Finger freezig

I will not be seeing my ALS Neurologist until September.. In the meantime, I have been experiencing frozen fingers. It's painful and I have to physically unlock them. I've google this and cannot find where this is a symptom of ALS. Does anyone else with ALS have this problem? Is it the beginning of the clawed hand(s)?

Deb

Are you able to use your hands - can you move your fingers at will (when they aren't frozen).

Are the freezing up when you are asleep or inactive for a while, or in a certain position?

Not sure if this is what u mean, but certain fingers of mine and my thumbs get like a painful cramp that forces them to curl and lock inwards . The only way to unlock them is to physically pull them out and straight. Certain movements or actions seem to trigger it

Only 2 fingers r curled and have been for 3 years , so if it sounds like that I don't think it's the start of a claw hand just strong cramping

Deb, as Kitty said it's likely cramps or spasms. My index & middle finger used to lock in spasm, mainly if I asked too much of them!

Now is a good time to start hand massage and ROM exercises on finger joints & wrists.

Yep, I get the lock up often. You have to pry them open then I try to stretch them. I also wrap my hand and forearm in a heating pad. I helps with the pain and flexibility. I have read here that a lot of this is actually caused by weakened forearm muscles in addition to the hand.

Yep I get this quite a bit when getting dressed. Pulling trousers up usually sets it off. I think as tripete says it's more forearm muscles setting it off. My fingers are still quite strong but my arm muscles are really weak. Massage is the only thing that helps me.
Wendy X

I can move my fingers, but they are getting weaker. The freezing of my fingers used to happen when I tried to pick up something in an awkward way. Yesterday it happened when I was trying to put on makeup. From the replies, it appears this is an ALS symptom. My OT gave me putty to work with and a stretching band.. I have been using these and ROM exercises from the PT, but they both said not to overdo it (I tend to be an overachiever LOL - boy, has that changed). Sorry that my fellow PALS are going through this too.

Hugs,
Deb

My thumbs have recently started to lock up, mostly on my left hand. It is a weird feeling, but not painful. I just move my thump out of the locked position and continue with what I am doing.

My husband has the same thing happening. And I thought menstrual cramps were bad....

Tillie has a great video on massage of the hand and arms.
My hands & fingers don't work a bit. They are totally curled in and thumb has nothing going on. I stretch by looped fingers over pwc arms and pulling back , I do this all day long very slowly. Never do they get very far but don't want them to dig into palm of hand or start to stink. Love ya chally

I get cramps in my fingers and they sometimes curl to where I pry them open. So far my fingers recover, but my arm never did come back ans is getting weaker.

I get that in my toes and have to pry them open. My left hand is sort of stiff and uncoordinated.

Yes, Kim, I used to have this happen in my toes too. Now my toes don't move at all in my right foot, and only the big toe moves slightly in my left foot. The frozen fingers do not happen very often, but it was scary at first. Knowing others with ALS have the same thing helps.

Hugs,
Deb

Lots of ROM, and as it got worse I started wearing hand splints at night.

yes I have had this for a few years, I think it was the start of my muscle atrophy in my right hand. Index finger cramps down and I have to pull it up, same with the ring finger. I have no muscle left in my right hand now and it is spreading to my forearm and my right leg. My hand also gets icy cold if I have it in one place too long (like on my computer mouse) I'm right handed so daily tasks are very difficult.