01-16-2024, 06:26 PM
It is my understanding that hand and wrist surgeries are incredibly intricate and difficult. Anecdote here, but I have had two surgeries in my life. I fully ruptured my Achilles tendon back in June of 2023 and broke my finger in half with a spiral fracture on my left index finger in winter of 2016. The prognosis for my Achilles was pretty straightforward - it will suck and be a long recovery but I will get back to 100% within a year, roughly. In fact, I have already returned to sport back in December, so six months post-op. I was doing PT twice a week as well as 2-3 times per week on my own in the gym, so roughly five times per week. It feels great, but not perfect.
For my finger, however, the surgeon and my PT immediately let me know my finger will never be the same. It's not a major difference but there is some range of motion that I lost which I will never get back. I have some grip issues in that hand in comparison to my other, and there is still scar tissue build up in the knuckle the does not allow me to pop that finger. Also, it was significantly more expensive than my Achilles surgery, almost twice as much.
Now, neither of these injuries really pertain to Joe but I say this just as a point for how delicate these hand/wrist surgeries can be. Not only from my personal experiences, but family members who are doctors/nurses. Aside from neurosurgeons, hand surgeons are at the tippy top of the surgeon world. Hopefully Joe doesn't run into any issues. An 80%-ish success rate is still pretty solid.
For my finger, however, the surgeon and my PT immediately let me know my finger will never be the same. It's not a major difference but there is some range of motion that I lost which I will never get back. I have some grip issues in that hand in comparison to my other, and there is still scar tissue build up in the knuckle the does not allow me to pop that finger. Also, it was significantly more expensive than my Achilles surgery, almost twice as much.
Now, neither of these injuries really pertain to Joe but I say this just as a point for how delicate these hand/wrist surgeries can be. Not only from my personal experiences, but family members who are doctors/nurses. Aside from neurosurgeons, hand surgeons are at the tippy top of the surgeon world. Hopefully Joe doesn't run into any issues. An 80%-ish success rate is still pretty solid.
