52am
Nathaniel129 wrote:
Just got my cast off after 6 weeks. More of a dull ache as far as pain goes, unless I move it JUST right (wrong). My...
Just got my cast off after 6 weeks. More of a dull ache as far as pain goes, unless I move it JUST right (wrong).
My ortho said ligament is totally healed so it's just a matter of breaking down the scar tissue and slowly building range of motion. I start 2x a week PT next week.
Just take the recovery slowly, thumbs are important!! Mine was repaired rather than reconstructed, so similar but not exactly the same as yours.
Nathaniel, how did your PT go after the 6 weeks? How long until you were back on a bike? How is it now?

I had my repair done 2 weeks ago, stitches come out today. I'm curious how things progressed. I can't believe how annoying this injury is and how easily it happened (washed out in a corner and just caught it weird on the bike). I can't believe I haven't done it before after 30 years behind handlebars on mx, mtb and bmx - seemed like it popped so easily! Unreal. Anyways, let me know!
Nathaniel129 12/28/2021 9:17am
12/28/2021 9:17am
Mine has been a nightmare. Probably because workers comp took so long to approve each step, and due to the mishandling of the treatment from the start.
I am still off work, and waiting for a "Functional Capacity Test" next month. Last measurements weren't good; pinch strength on my good thumb/forefinger was 31, on the bad side it's a 5. I have most of my range of motion back, but hardly any strength at all.
I had a total of 12 PT sessions post-op but hit a plateu after the first 6.
I'm sure yours will be a much better experience because of how quickly it was repaired.
I am currently looking for a good attorney to start the lawsuit process after I get the final word on the Functional Capacity Test.
TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 12/28/2021 9:21am
12/28/2021 9:21am
Nathaniel129 wrote:
Mine has been a nightmare. Probably because workers comp took so long to approve each step, and due to the mishandling of the treatment from the...
Mine has been a nightmare. Probably because workers comp took so long to approve each step, and due to the mishandling of the treatment from the start.
I am still off work, and waiting for a "Functional Capacity Test" next month. Last measurements weren't good; pinch strength on my good thumb/forefinger was 31, on the bad side it's a 5. I have most of my range of motion back, but hardly any strength at all.
I had a total of 12 PT sessions post-op but hit a plateu after the first 6.
I'm sure yours will be a much better experience because of how quickly it was repaired.
I am currently looking for a good attorney to start the lawsuit process after I get the final word on the Functional Capacity Test.
Have they checked for scar tissue?
Nathaniel129 12/28/2021 9:26am
12/28/2021 9:26am Edited Date/Time 12/28/2021 9:27am
TeamGreen wrote:
Have they checked for scar tissue?
Workers comp won't approve another MRI. That's why I'm in the position I'm in. It took them ELEVEN months after the injury to approve surgery. 8 months after the MRI showed the tear.
My ortho thinks it was the compounding of the scar tissue pre and post surgery. Hence the lawsuit.
The words "new normal" were used at my last ortho appointment. Not what anyone wants to hear.
TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 12/28/2021 9:31am
12/28/2021 9:31am
TeamGreen wrote:
Have they checked for scar tissue?
Nathaniel129 wrote:
Workers comp won't approve another MRI. That's why I'm in the position I'm in. It took them ELEVEN months after the injury to approve surgery. 8...
Workers comp won't approve another MRI. That's why I'm in the position I'm in. It took them ELEVEN months after the injury to approve surgery. 8 months after the MRI showed the tear.
My ortho thinks it was the compounding of the scar tissue pre and post surgery. Hence the lawsuit.
The words "new normal" were used at my last ortho appointment. Not what anyone wants to hear.
Having been thru a quite a few of these pain-in-the-ass injuries...

I'd get the work done -no matter what- and take care of all the legal shit separate from fixing this. If money's an issue, try to work something out with your ortho.

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biondo
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biondo 12/28/2021 9:37am
12/28/2021 9:37am
Nathaniel129 wrote:
Just got my cast off after 6 weeks. More of a dull ache as far as pain goes, unless I move it JUST right (wrong). My...
Just got my cast off after 6 weeks. More of a dull ache as far as pain goes, unless I move it JUST right (wrong).
My ortho said ligament is totally healed so it's just a matter of breaking down the scar tissue and slowly building range of motion. I start 2x a week PT next week.
Just take the recovery slowly, thumbs are important!! Mine was repaired rather than reconstructed, so similar but not exactly the same as yours.
motox505 wrote:
Nathaniel, how did your PT go after the 6 weeks? How long until you were back on a bike? How is it now? I had my...
Nathaniel, how did your PT go after the 6 weeks? How long until you were back on a bike? How is it now?

I had my repair done 2 weeks ago, stitches come out today. I'm curious how things progressed. I can't believe how annoying this injury is and how easily it happened (washed out in a corner and just caught it weird on the bike). I can't believe I haven't done it before after 30 years behind handlebars on mx, mtb and bmx - seemed like it popped so easily! Unreal. Anyways, let me know!
Hi guys I had ucl thumb surgery April 1 ...didn't make a double at Pala fox mx ...I'd send photo but got new phone..Dr Patel at Palomar health in Escondido performed surgery...have gotten most of my strength back and movement but still have some pain if I do too much and still have lump where he did internal arthrex brace but guess that's something I'll have to live with 😪 since I'm 68 years old it should last 😊 I wear the thumb brace on track now ...seems to help with the pain associated with gripping throttle..but overall it has been not bad could have been much worse!! And I only went to one pt session...I watched YouTube videos on thumb exercises and luckily we have 3 PT's in our church...I started doing flexing and stretching ASAP...
Think it helped recovery time... Hope you have a Fast recovery! Ciao Warren
1
Nathaniel129 12/28/2021 9:41am
12/28/2021 9:41am
TeamGreen wrote:
Having been thru a quite a few of these pain-in-the-ass injuries... I'd get the work done -no matter what- and take care of all the legal...
Having been thru a quite a few of these pain-in-the-ass injuries...

I'd get the work done -no matter what- and take care of all the legal shit separate from fixing this. If money's an issue, try to work something out with your ortho.
Oh I hear you man, trust me. That's the plan after the FCT. Ortho said the same thing. My ortho is awesome, it's EVERYONE else involved that sucks. Actually the post-op PT itself was good too.
Anyway, yes I've tried to ride. It didn't go well. Thumb fatigued super fast and just wasn't safe to keep riding.
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motox505
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motox505 12/28/2021 11:19am
12/28/2021 11:19am
Yeah my surgery was 25 days after injury. Doc said he cleaned out some scar tissue, said the repair was clean, no other issues with the MCP, the ligament was rolled up towards the top of my finger, he stitched it back on and pinned it. It is now 12 days post op and I'm pretty stiff but with the pin out I can feel it loosening up already. I am starting PT at 4 weeks post op, but he said to start working on range of motion now in week 3/4. My doc does the Phillies and Eagles players at Rothman, he's optimistic but as he said I'm still in the first quarter and a lot of game time left before we know the outcome. Thumb injuries are no joke though, damn.

Justin Barcia in 2016 and Cooper Webb in 2017 both tore their UCL and were back riding in 8-10 weeks after a quick repair, although being 40 isn't helping my heal time, I'm going to stay optimistic that I'll be able to get it strong and moving again if I keep doing the right things.

Thanks for the follow up replies, I'll post back after I get some PT going.

Chris
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