Fingers

[mommieinneed]

I was just wondering if anyone else experienced turning, twisting fingers. Maggies fingers look like they are twisting towards her palm.

Her fingers are also very tight, any suggestions on how to get them loose, we stretch a couple times a day with no results on getting them loose.

[Drake's Mom]

i know in the beginning with Drake, his flexers in the fingers and wrist were dominating the extensors and causing his hand to curl up. They were not tight however. If i tried to stretch them out they would move easily. But his doctor did botox injections to stop the flexors from overposering the extensors. He only did it once and the flexors were 'knock out' for a month or so and then they came back. It was frustrating to loose what little movement he had but it did work and his hand and wrist now stay in a more relaxed position instead of curled up.

Teresa

[guest03]

Hi!
Don't know about older children, but our doctor told us to stretch a million times a day, if possible.

[Mare]

Have you tried splinting at night Frankie has several splints one for night and two that he uses during the day that put pressure on his knuckles that makes it easier for him to use his fingers and to get them straighter.

[aidansmom311]

My son Aidan is 18 months with ROBPI. I am also an OT. My suggestion would be to look into splinting also. They have some wonderful products out now that may work great.
Find an OT to work with and help with the process. I've been looking at the McKie splint for Aidan to get his thumb in a better position and you can also add a supination strap. Stretching is wonderful but you have to do it very frequently to be effective, a splint can give a longer stretch which can be more effective when muscles are tight.

[BIGJAVSMA]

we use splinting and taping with JOdy.

[mommieinneed]

Thanks for the advice. We do use splints on Maggie, one during the day for her wrist and thumb and then two at night, one for her elbow contracture and a resting hand splint for her fingers. The hand one doesnt get all her fingers though because her pinky and ring finger arent long enough to go into the strap.

We just started the night ones a few months ago. Hopefully they help. The splint that Mare explained might be a good one for Maggie, the one for the knuckles, we might ask her OT about that one and about the supination strap, her OT says it wont do any good for Maggie we tried during therapy and it didnt do anything.

[claudia]

We used a number of McKie splints. I think they are wonderful splints, especially with the supinator strap. I found that they didn't interfere with other finger movement nor with sensation in the hand (tho we didn't have any, we were working on it!). The McKie comes in cool colors and is very resonably priced.

You might want to make friends with an orthotist, they can be very helpful.

claudia

[mlynn]

we see an electro diagnostic rehab specialist, he is the only one in the metro area and apparently it is a rare kind of doctor? but, he has helped us so much. i would encourage every one to see one! good luck friend

[Mare]

Mylnn
A What kind of specialist??? What exactly does he do??? I have never heard of this and would love to find out more. Is there a website for this. I'm looking into everything and anything after 14yrs of traditional medicine and therapy and welcome anything new. The biofeed back machine totally shocked Frankies doctors and therapist getting results in just days that they have been working months on. And I found it here at UBPN. So please share in detail. Mare