Anyone here a hand specialist?

[vic108]

A guitarist's nightmare......

I injured my LEFT a few weeks ago in a weird way.

My middle finger knuckle at the hand looked and felt
like it moved and I heard a LOUD and long CRACK
and it was rather painful and got real swollen quick.

I could move my fingers but the middle finger would
do a semi circle if moved up or down.

Being on Thursday and knowing my doctor wouldn't
be in on Friday, I waited for Monday to contact him
by phone and he told me to go over to the ER for
some X-Rays.

There, they told me I dislocated my finger but it had
returned in place. They also told me to put ice on it
for a few days and then put heat on it too. Also, they
wanted me to have a follow up with the local
orthopedist asap.

Finally, after 10 days, I got an appointment with
the orthopedist and he said not only did I dislocate
my finger but I damaged the lateral bands that hold
the tendons in place and that the tendons would slip
over to the side of the knuckle when extended giving
the finger that weird semi circle. Not only would it
NOT heal right by itself, he'd have to send me to a
hand specialist (1.5 hours away) to treat it correctly.

I can play guitar but it's painful and after I'm done
playing, my knuckle swells up. So, here I sit with a
new amp and guitar (both of which may be THE
gear I've been looking for all these years) and can't
enjoy then and had to cancel 2 jams so far too.

Remember, take care of your hands. Don't crack
your knucles and never take anything for granted.