First before I ask this dumb question, let me assure you that I'm in no way, no shape, no form planning on doing this. I was just joking with some of my buddies about this and I got curious.

If I were to get REALLY, REALLY, REALLY drunk and then had a few of my friends hold my arm down and a third one took my bent pinky and forcefully snapped it back straight, what would happen. Besides it hurting like hell, what would the later effects be on my hand and finger?

Like I said I would never do this, but I'd bet anything in the history of DC somebody has tried this. NOT ME, NO WAY!! I'm just curious as to what would happen.

Carl:

There is no such thing as a dumb question.

Based on what I've been told by two doctors, your solution might actually work, although I certainly wouldn't advise that you try it.

Here's the basis for my statement...

My Naturopathic Doctor told me that he has a patient who has Dupuytren’s Disease & also plays Volleyball.

One day that patient rose above the net & smacked the ball as hard as he could.

He heard a snap, and guess what?

Yep.

I was a bit incredulous, so I asked Dr. Denkler about this when I had my N.A. done last month.

Keith said that it is entirely possible that the force of hitting the volleyball could have snapped the DD cord.

So, there you go.

Mark

Carl:

I'm no doctor.

But my strong suspicion is that if you try to get a 'free N.A. substitute' from your muscle-bound buddies, you'll be going to Dr. Benhaim or Dr. Denkler anyway -- to fix the other parts of your hand that you ruinied in the process.

And yes, I initally thought my Naturopath was joking when he told me about the Volleyball player's solution.

But when you think about it, the essence of N.A. is nothing more than weakeing the DD cords so that the surgeon can snap them.

So, I suppose it wouldn't be such a bad idea to join a Volleyball team before you try N.A.

Mark

Dear old dad told me the following story rather sheepishly..... one night after a more then a few...he decided he was going to fix the problem himself with a *hammer*. He says it doesn't work. Marks are left in the dining room table, the wife gets angry, yells a bunch of unpleasant things, takes away your substance, then sends you to bed. Oh....and apparently it hurts like the dickens yet doesn't improve the fingers at all - no matter how hard you swing.

Perhaps this is the true origin of the expession '...getting hammered'.

Frances

I can visualize a couple of drunk vikings around a fire also trying to fix their fingers like this. 'Here Yon, you hold yours first, I'll swing...hick...then you do mine.'