Carpel Tunnel and Arm Pump (Laurie Acree)

Poor Critter. Maybe you should have emailed me to prevent this abuse from these guys.

 

kewl just hack it off man as long as we can fashion a claw on the stump so i can ride we will be OK

I fugure we can use a toe clip type device on the end of the stump like the bicycle guys use on their shoes to clip in their pedals so when I crash ,and we all know me so it is going to happen, I will be ejected from the bike properly and then we could fasion a small clutch lever behind the front brake lever so I could have a clutch too any engineers have any other ideas about hackin off my arm???

 

I won't be there laura, I am saving some money so the wife can finish grad school and I can quit work and race full time. Although, we might have a difference of opinion on that. Critter said, I could ride his 600 in the 750 class, maybe I could save a few points. . After all he has this numbness in his head that won't go away.

 

Thanks laurie I will c you all at VIR I could not find your email address you do not have it linked to your posts and i am pretty computer illiterate so if it is not in plain sight well then you know

 

Hey, keep your claws and toe clips away from me.

 

give him hell stumpy! you show thaty short man.. oh i guess you cant really tell he's short though, can you?

glad you got to come out some last weekend. you'll have to bring your girl to cmp so we can turn her to the darkside and make her enjoy racing. we can put her under the scoring tent right beside the track. can she say vvrroooommm?

 

When is the next Kneedraggers get together I to would like to attend. I work about a 1/4 mile from the shop and live in Pfafftown.

 

Probably in October right before the finals but THE Kneedraggers Ball is in December. I'll keep ya posted.

 

lauries I tried dr gramik and he cannot see me until the end of july!!

I need to try a few other guys here in the triad any ideas and do you have any pull with gramik??
thanks for your help

critter

 

Let me talk to Lee. I'll get back with ya Critter.

 

Sorry I've been gone. Have to work for money to race. I'm going to type this then ride my bicycle then I'll be back on the web.
Critter, the numbness in your last two fingers is due to a problem with the ulnar nerve. That's the "funny bone" in your elbow and that's the usual location for trouble with that nerve. If there has been any trauma to your elbow, that is probably to blame. There is a surgical release for entrapment of that nerve. The grip problem is due to the median nerve, which is the "carpal tunnel" nerve. It can be caused either by arm pump or by carpal tunnel syndrome. If you have problems typing, it is most likely carpal tunnel syndrome. Bending your wrist 90 degrees is a standard test (called Phalen's test). If you get pain or numbness when you do it, that's a positive Phalen's test and you most likely have CTS. The best test for both of these conditions is an electromyogram (EMG). Unfortunately, both of these releases are a little worse to recover from than Lee's fasciotomy. I don't do surgery, but if my recollection serves me, you would need to be off the bike for at least 4 weeks and possibly 6. Laurie mentioned the radial nerve - that doesn't seem to be involved in your problems.

OK, time to ride before dark.
Back in about an hour and a half.

 

Dr. Bad Iguana,

I have another question. I have been feeling tightness in the top of my hand and I just did as you said in bending my wrist and it gets worse...It doesn't really hurt, just feel extremely tight with numbness in the hand and wrist. This tightness in the top of the hand just started this week. Normally it's just in my wrist. Should I be concerned? Thanks!

[This message has been edited by GSXRGIRL (edited 06-12-2001).]

 

GSXRGIRL,
What do you mean by the top of your hand?

 

From the top of my wrist to my knuckles...it's kinda hard to explain how it feels.

 

Critter, the practice you called has about 8 Dr.'s in it. I wonder if someone could get you in sooner? If you can't get an appointment sooner that July, let me know. I'll call Dr. Collins or Gramig's office and explain the racer situation. They are all familiar with the circumstances now.

 

GSXRGIRL your situation is really unusual. The nerve for that part of the hand is the radial nerve. Radial nerve entrapment is possible but really rare. It is more likely that you have done something to the extensor tendons of the fingers, which run across the dorsum ("top" or "back") of the hand. What kind of repetetive movements do you do with that hand? Has there been any trauma? The good news is that this is probably going to heal on it's own and is less serious than the other stuff we have been talking about.

 

I type and 10-key quite a bit during the day. No trauma that I recall, but I'm definately going to the doctor as soon as I get my new insurance info just to see what the problem is. Thanks for your help!! Hopefully you are right about the less serious part.

 

laurie i ended up with an appointment with dr elizabeth meyerderks on the 26 th of this month I read what dr iguana was saying and it will be interesting to find out what they say when I go in there I hop to find out asap cuz we have about a 5 week break right after the road atlanta regional and I am hoping to have surgery then if I need it
i hope I do not have to have it but we shall see

 

I'm glad you got the appointment. I don't know this Dr. but the practice is supposed to be really really good. Lee's uncle is a well known Dr. in the area and he highly reccomends it. I'm sure you are in good hands. See ya Friday at VIR.

 

thanks laurie I will c you all at VIR