beeker121

I went for a run last night.

When the pins were removed* on April 3, the (not my regular) doctor told me I shouldn't run until May, maybe longer.  I was given a new splint, told to keep my three little fingers buddy taped, and generally that I was still injured.  Yesterday at the checkup with my usual ortho doc, I was told no more brace or tape and to use my hand as much as possible as long as it didn't hurt.  And of course I could start running again.

Getting ready to run was odd, after seven weeks some things had been put all-the-way away instead of being in their usual spots.  I got to lace up my brand new running shoes for the first time** and went out.  I ran around the park, less than 2 mi, with a huge smile on my face the entire way.  I was slow, and today I'm a little sore which seems silly given how little distance it was.

My hand isn't quite a hand again yet.  It's still swollen (! after seven weeks) at the bottom knuckles and along the pinkie side of my hand.  I can't make a fist, or hold my hand in a straight line on its own.  I have some basic exercises to start with, and go to a PT appointment next week.  The elbow does have full motion back which is great, though it is still a little stiff and sore.

But I went for a run.


*So the answer to how do the pins get removed is with a pair of pliers; he just gripped the end of each pin and pulled.  The shorter one I barely felt at all, it was just a touch of pressure, the longer one took two pulls and it hurt a little more.  He put a band-aid over the holes, and that was it.
**I bought new running shoes mid-February but was waiting until after the trip to WI to trade out the insoles from my current pair.  I don't remember why I decided not to put on the new shoes the night I fell (the day after WI) but I'm rather grateful I can restart running with new shoes.  It feels like a clean slate.