Broken Metacarpal 5 Neck

Disturbed

Member
Well…a couple of weeks ago I got really angry and punched a wall very hard which broke the neck part of my Metacarpal 5 on my right hand (the Metacarpal below the pinky).
I saw a surgeon and now have this long screw in my whole Metacarpal 5 which looks very straight now looking at the updated X-ray.

I can do all pulling workouts…just with dumbbell press my right pinky will not close down all the way correctly and actually sticks up…I am hoping this is from the swelling and inflammation ( the surgery was done only a week ago.
I think my Metacarpal is now deformed and will never grip correctly again…I can do curls with a barbell perfectly…but preacher curls with a curl bar my right pinky does not grip all the way like it should however this thankfully does not effect my strength.

I am ONLY worried I will never be able to use dumbbells for chest press ever again.

Is there some kind of wrap that can help hold the dumbbell in my right hand better where my pinky is supposed to be able to grip?

So far I have not tried anything over 45 pounds it is light but feels awkward on my right broken hand…yes I can handle the weight easily but I am worried that once I start doing 80 to 100 pound dumbbell chest presses again my right hand’s pinky will not make a complete fist and still be slightly mutated and the dumbbell will just fall off the side of my hand.

I am way too early the Doctor has me scheduled for the Rehabilitation clinic in a few days to help start the recovering. I’ll start off going there 3 times a week and according to my Doctor…in about 2 Months with therapy my hand should be very close to 100% healed.
I am finding that so hard to believe because behind my pinky it is so stiff and very painful when I make a fist…and even making a fist my pinky sits higher than it should therefore it will not wrap around a barbell or dumbbell completely like it should for chest presses…I have zero problems when it comes to using a barbell, curl bar (odd grip on right hand but does not effect strength) , and even a dumbbell for CURLING…and for all pulling exercises like one arm dumbbell rows zero problems thank God…again my only problem is PRESSING movements and mainly the dumbbell…I can deal with my awkward grip on barbell chest/shoulder presses…the palm makes up for the grip and rolling my thumb back helps a little as well but it is not necessary.

…back workouts I will have no problems…but I may be saying goodbye to dumbbells for chest presses…and will stick with the barbell and the smith machine for chest.

It feels like the end of the World but I have made some huge chest gains using only the smith machine for a few Months before.

…the Doctor keeps on insisting that the reason I cannot move my finger correctly is again…I just had surgery…my hand is still broken even though I had surgery…the X-ray has my hand looking like it belongs to Wolverine with that long bolt all the way in my Metacarpal 5 bone…it needs at least 4 to 6 weeks to heal and at least a minimum of 2 Months at the Rehabilitation Clinic…I need to slow down.

…trust me…even if my hand heals with a deformed Misaligned Metacarpal 5 bone I will find a way to keep lifting I’ll just have to modify the dumbbell chest presses. I am so amazed I am having zero issues working out back and even deadlifts (I use a shrug bar for deadlifts) I love it better than the barbell.

…oh my question…anyone know of a nice strap to aid in keeping my pinky on the dumbbell tighter? I have not tried anything heavy…still broken but I am guessing that once the break heals and if I end up with a misaligned metacarpal 5 once I go much heavier the dumbbell may be hard to keep in my hand (I could be wrong).

Thanks in advance. 😎

…hey at least an awesome excuse to start hitting my skinny legs much more often now. :)>
 

Disturbed

Member
I found these…. https://www.versagripps.com …the PRO model I noticed several reviews saying these help with pulling workouts as well…seems maybe doable. 🤔

…or maybe I just need to relax and see how the long therapy at the clinic works out.

I never realized just how important the pinky is. It may be the smallest finger…but it is the true hero. Pinky…I salute you and will never hurt you again. 🫡
 

Demigod

Moderator
I say let it heal bro...it won't set you back enough to worry about if you ease up for a bit. I'd bet that once it heals it'll be good as new. Even if it didn't there are 100s of movements you can utilize to work around it. I got a friend who was born with a disfigured hand. Missing the pinky and ring finger and the other two are joined together. Thumb is normal...but this dude is huge. I'm sure I don't have to tell you to stop punching walls...lol. I got mad at the ex wife once and threw a washer and dryer out in the yard. After I calmed down they were alot harder to carry back in the house.
 

Disturbed

Member
I say let it heal bro...it won't set you back enough to worry about if you ease up for a bit. I'd bet that once it heals it'll be good as new. Even if it didn't there are 100s of movements you can utilize to work around it. I got a friend who was born with a disfigured hand. Missing the pinky and ring finger and the other two are joined together. Thumb is normal...but this dude is huge. I'm sure I don't have to tell you to stop punching walls...lol. I got mad at the ex wife once and threw a washer and dryer out in the yard. After I calmed down they were alot harder to carry back in the house.
Thanks for the reassurance…actually those blue “fat grip” things help out immensely when doing pressing lifts like with a barbell and even a dumbbell.

I talked with my rehabilitation doc yesterday and she says that it looks like the hand surgeon is going to have to go back in and do another operation…my movement on my pinky metacarpal is way too low which will cause problems in the future.
If he turns down the surgery there are numerous hand surgeons in my area I can get a second opinion on…if not like you mentioned…I will adapt from utilizing different methods/devices…so I am still not freaking out. 😎
 

Disturbed

Member
Well…at the rehabilitation center this morning they had me making a fist as hard as I could as they were squeezing on it and there was a huge pop. Now my pinky moves with this crunchy sound and it’s almost like I can feel tiny little balls inside my knuckle area when I move my pinky up and down.
Odd thing…it did not hurt, lol…still cannot make a full fist but I can manage with not having that honestly.
Tomorrow morning I go back to the hospital for X rays.
Looks like the surgeon may need to do some more work…or just let it heal as is…re-broken with the bolt still in.

I am still not panicking but I may find a different Hand Surgeon for a second opinion on what I should do.

UPDATE: Yesterday was my second day at the rehabilitation clinic for my hand and the X-rays look perfect…apparently I just fractured a part of my already broken hand and luckily the fracture did not move anything out of place.
…after doing multiple exercises it actually does loosen up…but I have tons more of loosening up before I can make a full fist…according to the Doctor and the very nice and veteran physician working on my hand everything looks completely normal after the surgery that was not even quite a week ago.
Apparently there is this empty spot between the Metacarpal neck (knuckle) and the pinky itself which is currently filled in with swelling and also my pinky is adapting to the metal bolt sitting behind it…so in average it will take around 3 Months to get my full (or very close to full) range of motion back.

…only in rare circumstances this particular surgery goes wrong and in that case the Doctor will do a second operation to correct that.

I rode my Mountain bike today (I live in the South) so the off-road course has many turns and hills but no mountains…and one thing I am excited about is that I can still ride a Mountain bike with no problems…I downhill Mountain Bike in Sundance Utah one week out of every year it is so relaxing and exciting…no pedaling needed just fly down the Mountain. 😎

…so it’s not quite the end of the World. Lol
 
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Disturbed

Member
UPDATE…progress in hand movement with only 1 week of rehabilitation and my Metacarpal 5 still being broke with a long bolt inside of it (which I cannot feel) and can now make a fist! :)
It is still not enough to fully wrap around a bar but my progress is shooting up so high so quickly just like the Doctor told me it would.

I learned my lesson from this…stop hitting hard walls. 😆

Just a few days ago I jammed my elbow hard into a concrete wall walking out of a dressing room and thought I had broken it at a Tractor supply shop (I buy my long Sleeve Flannels from there don’t judge they look great…are extremely comfortable…and the material is very strong) 😎

I immediately went to the same Doctor…got it x-rayed thankfully it is not broken but my upper arm is pretty bruised up…so I’m just icing it real well.
So far 2023 has not been my year, lol

…again at least I’m finally hitting legs like I usually slack on. :)>
 

Demigod

Moderator
It's only February bro...lol...it's gonna be a good year. I'm sure your hand will be good as new in no time. I'm in the south as well....I can hike these mountains for days. Love it...
 

Disturbed

Member
It's only February bro...lol...it's gonna be a good year. I'm sure your hand will be good as new in no time. I'm in the south as well....I can hike these mountains for days. Love it...
Thanks…yes I can now wrap my hand around a bar no problem there is just pain around the broken area (metacarpus neck break behind the pinky)…but I am not allowed to use heavy dumbbells or any heavy upper body lifting for about another Month.
…apparently it is the swelling that is keeping my finger from having full range of motion…but the swelling is going down little by little each week.
I will probably have pain in my hand for Months even after I am back lifting heavy for a while…I am no stranger to pain and can take it…not my first broken bone but what a major pain in the @ss. Lol
 

Disturbed

Member
I just saw my Dr. yesterday…so far around 95% full range movement but still have at least 2 more Months for full recovery if not 3…still dealing with mild swelling which causes the loss in range in movement. My Doctor told me most guys with my injury “Boxer’s Pinky Fracture” is done from alcoholics in bar fights…they do not even go to rehabilitation and that is why they can never even make a fist again…I barely notice my small less range of motion and making a fist is just as natural as my other hand…just my pinky is not wrapping around the barbell quite like the other one…but now the difference is so small…but heck just over 2 weeks ago my pinky stood straight up…again it is so close to the range of movement in my other hand.
…again my only mild problem is dumbbell chest lifts…but as is I can handle holding a dumbbell just fine despite not being completely healed…I have not tried any dumbbells over 65 pounds but everything is working great. 😎 Thank God zero issues with nothing else.
Doctor is amazed at my progress…I have been taking rehabilitation seriously.

I can start working out upper body in about 2 more weeks. He told me I could go light and start upper body now…but I would rather wait to ensure this hand heals up 100%…because that last 5% I want back…it is about a quarter inch in less rotation, but what a difference that kinda is.…I just want to be able to handle using heavy dumbbells (which I probably can now but am not going to dare try it with a hand that is still broken and healing) for chest workouts everything else my hand is fine with. 😎
 
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Demigod

Moderator
I broke the pinky finger on my right hand years ago and didn't go to a Dr. It definitely has a bit of a curve to it but it doesn't affect me at all.
 

Disturbed

Member
I broke the pinky finger on my right hand years ago and didn't go to a Dr. It definitely has a bit of a curve to it but it doesn't affect me at all.
I actually broke the Metacarpus 5 neck which is under the pinky…so technically I broke my hand but yes this last bit of healing is now taking a slow time.
 

Disturbed

Member
How's it going now bro?
Well…yesterday I got the okay from my Doctor to go back to weightlifting. 😎
He said I will feel some tenderness for a while and as of now I have around 98% full motion (but that last 2% makes it a 1/4” off)…but I do not notice any difference when benching with a barbell another words both my hands are equally gripping the bar and both are identical in strength and grip…another words nothing feels off…in fact when I grip the strength measuring tool both hands measure at 132 (I have no idea if this is really strong but the cute female Rehabilitation Therapist says that is so strong and she wishes she had that kind of strength, lol)…my right pinky still goes up slightly when I lift but this is because it is still healing and has a small amount of inflammation that has to work itself out. My Doctor told me it could take up to a year for that final annoying last 2% of healing to finally recover…honestly I kind of already knew this.
Tomorrow I will be going to the gym and cannot wait to grab the dumbbells for bench.
I am curious if that slight movement will make a difference in my strength holding a heavier dumbbell…my fingers are very long…so as is honestly I am good to go.
My Doctor says I will feel some sensitivity in my hand for a while when lifting…this is normal as long as I am not feeling strong pain. …just take a couple of ibuprofen and ice my hand down for about 10 minutes after each workout.

I am never punching walls mirrors, ever again.

I have been so depressed not being able to workout the way I am used to (legs and cardio is all I have been doing)…I missed working out upper body so bad but oh yes I got the go and I am ready.
I’ll take it easy for a while but I am feeling a huge relief. 😎

I now have a Titanium bolt in my Metacarpal 5 that is staying so in a way my hand is sort of “Wolverine’d”.
 
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Demigod

Moderator
Lol... you'll never get through a metal detector. I'm glad it's healing good. It'll be a distant memory soon.
 

Disturbed

Member
Lol... you'll never get through a metal detector. I'm glad it's healing good. It'll be a distant memory soon.
That’s funny, lol…I’ve only been back at the gym for about a Month and actually completely forgot about my hand injury until the second week back. I now only get mild cramping around the knuckle area about an hour after my workout…the pain is like a .5 out of 10 very little pain…I take a couple of Ibuprofen’s and ice my hand down for 10 minutes…pain is gone. My Doctor told me I will without a doubt have on and off pain for at least a year…technically even though the bone healed up in only 3 weeks…my hand is still in the process of healing. I have about 97% movement and should get the remaining 3% back in about a year…honestly I notice no difference in my grip…my hand is in perfect shape that last 3% is no hindrance to my weight lifting at all.
I am embarrassed to say this but my arms from not working out so long were 16.5” soft before working out. In just 2 weeks they went to 17.5 inches soft and 18 and a quarter after pump. Now they are back to a little over 17.5 without pump…and around 18.5 after pump…incredible how fast my arms (as well as everything else) came back. …that is really big for me as I have small wrist a elbow joints…so they get mistaken for about 19”.
The biggest I have gotten them naturally is right around 19” which I am working to get to…my other body parts follow along with them. :)> …once I get to that point I quit measuring as that is no longer important.

…now on a cycle…oh yes 20” and up easily I really wish I could hold onto that I would not even need or care to take steroids, lol Honestly I get pretty damn big naturally but man once I got that first taste of Test from my very first cycle…that is a beautiful feeling.

I am only mentioning my arms here but yes chest shoulders legs (which had turned into twigs) are all back. I still have a ways to go it has only been a Month where everything comes back so quickly…yes even my strength/stamina came back only 3 weeks in…(cardio has really helped as well) now to keep my ass in the gym and enjoy life. 😎
I admit I do have anger issues…but I’m not going to punch any walls doors mirrors not even a punching bag again, lol

I tend to be shy and do not engage in fights…but the only way I am punching a person is for self defense…no one is worth going through a hand surgery again. I’m sure I mentioned this…but out of all the holes I had to fix in my house I break my hand punching a mirror, lol…luckily I did not break the mirror and stab my hand.

I got very lucky here. 🙂
 
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