United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

dunno karlos, i know i found that bluddy splint to hold your fingers straight was a major pain in the arse to me and made me feel like a cripple, so i mostly didn't wear it, maybe that's why i have a claw hand. i knew it might happen but without any use of my arm i couldn't see what use nice straight fingers would be to me long term, and short term i just couldn't be arsed. i had no physical recovery but i was always determined to make a complete mental recovery so anything that made me feel 'disabled' was right out! apart from its annoying habit of catching on things such as electric fences, doorhandles, once even the belt loops in a blokes jeans (that was embarrassing, the poor guy was just walking past me when my hand just suddenly grabbed onto his belt loop, i didn't notice til he nearly pulled me over) and the fact that it looks a bit scary it doesn't cause me any trouble. anyone else out there got a claw hand?

I know I am probably the only person here in this situation so please understand when I ask this stupid question. I have never seen anyone else with this injury or even pictures so please explain what is a "claw hand"? My fingers are completely curled in and according to what I have been told(I had a head injury so I lost three months) its has been this way since day one of the accident. I can still straighten my bpi fingers out with my good hand to do ROM exercises but it otherwise is curled in. Sorry if this sounds like a stupid question but I have heard this term a lot but never heard it explained.

I too have fingers that are all curled under. From what I understand the ulnar nerve has a lot to do with the function of your hand. If the ulnar nerve is damaged high up (say the shoulder region), it takes so long for the nerves to repair themselves from the shoulder down that the muscles in the hand atrophy so much that they can't be used to straighten your fingers. This is called Klumpke's(?spelling) palsy.
I am going to have tendon tranfser in the next week so that I can straighten parts of my fingers. The first one will allow my thumb to straighten. The second one will allow my fingers to straighten. I am sure a doctor would have a better way of explaining.

I would love to hear what others know.

Kathy

YEP, me too, total bpi with some finger movement from surgeries but have the claw too. I use a good padded spint to keep it looking normal, people don't even know my arm is paralyzed, they ask how I broke my wrist so atleast I know it lokks normal.

Scott

Funny that I came across this posting today of all. Just yesterday I was telling my hand doctor how my hand has been "clawing up" more recently in spite of my bci taking place over 19 years ago now. However, in addition to the "clawing" the top part of my hand is developing a skin condition best described as "scaling." The reason bringing me to the doc was the pain I've been experiencing, the constant burning.
Well, he had many explanations for all my questions and apparently, to no one's surprise, the reason for my clawing, burning and pain, was the extensive nerve damage received those 19 years ago. A pat on the shoulder and a script in my pocket and I was on my way. Forgive me for not being more helpful, truth be told, I've been a bit depressed lately. I'm sure it comes as no surprise to anyone reading this but pain can really suck. Best wishes to all.

Hi bigsel here, Yip clawed hand aswell, Ive had a couple of funny experiances aswell, one time i was in the pub & as i was walking in i accidently hooked a womans handbag & she thought i was trying to steal it, but as she was just about give me a clowt, she relised what was going on & we both just burst out laughing. And i keep hanking on things aswell, but it's all a good laugh, & it keeps you sain.

bigsel

I claw up a bit but I try to keep my fingers loose. They just feel better when stretched out ( hurts a bit while I do it ). I splint my hand/wrist once in awhile just to give it the full extension. It feels sooo much better though

I've been dealing with TBPI for 16 months now and just discovered the term 'Klumpke's Palsy' for the first time, which led me to search that term on the forum, which led me to this thread from years back.

I'm C-8/T-1 avulsed, had a nerve graft May '07, but to no avail. I had a tendon transfer done a few weeks ago. I'm hoping to hear back from anyone thats undergone a similar situation. The surgeon and therapist believe I can get some finger movement and grasp function (not strong, but something), as I havent experienced any so far. I may also need more surgeries.

So who's gone through this and how were the results?

Thanks
Tony 23 y/o

I also have the claw hand. I can hardly bend the knuckles where the fingers attach to the hand but can barely straighten the knuckles in mid finger. My thumb is pretty much stuck straight out so I can relate to the embarrassing episodes where it catches on things (or other persons). I just recently read about Klumpke's Palsy. I thought about a brace of some kind for my fingers but in reading our friend from New Zealand's comments, that sounds like a drag. No type of graft or surgery has ever been suggested by my doctors.

My daughter had nerve and muscle transfers for avulsed C5 through T1. She recently had her wrist fused into a neutral position so it looks more natural and her thumb fused. At the end of this month she is having a tendon release done in her hand to release the tension in her fingers so she will be able to grasp an object - not real strong, but none the less be able to "hold" it. Right now her fingers are somewhat contracted. I don't know if a release would help you at all. Sue