Err, firstly this isn't intended as a boast, it is a genuine question that I have.

I have had a contracture in my hand (pulls in little finger) since childhood. Has gradually worsened over the last 15 years or so with the little finger (but no others) pulled in about 15 degrees and couldn't be placed flat on a table.

I don't really have any loss of function in my hand so I tend not to protect it in any special way - play sports etc. Anyway, was in park this evening, from lying on floor began to push myself to my feet (normal action, perhaps push slightly closer to the palm rather than the fingers on the affected hand, but as said in previous sentence I don't avoid using it day to day) and couple of audible cracks and suddenly palm is flat on ground. Initially thought something bad had happened and waited for intense pain, but nothing. Stood up, looked at hand. Where once there had been a bump 3-4cm long had shrunk to something perhaps 1cm long, and completely free movement in finger. Put hands palm to palm. No gap. Finger completely straight.

Now it is a couple of hours since. Hand is still flat. There is no swelling, no pain. If anything there is a tiny bit of soreness but had the above not happened it wouldn't be worth mentioning.

Has anything similar happened to anyone else? And where there any effects?

At the minute my thoughts are
(a) Great, it might be a (temporary) improvement, assume it will progress again. But it will take time to get back to where it was.

or, (b) if it has snapped something then could it make the hand degenerate a lot more rapidly than it was? I also have no idea what has snapped/cracked/dislodged so I'm hoping that the tendon isn't just suddenly going to go leaving me with a non-moving finger.

I'm going to head up to the hospital tomorrow and see if they can take a look to check it out - will feedback if they say anything useful.

What have you been eating/drinking/smoking ? Whatever it is I want some!!

Happy for you,
Ray

Once in a while someone reports that a cord was torn accidentially and the finger is again straight. As newman wrote, NA basically does the same thing but intentionally and controlled. You probably don't need to worry if you don't have any pain or problems but if you might show your hand to a doctor to make sure everything is OK. Anyway, you saved the expense for NA (though this is not a recommended procedure ...).

Wolfgang

Ganglion cysts were also called bible cysts because you would hold your hand flat( they were often in the wrist) and slam it wuth a bible to rupture it. In spite of our complaints medicine has improved.