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DianaS
21st-June-2005, 10:51 AM
I've just searched the forum and can't find a thread on this. :)

How have people coped with finger injuries while dancing?
I've sliced part of my finger off while changing a plug (NEVER use a stanley knife to split a cable) and have it in bandage till thursday. After then theres half a nail and a chunck of flesh that needs to recover. WHat I could do with is a rigid plastic finger shaped protector to slip over my finger (with cushioning underneath) that stops peoples pressure being transfered to the finger. Can you tell me do such things exist?

or shall I make a mold of my other matching finger in paster of paris and try an dmake something with my one good hand :rofl:

Northants Girly
21st-June-2005, 10:58 AM
Which hand and which finger we talkin bout?

CJ
21st-June-2005, 11:01 AM
Here goes my input into the "trying to be of assistance but has provided no help what-so-ever post" category!!

Diana,

I don't know details, but I know that Tony Iommi uses plastic fingertips to play guitar so they must be available. Being rich and famous, I don't know if he has rediculously expensive "private" falsies or NHS provided ones.

Alternatively, many magic tricks involve fake fingers, etc... A well stocked joke/magic shop may well have something that you can fill with gauze, etc whilst your hand recovers.

My hands are SOOOOO precious to me (delicate artist who is WAY over-protective smillie please) so I feel what you have done!!

:flower:

DianaS
21st-June-2005, 11:10 AM
Which hand and which finger we talkin bout?
Its the middle finger left hand And while I thought that I could ask for one handed right handed moves only in the excitment of the momemtn someones bound to ask for my left and I'm bound to give it ouuch!!
At the moment I can only type with one hand, 'cas the other even without using the finger makes it throb!!

DianaS
21st-June-2005, 11:15 AM
Here goes my input into the "trying to be of assistance but has provided no help what-so-ever post" category!!

Diana,

I don't know details, but I know that Tony Iommi uses plastic fingertips to play guitar so they must be available. Being rich and famous, I don't know if he has rediculously expensive "private" falsies or NHS provided ones.

Alternatively, many magic tricks involve fake fingers, etc... A well stocked joke/magic shop may well have something that you can fill with gauze, etc whilst your hand recovers.

My hands are SOOOOO precious to me (delicate artist who is WAY over-protective smillie please) so I feel what you have done!!

:flower:

Thanks for that, I'll give it a go I've left nothing to loose!! :clap:

Lynn
21st-June-2005, 11:28 AM
Its the middle finger left hand And while I thought that I could ask for one handed right handed moves only in the excitment of the momemtn someones bound to ask for my left and I'm bound to give it ouuch! Or you could put it in one of those sling thingys - then your lead couldn't do two handed moves even if they forgot, plus it would be well out of the way - maybe not very stylishly but it wouldn't be for long. Even if you protect your finger in some way it might still be better to have it completely out of the way, even for an evening or two.

Hope its better soon! :flower:

DianaS
21st-June-2005, 11:33 AM
Or you could put it in one of those sling thingys - then your lead couldn't do two handed moves even if they forgot, plus it would be well out of the way - maybe not very stylishly but it wouldn't be for long. Even if you protect your finger in some way it might still be better to have it completely out of the way, even for an evening or two.

Hope its better soon! :flower:
Good point! I think I might do that while I'm not dancing cas I keep forgetting and using the hand and it soon starts to hurt!!
:flower:

Gadget
21st-June-2005, 12:25 PM
There is rarely a time that my hands are not healing from some missadventure or other -
First thing is to make sure that they don't get infected or puss-filled. Then find some way to hold the wound closed and apply a bit of pressure - (It always amazes me how well 'flaps' of skin heal back into the gouge they came from.) Then basically let it heal.
Be wary of keeping it wrapped up and out of air - your hands sweat & this needs to evaporate, and the wound needs to dry once healing has started.

The main 'pain' I find is catching edges of skin on things. :tears: I re-opened too many cuts & scrapes like this, so now I use surgical tape over the top of these bits untill they are hard/dead enough to trim away.

While we are in gruesom mode, I have a great tale to tell of my granpa's brothers who, as kids, were messing arround with a cavalry sword. A real one. They didn't quite realise how sharp it was untill one of them sliced the tip of their noses off! Blood and screams and panic ensues. His mum just told him to hold it in place untill they could get to the Doctors. By the time they got there, it had started to weld it's self back on. :D See - I can't be wholey to blame for being me: some of it is genetic.

DianaS
21st-June-2005, 12:36 PM
There is rarely a time that my hands are not healing from some missadventure or other -
First thing is to make sure that they don't get infected or puss-filled. Then find some way to hold the wound closed and apply a bit of pressure - (It always amazes me how well 'flaps' of skin heal back into the gouge they came from.) Then basically let it heal.
Be wary of keeping it wrapped up and out of air - your hands sweat & this needs to evaporate, and the wound needs to dry once healing has started.

.
Problem There is nothing to stitch back on :sick:
I saw the blood and thought it came from the cut on the palm of my hand put my hand under the cold tap
the very small but precious missing bit of finger and nail hasn't been seen since. :really:
I did wrap my hand in a tea town apply pressuse to the base of the finger and hold it over my head for an hour while reclining on the sofa eating bakewell tarts
An hour later it wasn't clotting and my Dad took me to hospital cas I couldn't change gear with only one hand!!

Moral of the story
Use wire strippers
always keep a supply of bakewell tarts in, just in case of such an emergency

latinlover
21st-June-2005, 12:51 PM
I've just searched the forum and can't find a thread on this. :)

How have people coped with finger injuries while dancing?
I've sliced part of my finger off while changing a plug (NEVER use a stanley knife to split a cable) and have it in bandage till thursday. After then theres half a nail and a chunck of flesh that needs to recover. WHat I could do with is a rigid plastic finger shaped protector to slip over my finger (with cushioning underneath) that stops peoples pressure being transfered to the finger. Can you tell me do such things exist?

or shall I make a mold of my other matching finger in paster of paris and try an dmake something with my one good hand :rofl:


If you buy a finger-size tubigrip there is a plastic applicator with it and I see no reason why you shouldn't be able to use that as a splint?

fingers crossed :rofl:
:flower:

drathzel
21st-June-2005, 12:54 PM
An hour later it wasn't clotting

I would have passe dout by then...blood ick :tears:

JoC
21st-June-2005, 12:59 PM
Be wary of keeping it wrapped up and out of air - your hands sweat & this needs to evaporate, and the wound needs to dry once healing has started.


Now that my stomach and funny ankles have recovered from reading all the above, just thought I would venture a possible question regarding this theory...

I recently scalded my leg quite badly, enough to cause significant blistering and broken skin :sick: and require a couple of trips to my local surgery for fixing and checkups. Initially I had been dealing with the scald in my own amateur first aid manner thinking along the lines of the above 'let it breathe' theory.

Now this may apply only to burns but I got the impression perhaps not... the nurse told me that the old 'let it breath' theory has now been superceded by a 'keep it moist' theory. Apparently current thinking is that skin heals better in a moist environment.

Any medical pros shed any more light on this and whether this applies to just burns and scalds?

And I hope the finger gets better soon!

CJ
21st-June-2005, 01:04 PM
Moist is good.

MartinHarper
21st-June-2005, 01:10 PM
Or you could put it in one of those sling thingys

Yep - or just stick it in your pocket. Both of those will stop you using it for balance, though, so maybe not great. You could keep your hand in a fist, so your partner can't get at individual fingers, but can still apply some leads to that hand.

ducasi
21st-June-2005, 01:19 PM
Moist is good.
:rofl:

JoC
21st-June-2005, 01:21 PM
Moist is good.
I knew it was always going to be risky using that word...

drathzel
21st-June-2005, 02:49 PM
I knew it was always going to be risky using that word...

Especially with him around :rofl:

DianaS
21st-June-2005, 03:46 PM
If you buy a finger-size tubigrip there is a plastic applicator with it and I see no reason why you shouldn't be able to use that as a splint?

fingers crossed :rofl:
:flower:
I'll experiment and get back to you!
Photos will go online pay as you view
:D

DianaS
21st-June-2005, 03:54 PM
Now that my stomach and funny ankles have recovered from reading all the above, just thought I would venture a possible question regarding this theory...

Useful tip I told the nurses to describe it as "this finger you've brought in" ratherr than "your finger" Talking about it in the third person was bearable and intersting whereas relating to it in the first person I just kinda felt woosy and that I would pass out :sick:



I recently scalded my leg quite badly, enough to cause significant blistering and broken skin :sick: and require a couple of trips to my local surgery for fixing and checkups. Initially I had been dealing with the scald in my own amateur first aid manner thinking along the lines of the above 'let it breathe' theory.

Now this may apply only to burns but I got the impression perhaps not... the nurse told me that the old 'let it breath' theory has now been superceded by a 'keep it moist' theory. Apparently current thinking is that skin heals better in a moist environment

Any medical pros shed any more light on this and whether this applies to just burns and scalds?...
Always stop burns from coming into contact with the air, immerse with water up to half and hour cas this reduces the burning and take sugar for shock (hense bakewell tarts)

I had kept my finger open but they immediately bandaged it and it then stopped bleeding

Keep it moist came from post world war leeps into medical experimentation. Limbs blown apart left to "stew in their own juice" did better than linbs cleaned up and medicaalised. and resulted in a rapid turn around in medical practice. Thats where the expression originated :rofl:

Northants Girly
21st-June-2005, 04:04 PM
Photos will go online pay as you view :DCome on Diana post those photos

I bet it's just a tinsy tiny scratch :na:

No more sympathy or rep for DianaS folks till she shows us some snaps ;)

El Salsero Gringo
21st-June-2005, 04:09 PM
A first-aid course that I did many years ago taught that bits of the body that were bleeding should be bandaged sufficiently tightly to stop the blood flow, with something absorbent. A clean bandage was best, but also suitable in extremis was a clean handkerchief, an item of the victim's or your own clothing.

My immedate suggestion would be to bandage the cut finger to the next one along which would help to keep it protected, no?


We were also taught that burns were best treated (at the scene) by running under cold water for some number of minutes then applying a waterproof covering such as clingfilm or a plastic bag. Almost any kind of burn always needs hospital treatment.

Severed fingers or limbs should be wrapped in clingfilm or plastic bag and could be placed in a freezer until emergency medical attention could be arranged. There was also something about teeth having been knocked out that could be kept in a glass of milk until the appropriate expert intervention.

Isn't the trick about stripping wire with a Stanley knife to learn how to do it without slicing yourself open? I can't abide wirestrippers!

DianaS
21st-June-2005, 04:09 PM
Come on Diana post those photos

I bet it's just a tinsy tiny scratch :na:

No more sympathy or rep for DianaS folks till she shows us some snaps ;)
It will make you throw But if you insist the badage comes off on Thursday! I'll send one on along with the various contraptions I make to alllow me to dance and stop people squeezing my fingers

Hey I could make a fortune out of spikey gloves!
I;ve decided to have some nail extensions made to cover the spoilt nail while it regrows (or if it doesn't)

DianaS
21st-June-2005, 04:17 PM
Isn't the trick about stripping wire with a Stanley knife to learn how to do it without slicing yourself open? I can't abide wirestrippers!
I didn't know wirestrippers existed till after...
My Dad said they wouldn't do the job in any case cas the cable was too thick. He used the stanley but did it very, very carefuly
Can't sday I watched so I'm none the wiser!

DianaS
21st-June-2005, 04:42 PM
Just found some finger splints online :cheers: :clap:
They are available here!
http://www.physioroom.com/shop/full.php?timename=p8_stax_1&categoryname=Training%20%26%20Fitness%20%3E%20Hand %20Therapy

http://www.opposupports.co.uk/finger_thumb.html#

So I may give them a go for a while when the first stage of heaaling is through but its still sensitive! :yeah:

JoC
21st-June-2005, 05:51 PM
Keep it moist came from post world war leeps into medical experimentation. Limbs blown apart left to "stew in their own juice" did better than linbs cleaned up and medicaalised. and resulted in a rapid turn around in medical practice. Thats where the expression originated :rofl:

No no no no no no noooooooo!!!!!


Like the third person approach, must try it next time I'm in casualty. :hug:

All the burns first aid, I'm with you all and I guess I kind of skipped to the aftercare part of the story (having naturally done a textbook (literally because I keep one in the bathroom for reference!) bit of first aid nurse action :cool: ), which is where the unexpected moistness came in.

To conclude I want to say, you can never have too many melolin dressings in your first aid cabinet.

Barry Shnikov
21st-June-2005, 07:54 PM
I've just searched the forum and can't find a thread on this. :)

How have people coped with finger injuries while dancing?


Just a thought, but why not tape a thimble over the end of your finger with sticking plaster?

Thimble might be a little tight, but you could get an extra large one.

Another idea would be to tape your finger injured finger to the one(s) either side, that helps to protect the vulnerable one.

jivecat
21st-June-2005, 08:43 PM
I did wrap my hand in a tea town apply pressuse to the base of the finger and hold it over my head for an hour while reclining on the sofa eating bakewell tarts
An hour later it wasn't clotting and my Dad took me to hospital cas I couldn't change gear with only one hand!!


always keep a supply of bakewell tarts in, just in case of such an emergency

Do you think it would have clotted better if you'd been eating eccles cakes instead?

DianaS
22nd-June-2005, 01:51 PM
Do you think it would have clotted better if you'd been eating eccles cakes instead?
Hmmm probably
Had a happy outcome though. Was taken to tech support today and they showed me how to do it. You ring around the wire and then it just slips off. If the knife is really sharp it helps.
If its blunt its more likely to cut you.
Never slice down the wire as I tried to, its ineffective

The Universe is now a safer place.
:grin:

DianaS
22nd-June-2005, 01:52 PM
Just a thought, but why not tape a thimble over the end of your finger with sticking plaster?

Thimble might be a little tight, but you could get an extra large one.

Another idea would be to tape your finger injured finger to the one(s) either side, that helps to protect the vulnerable one.
Excellent IDEA HAve some rep!!

El Salsero Gringo
22nd-June-2005, 08:04 PM
Hmmm probably
Had a happy outcome though. Was taken to tech support today and they showed me how to do it. You ring around the wire and then it just slips off. If the knife is really sharp it helps.
If its blunt its more likely to cut you.
Never slice down the wire as I tried to, its ineffective

The Universe is now a safer place.
:grin:And if you bend the wire sharply back on itself at the place back to which you want to strip the insulation, then the stretch in the plastic means that as you cut through it, the very last thickness of insulation tears away from itself so you never need to risk nicking the conductors with the blade.

RogerR
22nd-June-2005, 08:41 PM
I always use a scalpel to strip wires! Cant stand the sight of blood, -- It makes me thirsty!!!

Pad the affected finger between its neighbours then tape all three together then you can dance using a paw.

Ballroom queen
22nd-June-2005, 09:57 PM
While we are in gruesom mode, ......

you want gruesome??? I've got a kid at work who's got thru about 50 leeches trying to save his finger!!! how much blood and gore is that? The wound seems pretty open to the air to me - with a piece of wire sticking out of the end (from the plastic surgeon, not left over from bad wire cutting), and lots of blood and bandages underneath. Oh yeah, and a bloody great leech on the side.

Yum

JoC
23rd-June-2005, 12:37 PM
you want gruesome??? I've got a kid at work who's got thru about 50 leeches trying to save his finger!!! how much blood and gore is that? The wound seems pretty open to the air to me - with a piece of wire sticking out of the end (from the plastic surgeon, not left over from bad wire cutting), and lots of blood and bandages underneath. Oh yeah, and a bloody great leech on the side.

Yum

I knew I'd regret dipping back into this thread
(especially at lunchtime :sick: )