Bent Fingers: Left vs Right

[hCapitalize]

Wow do I have a whopper on my left arm, between my elbow and my wrist, just looked at it today, having caught it while playing my flute in the mirror. It's massive compared to my right arm, which is still intact. (not that it felt it this morning,)There is an interesting difference between the last joints of the fingers on my left hand and my right in that any pressure will bend them back, I just don't have the musculature to keep them straight any longer. Not only that I have what appears to be permanent bruising on my left elbow I cannot even feel (now that does worry me, because it can't be healthy)That being said, I am still working out at the gym, maybe even building a bit of muscle here and there (not in my left lower arm obviously) What is curious is that I see all these young guys toting weights I doubt I could even lift, but then I think I can maybe do something they can't that is I can hold a weight almost indefinitely if I lock up, put my muscles into compression and hey I am strong. Even in that dodgy left arm because what one half of it can't do the other can.The moral of all this. Dents are not the end of the world, though that loss of feeling on the elbow is entirely the result of the surgeons knife that severed the nerves and makes me wonder whether I gained anything from it at all.

 

[simonw00]

Hi PlayfulPantsJust curious - Did I follow your thread correctly? I think you are saying that (1) you have a whopper in your left arm - maybe you are saying that you are well endowed and holding your 'man member' takes all the strength of your left arm, or maybe the whopper is a large twitch. Presumably the latter or maybe both!(2) your left forearm has some wasting, altered hand function and altered sensation as a result of nerve damage from a surgical procedure(3) you have a longstanding painless bruise on your left elbow (doesn't sound anything to worry about by the way - maybe some skin discoloration from an old bruise)(4) from your other post, you were speaking at a disability conference recently either because your profession makes you a suitable keynote speaker or because you suffer from a disability which is I assume unrelated to your BFS but involves some wasting of your L shoulder and forearm. Or maybe your disability is 'living in Coventry' - although I rather like Coventry myself! So many questions! And I guess it's none of my business! But feel free to enlighten me if appropriate to do so. The only reason I am seeking clarification is incase someone else reading your post got the impression that your BFS had led to muscle wasting/ disability and I didn't want any newbies to be unnecessarily worried because as you and I both know all too well, BFS is a complete in pain the *beep* but isn't a condition that causes muscle wasting.Cheers from NZSimon

 

[hCapitalize]

Naughty naughty.I have a significant dent in my left arm, which was the whopper, not my flute or anything else. I had surgery in my left elbow for a trapped nerve which didn't do any good and left me with a patch of skin which gets easily bruised because I can't feel it.The disability I have is unrelated to BFS, however it was in keeping with the theme of the conference to demonstrate that there is no such thing as a "normal" body and that whether you have a disability or not, you are bound to have a variety of bodily "imperfections" and "blemishes"It's a theme worth remembering here for everybody who goes looking to find a difference in one arm or the other, or one leg or the other, that is almost certain that there will be a difference. The other point to make is that despite of having quite visible differences in my arms, and in spite of the fact that I have weakness in it as well, I still have full mobility in it enough to play a musical instrument, though I would be challenged to bash out a text on an ancient typewriter. I would say those of us who report weakness are not reporting anything that is a sign of anything sinister beyond the kinds of problems that eventually effect a great many people through age and wear and tear.

 

[AussieSurvivor]

'you have a whopper in your left arm - maybe you are saying that you are well endowed and holding your 'man member' takes all the strength of your left arm, or maybe the whopper is a large twitch. Presumably the latter or maybe both!''Sorry guys....Simon that was funny! Needed a laugh'So many questions! And I guess it's none of my business! But feel free to enlighten me if appropriate to do so. The only reason I am seeking clarification is incase someone else reading your post got the impression that your BFS had led to muscle wasting/ disability and I didn't want any newbies to be unnecessarily worried because as you and I both know all too well, BFS is a complete in pain the *beep* but isn't a condition that causes muscle wasting'And not so funny....yes good question or three. Us 'newbies' worry about everything. I dont (think) I have wasting ( bar my right leg-nerve damage-back issue) and certainly no weakness. cheersRodger

 

[simonw00]

Thanks for clarifying your situation PlayfulPants - sorry to hear about your other disability but glad to hear that it appears not to clip your wings too greatly in terms of strength etc. Look after yourself.RegardsSimonPS Sounds as if summer has arrived early in the UK this year