Sorry, couldn't resist replying, its all in GOOD FUN and you KNOW despite all the crap I am experiencing in undiagnosed limboland that this reply is a SURE indication that I am still me! LOL and as a post script this was actually FUN for me to write. LOL
Wright is RIGHT about the Anatomy. I just wanted to help explain some of the " WHY's" to this. Why if there are no muscles in my fingers do they look funny?
Okay. I do have a bit of knowledge about anatomy/physiology and kinesiology and have worked on MANY hands in the past 10 years as a part of my job, but am NOT a certified hand therapist. I do not have a masters degree, but an associate of applied science in Occupational Therapy and am nationally certified and liscensed to practice OT. I am telling you this because the things I share with you regarding hands aren't (usually
)) just a guess. I consult books and other therapists frequently when I feel like I am guessing. I am not a huge anatomy GURU and am much more interested in helping people to regain or maintain function as it applies to their daily lives.
Wow, I am really blabbing. Sorry. I am a huge advocate for OT.
I help people strengthen them, stretch them, find ways to compensate for loss of them, massage them, stimulate them, order splints for them and educate them and caregivers on how to protect them.....
I think we need to get a video conference going "ALL ABOUT HANDS!"
There are MANY muscles in your hand and forearm that control your hand/fingers.wrist. This is where the majority of muscles are located that control hand function- I encourage all of you to google hand anatomy illustrations. The hand is VERY complex! There are some muscles that insert (end) just past your first knuckle, though the area I believe Robert is referring to where they look sort of puffy are his MCP's- (on the back side of his hand)
A lot of times there is more than one muscle needed to move a joint, rather a whole team effort.
Nerve problems can also cause hand problems. Oftentimes in MANY neurological conditions nerves AND muscles are affected.
A number of problems can cause your fingers to "waste" or appear different.
- spastic tone and its opposite- flacid tone can literally deform fingers and cause them to take on all sorts of bizarre appearances. Inactvity due to paralysis and weakness causes tendons and ligaments to shrink which causes the "curling" so it is imoprtant to stretch and massage those things even if you can't or it wouldn't be beneficial to actually exercise them.
When the myelin sheath becomes damaged- as in Guillan Barre'- it is literally like if you take a straw out of its wrapper and then try putting that straw back in a crumpled wrapper. Tough, eh?
So I guess what I meant to say is that YES! Your fingers can look different from neuro problems. Your fingers CAN weaken even though there aren't actual muscles attached to the top of them. Muscles are needed to straighten, bend, spread, pull apart your fingers.
Hope this helped.