Based on my experience (2 surgeries) your recovery at this point is normal. The swelling takes months to completely go away. Keep doing the PT, it's critically important in regaining ROM.

dafuser,
I only went to the therapist once to get the custom hand splint. My surgeon said that all of the exercises could be done on my own time just as well. I believe he was correct if a person sticks with it. Most valuable was the scar massaging (with the lotion) and flexing the hand all during the day.

On a recent meeting of hand surgeons in Germany one of them said that PT is best done by the patient himself because therapists tend to work the hand too much and the patient knows better what hurts and what helps. But it requires discipline to regularly exercise for months. You might ask your doctor to show you what you can do yourself and then keep doing it. Cheap and probably the best way.

Wolfgang

wach,
Thank you for confirming what I have found. My surgeon basically said what you have suggested. For me it was better to do the exercises on my own all during the day. I never felt that I had to work the fingers in a painful way. Working the fingers too hard created some swelling, I thought. I always pushed to what I felt necessary. The constant stretching and trying to make a fist worked great and could casually be done most of the day. It wasn't exactly prescribed that way by the exercises, but worked well.

defuser, I'll be interested in what the surgeon tells you. Please report back.

I saw the hand surgeon today and he was disappointed in my progress so far. He X-Rayed my hand and said everything looked normal except for some Art in the joints nearest my finger tips on all my fingers.

We did some finger exercises and stretches and he said continuing the various exercises was the key to recovery. He said he wanted to make sure I had as full of a recovery as possible. After about 15 minutes of finger exercises he said I was now able to move my fingers much better when when I first arrived in his office.

He asked if I thought I was getting much out of the therapy and I said not really, since the therapy was not a one on one session, but shared with up to five other people. I told the surgeon I thought I could do as well at home myself.

The doctor did not seem completely happy with the idea of my abandoning supervised therapy. He said he would talk to the therapist and get back to me in a couple of days with a plan. He said to exercise the fingers as much as possible everyday at home and at the office.

The forum advice about not giving up on the rehab and to continue the rehab vigorously everyday was echoed by the doctor today.

When the surgeon calls me after talking to the therapist, I'll pass along what they suggest.

I appreciate all the advice from the forum and will continue the rehab everyday and hopefully see some positive results.