United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

i am wondering if anyone has a problem with stiffness in their fingers. no matter how much i excercise my pinky and ring fingers, they seem to be getting really stiff. i feel like a primpy little old woman. my pinkie sticks up in the air when i try to do anything. i can still bend it, but it seems like it is getting tighter and tighter. i am constantly stretching it and making and opening fists, doing water excercises, everything i can think of. but it seems to not help much any more.

any suggestions on how to help the stiffness would be very much appreciated.

Sure enough,
I squeeze a SMALL rubber ball it built stretch in my erbs hand over time and stretching it Big Time, After a long day grasping a semi steering wheel thaw my hand would cramp up in a ball ice on the wrist help that.
About Water Exercise
I am big on water exercise its Great to do for stretching There is something about being WEIGHT less When I was little I would float and stay motion less as I could it helps the Fire in the shoulder SOME pain to, I learn to snorkel which you float at the same time. So by floating it help the pain. Weight less as you Can in snorkeling you do ware a Air vest and sometimes you see FISH . A BLAST Enough I got into scuba diving because That is the most Weight Less Appearance and Astronauts train in water, By the way sometimes I saw White tip Sharks in Freeport , Bahamas. Scarer yet , saw them on Night dives to , Pain I hope Not Never got bit in 600 dives still got all Parts Some people dont like the water to much and a Pool and floating helps
Ok, I am Huge into People with BPI issues getting to Scuba Dive or snorkeling
Google search Weightless and the affect on body of Astronauts
PADI.COM if interested in learning diving, you learn In a Pool first
Padi.com - Look at the requirements for master diver thats how far I got
Snorkeling trip.com- just as good
Sorry that was a Water THing . Best thing for pain is to be focus and distracted other than a limitation by doing anything You Can. Extreme would be more focus on diving a Semi in traffic around Chicago> No time to think about Pain ( Ouch) I was in Bouncing in truck real hard on a ERBS arm and hand ITHINK I think its Amazing , MAybe there is something about Distraction and PAIN?????
Just ,

Tom

I thought I should add this here
I just read ( thebrain) Thanks for reminding me about ATTItude It goes along way to try or not to try and being foucus distact pain I THINK . I was a biker with my birth erbs,sure enough and some one wants to ride agian/ Attuide goes alongway agnist despare.

the brain, thanks
Tom

Joyce,
I have used rubber balls of different softness ever since my hand has started to contract into a tight squeeze...lots of pain there when it's tight...I "cruise" the toy depts everywhere because if I loose one I don't go back to find it..I just replace it. I have color coded my balls to match my clothes...lol. My 1 Luxury....
HUGGZ,
Carolyn J
LOBPI/73+

To Caroln J,
You and Nancy started me posting Years Ago
The rubber ball was Awesome!!!!! I am glad you did to, I guess it was a standard back ????
Easter Seals taught me it and a Life long by being in water, this was so Right on for my life time SO FAR cents at birth 1 Mile Swim Merit badge Boy scouts That was a great place to learn to adapt one hand, Good scout master , I Guess you end up , Like back from the future living back then, No help no problem ,I read you What challenges with no help To
I know when i was little I Love my Stuff animal Because Its was-Great to fall into a stuff animal before you hit the floor My mom is Way Gone ? When we live back in the dark ages Living with it Kid the doctors told me lLIVE WITH IT , It Really makes me mad What Direction by doctors to day- the lack of it and Hate to use Younger, For lack of better word? Why do doctor give NO direction leave a Bpi injury in GO sEEK Mode:shock: There no Awareness in some Doctor to a Point. There is Doctor that Move you a Long and others even Today push you of a cliff with time Issues. If yo run into a doctor that says I cant help you tell them you need a UPBI Specialize , Amputation BREAKS MY HEART!!!!! It come to that Point of DE-SPIRE< We came from NO help, No Treatment NO nothing TO doctor not giving help and direction to see the right one in Time, There was nothing back then and very little still:evil: Today it still a Puzzle to find a RIGHT doctor to help in our time or doctors not sending Bpi injury Today, that Just NUTS
Hughes Back I can only guess your first jobs ,One Hand
Tom

well, i got my flexability back in my fingers. i think i found the culprit causing the stiffness. i went to the YMCA yesterday to do water excercises. (havent been there for about a week or so.) the water was cold and my hand and arm started to feel crampy so i got out and wrapped my hand/arm in a warm towel. up until about 2 weeks ago, there was a hot tub i could get into and warm my hand/arm up rather quickly. well, the hot tub is now broken down and will not be fixed for a long time. i think getting my hand/arm cold without being able to get it warmed up fast enough is causing me some problems. there is another YMCA in town, but it is about 5 miles away. the one i live across the street from is the one with cold water. the one across town has warmer water but no hot tub.

does this sound logical to any one? or have i went off the deep end and dont know how to swim?

Tom, i might start calling you Mr Fish. lol. i am one of those people you talk about who dont like to be in water over my head. i am extremely claustrophobic. i panic when my head goes under water. but i love to do water excercises. but i have learned to float with a noodle recently. that is about as good as it gets for me and swimming. lol