I'm 20 years old, a health care student, and currently 4 months post op to a non dominant index FDP tendon injury. Similar to all of us having worries not being able to do something we truly love, my biggest worries were if I will ever be able to become a surgeon. Some doctors recommended me not to do the surgery because it will not be normal again, and I took all the risks for my dream. As I was doing my training, talking to patients while I was a patient myself was truly humbling. It made me see all patients as utter heroes. There is surgery, then casting, then splinting, then physical therapy with passive then active mobility then strength exercises... and it is all uncertain. I understand all these uncertainty feelings. I understand the amount of mental resilience PT needs. It is hard because you don't get to see improvement on the short term. I know how heavy it feels, and I understand all of your concerns to a personal level. It's not simple, don't let anyone tell you it is just a pinkie!! I came specifically to tell you YES YOU CAN GOLF AGAIN. Through your healing journey put this sentence in your heart "Slowly but surely". the swelling will get better, the scar will get better, the mobility will get better, the strength will get better, and your golfing will get exceptionally better. PT is time consuming and needs a lot of commitment. It sounds crazy to say that but, enjoy it. Surgery is terrifying, cast is painful, recovery is frustrating, but is it worth it? Will the finger be the same again? *Who cares..* I'll list for you some of the stuff I'm grateful for: I learnt how to respect patients in a way I will never forget. The sympathy I am able to provide for my patients in the future is all worth it. I was worried about becoming a surgeon, but now I am considering hand surgery on top of the specialties I want. I loved electronic journaling and I wasn't able to do that, now I'm learning how to hold a pen with my injured non dominant hand, my handwriting is cute I must say. without the surgery, I would have not loved my finger the way I am now, it is the prittiest index I've ever seen, it is a piece of art and so is yours. It gives you strength later on that a lot of challenges dont reach up to that one. What a rich journey it has been, yes It is worth it. This is what crosses my mind and I'm pretty sure you will have a much much longer list very soon. Even Mr. Kincaid was able due to his surgery to offer wonders on his channel, I knew first about him when I was wearing the cast, he is truly the kindest person. He, as well, is a hero who made all of us connect together. Be gentle on yourself and don't blame anyone for the injury or the surgery, for what happened or what will happen. Forgive any mistake you make that is related to the injury (physically and emotionally). And accept and embrace any feeling you have no matter what it was. *What can you do now 5 weeks post surgery?* 1- Follow your doctors' advices, they are really trustworthy. If you have any concerns ask them, they will be more than happy to answer what they can. 2- Embrace it all (Heavy emotions are not negative in nature, surprisingly, they can even become nostalgic). 3- Don't be hard on your pinkie (until week 12 your pinkie is still a fragile baby that needs extra care). Don't do things too hard. 4- Give it time, slowly but surely.. *Now for the golf grip I will give you multiple great news:* - Did you notice how Mr. Kincaid's ring finger became stronger? And similarly I think you also noticed that every-day tasks became easier on the last day of the cast compared to the first. The adaptation of the body is a wonderful gift from God. Your hand will adapt to grip in the best possible way. - The pinkie finger, like all other fingers except thump, has 2 flexors: FDP and FDS. To describe your current situation I would say: 2 flexors, one was injured but now is on the way towards recovery, the other is getting stronger and more responsible of your golfing than you even are. It will get stronger and make your pinkie a super pinkie. You are gonna be fine.. you are safe.. I totally respect Mr. Kincaid's opinion but I do have *contrasting concepts,* "DON'T DO ACTIVE MOVEMENT UNLESS THE DOCTORS TELL YOU TO DO SO". Rupturing is very likely and a graft might be needed for another surgery. Every surgery is different, by the type of sutures, by the location of the injury, the affection of the nerve, and by the time since the injury happened. Consult your doctor before doing anything on your own. For PT I honestly don't want to recommend anything because it depends on many factors, adress all your concerns to your physical therapist and follow their orders. Home PT commitment is CRUCIAL. The tendon gets shorter, but it gets longer slowly as you do your hand exercises day by day. *Again I won't recommend anything, but what I need you to discuss with your doctors is:* -How often and how should I message my finger? -How often should I do the exercises? -When should I wear and remove my splints? -When can I start holding heavy weights? *Results:* Anything can happen. It takes time so don't be frustrated if you see no results in a week or two. It takes months before you start seeing the finger move, for the scar tissue to decrease, swelling to decrease, finger to extend, grip to improve.. They can even return back to normal. Having different variations of injuries and results, dominancy of hand, and numbers fingers injured, it all makes the community rich with lots of stories and lessons. I am planning to do a resarch to enhance the quality of the physical therapy of the flexor tendon injuries. Email me at flexor.tendon.injury@gmail.com if you want to help. Should you have done the surgery? Yes.. You would regret it if you haden't done it anyway. You chose to be brave, so i'm proud of you. God is merciful, doesn't give you a thing unless you are able to handle it fully.. Hang in there.. You just entered through the door that opens towards a fascinating world.. I apologize if anything I said was hurtful in any way, if it was please let me know. If you have any question feel free to ask me anything, I will always come and reply to this comment.
Thanks for your comment. Your insight and intuition will serve you well. You're exactly the type of surgeon that I would feel most comfortable with. Don't ever lose your caring attitude as a surgeon.
Am from india am 21 yrs old.. i have done my surgery after 3 month of injury in dominent index finger zone 3.. now i'm post op 8 wks still in splint .. and doing exercises... Actually not fully bent my finger ... Don't know is it getting a grip fist over time... What you guys suggest? Pls answer ... Thank you 😌
Nice advises Mike you give to this young guy. I also had flexor tendon repair of the small finger of my right hand(dominant hand also..). I once posted on your youtube videos where I was in the first weeks of fiziotherapy also, suffering a lot of psychological trauma from the incident. Now I am 6 months after surgery and I can say the I do not think at all about the finger, very rarely and it doesn't interfere in any of my activities like work, driving or the gym. My finger can straighten perfectly, I guess for me they didn't cut the ends(maybe I made for myself a clean cut lol when I injured the finger). Like you, the tip of the finger slightly moves, my total active range of motion is around 220-230; for the left small finger it is 285-289, so the finger is working somewhere around 70-75% the way it used to work. Today I went to a surgeon to show my results and to discuss about the possibility of the second surgery(tenolysis). I am considering doing it in 2-3 months this surgery. I told the surgeon that even though it may be unlikely I want it working as my left small finger; he didn't say that it won't be like that, he just said we will improve it. I will give an update how things will go after this surgery, maybe you and those who had similar injuries may consider this second surgery to remove the scar tissue. But in the end, if you are happy or accepted the way your finger works then of course you can chose not to have surgery.
You’ve got this Dude! I hiked a trail that a marine doubted that I could hike! He didn’t even know that I had recently went through therapy after a complete ACL tear and surgery. I DID IT! YOU CAN! Keep going!
This is the warning I needed, so thank you again your not only teaching me about rooting roses etc. but I take this to be a warning, perhaps from above, to rethink having finger surgery for 'trigger finger' also known as 'stenosing tenosynovitis'. People around me have been encouraging me to have finger surgery, after hearing your story I now know I can live and would rather live with the occasional stiffness and fingers joints locking up once in a while, rather than wind up with scar tissue & worse problems from surgery in the end. Recently discovered your channel, videos & learned of your injuries. I'm so glad your feeling better & very kind of you to reach out to Ryan. Thank you and God Bless you!
I appreciate your comment and sorry to hear your finger is giving you trouble. Obviously, I'm not a doctor and can't give medical advice. I just explain all of this from my experience and the decisions I've made for me. That being said, it's a tough surgery to go through and there is a ton of scar tissue. In my opinion, the problem is worse after the surgery, and the finger still doesn't work where I injured it. My 2 cents is, you can always have the surgery but you can't undo the surgery once it's done. If you're unsure at all, take more time to think about it. Talk to others who have had this surgery and get their opinions. Good luck and God bless you as well!
Hey Mike, I love that your giving this kid an alternative and acceptance is crucial to recovery. I am a 54yr old woman who has snapped both flexor tendons on both pinkies at different times of my life. The right hand also sustained a full 90 degree hyper break thru the skin from skateboarding. I am a golfer and a massage therapist/Myotherapist who also renovates houses and woodworker so every finger is crucial to my work and my passions. I have full movement, motion flex ion in both pinkie fingers. I went down the conventional path that created a huge amount of scar tissue and inflammation, lack of range etc and lots of pain at night in bed, being forced to tape my fingers to the ring fingers just to get thru the night. Short story of what I did to get my full range back. Nootropics BPC157 nasal spray everyday…like yr fungi’s, this is for gut flora and healing on a dynamic level. No sugar.grains, chemicals. Clean pure water, very little meat and no dairy…fasting for 1-3 days once a month. Scraping /Gua sha/Graston its all simply scraping the skin with a blunt tool like a ceramic Chinese spoon…this breaks up the scar tissue and releases the fascia …immediatley after i ice/heat 15 mins on/off for 1 x hr…i did this whenever i felt tightness creeping in…at first i did this a few times per week. Qi Gong cupping arms and full body…you will have to look into this as there is a dynamic flow pattern to follow and too much to go into here. Followed by a 10 min Qi Gong session opens the meridians in the body…if just 1 x meridian is blocked it will create infection/ poor blood flow/lack of nutrients to the site etc. Also helps dissolve anger. And lastly Urine therapy…the oldest and most effective therapy in our history. Our bodies are created with a built in healing system of chemicals specifically developed for each of us,,,in western culture we literally piss it down the toilet..www.bitchute.com/video/m47n2ML0hzjD/ if you cant get yr head around this you can inject into my gluteal, I use insulin needles so much smaller and less painful and then i gently use my massage gun over the injection site a few hours later. Ive noticed this also helps reduce wrinkles and wiping over my arms and legs i dont get mozzie bites. No idea why, yet it seems to work for me. The later I’ve been doing to stop the arthritis from breaking my back, and that’s been great since. In Qi Gong there is a specific move where your seated, knees bent feet on floor, palms flat behind straightish arms fingers pointing to yr bum. This takes time to achieve, yet helps the blood flow and blockages that occur with this injury. Also very important…scrape the outside of the hand, full palm, backs, wrists and forearm. I then use my massage gun on upper arm and shoulder blades and in between down to the kidneys ( very gentle here), gluteus etc. Please don’t run this by yr doctors/physio they will most likely want to lock you up…or me. It’s vital to stop pain meds too, especially opiates as they block yr meridians and starve yr injury of nutrients. 🙏🙏🙏💕 ps. I was still able to play 9 x rounds of golf every week till I was 42…until renovations and wood working took that time. Pss… tel the kid to use a BIONIC GOLF GLOVE ON THE BAD HAND. They will add to his grip ability.
Hi Mike, I admire your courage for being vulnerable online. You don't shy away from the truth. This video must be hard for Ryan to watch but I'm sure he'll understand you are giving him the best message he can get right now. You are a great guy Mike!
I would like to thank you for making these detailed videos. I lacerated my tendon in my left index finger (zone I) and had surgery in May. Unfortunately, my tendon ruptured again unknowingly and now have to deal with nerve damage and deep scar tissue. It’s been a hard struggle and 2nd stage reconstruction is not recommended due to the risk of less mobility. However, I’m thankful for you giving me hope during the tough times I had. Needed someone that I can relate to. Although it didn’t work out, I am glad I have my hand back, less function, but it’s there.
Glad you were able to find some comfort in these videos. It's a tough injury to deal with and it's hard for people to understand unless it happens to them. Glad you are finding peace.
bro i always watched ur vids when I'm feeling down because i had a flexon injury 3 months ago, u helped me recover and i just wanna say thank you from the bottom of my heart
Hi Mike, I've been enjoying your gardening videos and I admire your knowledge of it, especially with figs. I've recently become a true figaholic/fig hunter. When this video about your finger came on, I had my 12 year old son Luka come sit down and watch it with me. Luka accidentally cut his pinky and ring fingers down to the bone in the kitchen with a big knife. This happened in January and he's still recovering from it and the surgery that it took to reattach the tendons and nerves. His fingers look like they'll never be the same as you described. He's still young and I've also encouraged him to do some strength training with light weights so hopefully he'll at least regain function to some extent. As we were watching the video he got up and put our Perfect Pullup bar on the doorway and he's holding on with his hands and just hanging for as long as he can to help build strength. Anyways, thank you for giving him hope and some clarity on what to expect. Best regards, Nick
Sorry to hear about the injury but glad the video was helpful. It's definitely a tough injury to heal from both physically and mentally. Tell him to keep working hard and don't give up hope. All the best!
A few months back, i left a comment on one of your old videos about my pinky tendon injury. At the time, i couldn't bend pinky at all. I didn't know if my tendon was completely torn or fully torn since i never went to go get it checked out but months passed, i have gained full range of motion on my pinky, BUT it still hurts. It's sore, and it's weak, but the range is there. Never had surgery, i decided not to because of your videos. I do not regret it. i do stretching exercises and bending exercises on a daily. It's been 8 months so far since, and I'm making progress but i was just. I wondering when the pain went away for you. It's more like a soreness pain. I started lifing weights again like 4 months in and it's just been getting better and better each time i lift weights.
That's great to hear. It's heal up just fine. I had pretty bad soreness for about a year and then it get better and better. It's been 4 years now and I don't have any soreness in the finger but it's pretty gummed up with scar tissue. Sounds like you made the right decision.
I had injury on where I work left hand middle finger and ring finger tip got tendon and nerve cut it's been 1 month I bin watching your all recovery video thank you for your positive advice keep gooing you Mikey you can teach anything your voice and talking attractive for listen
My mother in laws passion and how she earned money was being a seamstress. She lost her right thumb in an accident. That woman found a new way to hold a tiny needle and scissors and carried on. You got this Ryan 👍🏻💪. Also not sure if this will help, if it was just a fluke but I dropped my hand into a vat of grease at 425F and had 2nd & 3rd degree burns to my right hand. A neighbour told my parents that as soon as my skin healed over to break open Vitamin E capsules and massage into the scars to help with the tightness. I remember doing this every day for a very long time. To this day (53yrs) I don't have issues.
Hi Mike! You are such a nice guy! It was so nice of you to take time to help someone going through a difficult time. You were able to help him because you had a similar experience. Accepting that your body will never function the same, but you can make adjustments to do the things you did before, was great advice. It's difficult to accept that life will never be the same. That is the most difficult part of healing. As we grow older there are going to be many things that we aren't able to do as before or maybe we just have to change how we do things. It's not an easy thing to accept for anyone, but just a part of life. Accepting what comes our way is the first step to truly healing. God Bless you 🙏 for being the compassionate man you are and for taking time to help another person going through a difficult time! 🙏 Merry Christmas and a healthy, Happy New Year to you, Shellie and your precious girls!!
Thanks Marcia, you put it so beautifully. The mental acceptance is the most difficult part but if we can beat that then we've got this life thing figured out. Happy New Year!
Ryan, conquere the emotional and mental part and the rest is a breeze! I know you can do it! Don't forget about us when you will be a famous and rich golfer! God bless you! Hugs
Had pinky surgery yesterday to release tendons from scar tissue built up from previous surgery. Looking forward to bend finger at all. Baby steps. Thanks for the positive outlook!
Hey Mike you are the best! Caring for your fellow neighbor, it's what we are supposed to do! I am so glad that you finally, it's a long tine now, came to terms with it! In everything this is our biggest problem! The emotional and psychological is the hardest to control, the faster you do that, the easier is to heal because you give your body permission to heal. I don't know why we are so stubborn but we are and that's detrimental to us, and honestly we learn that very slow.....at least I am! Good to see you my friend, always is! Have a fantastic week! Hugs to you and your girls. P.s. by the way you learn a lot about your family in those times!🤗💜🤗
Ok, I am drawn to leave a comment just to thank you Mike for posting these videos and sharing your experience. I am an American currently living in China and suffered Jersey Finger on my left ring finger while playing soccer. Had surgery 6 weeks ago here in China and just this week got the ok from the doctor to start moving the finger. They had to use a suture anchor to reattach the tendon to the bone because it had completely detached so I assume this is the reason they had me wait so long to begin moving it. As you can imagine, there is significant scar tissue buildup in my finger similar to yours and im not sure if I will ever be able to move it properly again. But anyways, your videos have helped a lot to provide perspective and to understand what I will more than likely experience through each stage of the recovery process. Thank you!
Sorry to hear about your injury. I hope it heals up well and you can get that finger moving again. I'm glad the videos are helpful for you. Good luck in your recovery!
The very first time I played golf, I was first and hooked two balls into the farmer's field before one went straight. The gentleman we were playing with only had his left arm. He got up and smacked the ball right down the center of the fairway at least 200 yards and he continued to do that the rest of the round. As I continued to golf and got better over time, I wondered if the handicap that guy had wasn't a benefit, and I will never forget that experience.
Ryan, Mike did it, you can to, you got this. Bless you sweetie and good luck. Listen to Mike,he wouldn't lead you wrong,he is a good man. And Mike, I'm really glad you survived your ordeal with your fingers, you really got to be more careful and so do I. Everyone out there,be safe and have a very Merry Christmas ⛄🎄⛄🎄⛄🎄⛄🎄⛄ and a Happy New Year
23:04 I agree! If you are contemplating of doing this specific surgery, don't!. It's not worth the physical and emotional trauma, pain, stress and money. In my opinion, this type of surgery should not be performed until the technology advances. I did 3 months of physical therapy and eventually gave up because the results are very, very poor for most people. The pinky is the worst because it's 50% of your hand strength 💔. I still use the LMB splint now and then but is basically worthless. Good luck to anyone going through this and I am deeply sorry.
Ya brother thanks for your story. I just uploaded my story today. A 39 plus minute video lol I’m still so confused about whether I should do surgery. Sucks man. My common sense says ya I don’t want to do anymore damage and cause more arthritis and scar tissue. But I’m a singer songwriter guitar player. With my finger rotated I feel if they went in there to resaw through the bone and put it in the proper alignment it would help relieve this pressure on my joints since the flexor tendon feels contracted as it’s rotated more. And if it was more straight it would be better off. But man it’s a risk. Tendon could adhere to the pins and scar tissue. Could be more stiff. I’m at a point where I’m accepting it. But man when a surgeon tells you 80% chance he could make it better and 20% he could make it worse sounds promising. But no guarantees. I’ll check out that documentary you said
Hey mike new subscriber here❤ I’m 22 and I’m a suffering the exact injury on the 28th will be a year since my injury! I’m a cosmetologist 😅and I feel like my career is over before it even started, they say the swelling goes down but it’s still here and same as you the tip just does not want to come down, I haven’t had the chance to watch all your videos but the cut and dry question is did you go through with the second surgery? If so did it help? If not did your swelling subside and grip come back fully on their own or do you genuinely not have any motion any longer in the tip of your pinky? No one can ever understand what this is like mentally and physically but us and I just want to say you’ve inspired me to share my journey
This is a very tough thing to go through mentally but the more time that goes by, the better you come to accept it. I didn't have another surgery and the tip of my finger still doesn't work. I've become use to it over time. Don't ever sell yourself short or make excuses for not becoming what you want to become or doing what you want to do. There is a story about a famous rock climber who set climbing records after losing a finger. There are many stories of people doing amazing things with only 1 arm or 1 leg, or any number of other disabilities. I'm a nurse and use my hands every day and it hasn't stopped me. Keep going and keep your head up. I wouldn't have another surgery but that's just me.
He will mike I lost my leg 20 years ago and I’m above knee and not to make it sound easy because it is so far from that now below knee is way different and when it comes to the mental part of it that was way hard I put a truck in the lake near my house and a lot of other stuff but if it gets to much to deal with go get help I did and I really need it my whole life changed I can’t get a fake leg 🦵 because of other medical problems but let him know it is not a bad thing to get help that is all I wanted to say over time I’ve accepted it and just found other things to keep me busy like a garden and I also have over 14 fruit trees and that is new and I have a fig tree as well lol okay hope it helps
@@MikeKincaid79 no mike I’m not able to get one I’ve tried so many times and different types and because of what caused all this to happen to me at age 40 is what’s stopping me from getting one so now after the fight of not getting into a wheelchair my big mistake I’m stuck to being in one fully now if I would of used the chair with crutches ied be in a better place but fighting it now I’m in one all day every day but like I said I’ve accepted it and moved on to do what I can and still enjoy life that I can I do see me moving to warmer state other then New York winter is just to much but that is after my grandson is out of school he lives with me then I think Virginia is where I might go but thanks for the reply just trying to help someone who is struggling and hope they get help if it becomes to much it was for me till I look at it differently now thanks and I love ur channel I’m going to keep watching I’ve learned a lot the most is just try it and keep trying thanks again
I've injured my right index finger a month ago and the doctor just sewed everything up. He said I can have reconstruction surgery later maybe after a year. As of now I can't move my index finger and being right handed and a student I'm scared and frustrated thinking how my life will be from now.Can you suggest something
I'm sorry to hear about your injury, Evan, but I'm not a medical doctor and so the only suggestion I can make is to get another opinion if you don't like that doctor's answer.
@@MikeKincaid79 Thank you so much This journey has been a bit easier by watching your journey...people has been saying it's just a finger and it's not a big deal....but watching your videos I felt at least someone understand what I'm going through...so thank you
Hey mike. Three of my finger are broken and since I opened the cast, I cant bend my finger. I go to physiotherapy but it is very very painful and my physiothrrapist an my doctor believ that is normal and I have to endure this severe pain. They bend my finger by force and I cry every day and I hurt. I want know about your treatment method and your situation under treatment period. It would be grateful if you could help me because I am going through a very difficult situation.
I'm not a medical doctor and can't give medical advice but what I can tell you is from my experience. You should definitely do what your doctor and physical therapists are recommending. Move those fingers and exercise them even if it's painful. Use pain medicine before doing the exercises. I know this sounds crazy but it's a blessing that you just broke them and didn't sever the tendons. You want to keep them moving because you don't want scar tissue adhering to the tendons and locking them down. Then it will be much worse. Trust your doctor and suffer through the pain now for a lifetime of finger mobility. Knowing what I know now, I wish I had only broken the finger instead of cut the tendon.
Hi.. I’m at week 4.5 and have the same injury but it’s to my thumb… the doctor said the thumb is 50% of the hand movement.. I still can’t seem to bend the tip despite exercising daily and massaging the wound.. any advice, words of wisdom?? It would save my life right now if anyone would reply as I am so low… I’ve also recently become a mother which is making everything so much harder and filling me with guilt ☹️😔
I'm so sorry to hear that. A pinky is bad enough but a thumb is a very difficult injury to get through since it's absolutely essential. Get that thumb moving as much as possible with active range of motion as soon as the doctor lets you. That's the one finger I'd make an exception for to go back and have a second surgery to free up scar tissue. It's a very tough injury to go through. If you need to talk, I'm here. Good luck and just love that new baby all you can right now.
Yes, my finger still works for typing, and I can type fairly quickly, although I have adjusted to using my ring finger for some of the more difficult to reach keys that my pinky can't stretch to. Trust me, it's not a problem. I was worried about that too as my job entails lots of typing.
@@MikeKincaid79 yes my surgeon suggested vigorous massage of the surgical area and continuous application of either a silicone sheet or silicone gel directly to the scar to (possibly) reduce initial scar formation. My surgeon was in total agreement with your gut feeling which was to get that tendon mobilized asap and not keep it stationary because exactly like you said the risk of developing adhesions is much greater than the risk of the tendon snapping (which would require a very large force)
Here's a playlist of the whole recovery process: ruclips.net/p/PLpmpssr45yfPYcLFY17ouccZZNdfvtH6I
Update on the shoulder injuyfrom 4 years ago???
I'm 20 years old, a health care student, and currently 4 months post op to a non dominant index FDP tendon injury. Similar to all of us having worries not being able to do something we truly love, my biggest worries were if I will ever be able to become a surgeon. Some doctors recommended me not to do the surgery because it will not be normal again, and I took all the risks for my dream. As I was doing my training, talking to patients while I was a patient myself was truly humbling. It made me see all patients as utter heroes.
There is surgery, then casting, then splinting, then physical therapy with passive then active mobility then strength exercises... and it is all uncertain. I understand all these uncertainty feelings. I understand the amount of mental resilience PT needs. It is hard because you don't get to see improvement on the short term. I know how heavy it feels, and I understand all of your concerns to a personal level. It's not simple, don't let anyone tell you it is just a pinkie!!
I came specifically to tell you YES YOU CAN GOLF AGAIN. Through your healing journey put this sentence in your heart "Slowly but surely". the swelling will get better, the scar will get better, the mobility will get better, the strength will get better, and your golfing will get exceptionally better. PT is time consuming and needs a lot of commitment. It sounds crazy to say that but, enjoy it. Surgery is terrifying, cast is painful, recovery is frustrating, but is it worth it? Will the finger be the same again? *Who cares..* I'll list for you some of the stuff I'm grateful for: I learnt how to respect patients in a way I will never forget. The sympathy I am able to provide for my patients in the future is all worth it. I was worried about becoming a surgeon, but now I am considering hand surgery on top of the specialties I want. I loved electronic journaling and I wasn't able to do that, now I'm learning how to hold a pen with my injured non dominant hand, my handwriting is cute I must say. without the surgery, I would have not loved my finger the way I am now, it is the prittiest index I've ever seen, it is a piece of art and so is yours. It gives you strength later on that a lot of challenges dont reach up to that one. What a rich journey it has been, yes It is worth it. This is what crosses my mind and I'm pretty sure you will have a much much longer list very soon. Even Mr. Kincaid was able due to his surgery to offer wonders on his channel, I knew first about him when I was wearing the cast, he is truly the kindest person. He, as well, is a hero who made all of us connect together.
Be gentle on yourself and don't blame anyone for the injury or the surgery, for what happened or what will happen. Forgive any mistake you make that is related to the injury (physically and emotionally). And accept and embrace any feeling you have no matter what it was.
*What can you do now 5 weeks post surgery?*
1- Follow your doctors' advices, they are really trustworthy. If you have any concerns ask them, they will be more than happy to answer what they can.
2- Embrace it all (Heavy emotions are not negative in nature, surprisingly, they can even become nostalgic).
3- Don't be hard on your pinkie (until week 12 your pinkie is still a fragile baby that needs extra care). Don't do things too hard.
4- Give it time, slowly but surely..
*Now for the golf grip I will give you multiple great news:*
- Did you notice how Mr. Kincaid's ring finger became stronger? And similarly I think you also noticed that every-day tasks became easier on the last day of the cast compared to the first. The adaptation of the body is a wonderful gift from God. Your hand will adapt to grip in the best possible way.
- The pinkie finger, like all other fingers except thump, has 2 flexors: FDP and FDS. To describe your current situation I would say: 2 flexors, one was injured but now is on the way towards recovery, the other is getting stronger and more responsible of your golfing than you even are. It will get stronger and make your pinkie a super pinkie. You are gonna be fine.. you are safe..
I totally respect Mr. Kincaid's opinion but I do have *contrasting concepts,* "DON'T DO ACTIVE MOVEMENT UNLESS THE DOCTORS TELL YOU TO DO SO". Rupturing is very likely and a graft might be needed for another surgery. Every surgery is different, by the type of sutures, by the location of the injury, the affection of the nerve, and by the time since the injury happened. Consult your doctor before doing anything on your own. For PT I honestly don't want to recommend anything because it depends on many factors, adress all your concerns to your physical therapist and follow their orders. Home PT commitment is CRUCIAL. The tendon gets shorter, but it gets longer slowly as you do your hand exercises day by day.
*Again I won't recommend anything, but what I need you to discuss with your doctors is:*
-How often and how should I message my finger?
-How often should I do the exercises?
-When should I wear and remove my splints?
-When can I start holding heavy weights?
*Results:*
Anything can happen. It takes time so don't be frustrated if you see no results in a week or two. It takes months before you start seeing the finger move, for the scar tissue to decrease, swelling to decrease, finger to extend, grip to improve.. They can even return back to normal.
Having different variations of injuries and results, dominancy of hand, and numbers fingers injured, it all makes the community rich with lots of stories and lessons. I am planning to do a resarch to enhance the quality of the physical therapy of the flexor tendon injuries. Email me at flexor.tendon.injury@gmail.com if you want to help.
Should you have done the surgery? Yes.. You would regret it if you haden't done it anyway. You chose to be brave, so i'm proud of you.
God is merciful, doesn't give you a thing unless you are able to handle it fully.. Hang in there.. You just entered through the door that opens towards a fascinating world..
I apologize if anything I said was hurtful in any way, if it was please let me know. If you have any question feel free to ask me anything, I will always come and reply to this comment.
Thanks for your comment. Your insight and intuition will serve you well. You're exactly the type of surgeon that I would feel most comfortable with. Don't ever lose your caring attitude as a surgeon.
Am from india am 21 yrs old.. i have done my surgery after 3 month of injury in dominent index finger zone 3.. now i'm post op 8 wks still in splint .. and doing exercises... Actually not fully bent my finger ... Don't know is it getting a grip fist over time... What you guys suggest? Pls answer ... Thank you 😌
sent you an email was wondering how you are doing with pain if you're still able to see patients
@@dofoodything how's the recovery??
Nice advises Mike you give to this young guy. I also had flexor tendon repair of the small finger of my right hand(dominant hand also..). I once posted on your youtube videos where I was in the first weeks of fiziotherapy also, suffering a lot of psychological trauma from the incident. Now I am 6 months after surgery and I can say the I do not think at all about the finger, very rarely and it doesn't interfere in any of my activities like work, driving or the gym. My finger can straighten perfectly, I guess for me they didn't cut the ends(maybe I made for myself a clean cut lol when I injured the finger). Like you, the tip of the finger slightly moves, my total active range of motion is around 220-230; for the left small finger it is 285-289, so the finger is working somewhere around 70-75% the way it used to work. Today I went to a surgeon to show my results and to discuss about the possibility of the second surgery(tenolysis). I am considering doing it in 2-3 months this surgery. I told the surgeon that even though it may be unlikely I want it working as my left small finger; he didn't say that it won't be like that, he just said we will improve it. I will give an update how things will go after this surgery, maybe you and those who had similar injuries may consider this second surgery to remove the scar tissue. But in the end, if you are happy or accepted the way your finger works then of course you can chose not to have surgery.
I’d love to hear how the second surgery goes. Very interested in your story. Happy that you got so much mobility back
Can you make a fist
You’ve got this Dude! I hiked a trail that a marine doubted that I could hike! He didn’t even know that I had recently went through therapy after a complete ACL tear and surgery. I DID IT! YOU CAN! Keep going!
This is the warning I needed, so thank you again your not only teaching me about rooting roses etc. but I take this to be a warning, perhaps from above, to rethink having finger surgery for 'trigger finger' also known as 'stenosing tenosynovitis'. People around me have been encouraging me to have finger surgery, after hearing your story I now know I can live and would rather live with the occasional stiffness and fingers joints locking up once in a while, rather than wind up with scar tissue & worse problems from surgery in the end. Recently discovered your channel, videos & learned of your injuries. I'm so glad your feeling better & very kind of you to reach out to Ryan. Thank you and God Bless you!
I appreciate your comment and sorry to hear your finger is giving you trouble. Obviously, I'm not a doctor and can't give medical advice. I just explain all of this from my experience and the decisions I've made for me. That being said, it's a tough surgery to go through and there is a ton of scar tissue. In my opinion, the problem is worse after the surgery, and the finger still doesn't work where I injured it. My 2 cents is, you can always have the surgery but you can't undo the surgery once it's done. If you're unsure at all, take more time to think about it. Talk to others who have had this surgery and get their opinions. Good luck and God bless you as well!
Hey Mike, I love that your giving this kid an alternative and acceptance is crucial to recovery. I am a 54yr old woman who has snapped both flexor tendons on both pinkies at different times of my life. The right hand also sustained a full 90 degree hyper break thru the skin from skateboarding. I am a golfer and a massage therapist/Myotherapist who also renovates houses and woodworker so every finger is crucial to my work and my passions. I have full movement, motion flex ion in both pinkie fingers. I went down the conventional path that created a huge amount of scar tissue and inflammation, lack of range etc and lots of pain at night in bed, being forced to tape my fingers to the ring fingers just to get thru the night.
Short story of what I did to get my full range back.
Nootropics BPC157 nasal spray everyday…like yr fungi’s, this is for gut flora and healing on a dynamic level.
No sugar.grains, chemicals. Clean pure water, very little meat and no dairy…fasting for 1-3 days once a month.
Scraping /Gua sha/Graston its all simply scraping the skin with a blunt tool like a ceramic Chinese spoon…this breaks up the scar tissue and releases the fascia …immediatley after i ice/heat 15 mins on/off for 1 x hr…i did this whenever i felt tightness creeping in…at first i did this a few times per week.
Qi Gong cupping arms and full body…you will have to look into this as there is a dynamic flow pattern to follow and too much to go into here. Followed by a 10 min Qi Gong session opens the meridians in the body…if just 1 x meridian is blocked it will create infection/ poor blood flow/lack of nutrients to the site etc. Also helps dissolve anger.
And lastly Urine therapy…the oldest and most effective therapy in our history. Our bodies are created with a built in healing system of chemicals specifically developed for each of us,,,in western culture we literally piss it down the toilet..www.bitchute.com/video/m47n2ML0hzjD/ if you cant get yr head around this you can inject into my gluteal, I use insulin needles so much smaller and less painful and then i gently use my massage gun over the injection site a few hours later. Ive noticed this also helps reduce wrinkles and wiping over my arms and legs i dont get mozzie bites. No idea why, yet it seems to work for me. The later I’ve been doing to stop the arthritis from breaking my back, and that’s been great since.
In Qi Gong there is a specific move where your seated, knees bent feet on floor, palms flat behind straightish arms fingers pointing to yr bum. This takes time to achieve, yet helps the blood flow and blockages that occur with this injury. Also very important…scrape the outside of the hand, full palm, backs, wrists and forearm. I then use my massage gun on upper arm and shoulder blades and in between down to the kidneys ( very gentle here), gluteus etc.
Please don’t run this by yr doctors/physio they will most likely want to lock you up…or me.
It’s vital to stop pain meds too, especially opiates as they block yr meridians and starve yr injury of nutrients.
🙏🙏🙏💕 ps. I was still able to play 9 x rounds of golf every week till I was 42…until renovations and wood working took that time.
Pss… tel the kid to use a BIONIC GOLF GLOVE ON THE BAD HAND. They will add to his grip ability.
Hi Mike, I admire your courage for being vulnerable online. You don't shy away from the truth. This video must be hard for Ryan to watch but I'm sure he'll understand you are giving him the best message he can get right now.
You are a great guy Mike!
Thanks Bert! Doing my best to help pay it forward. By the way, so far your cuttings are looking great and I can already see signs of buds swelling.
@@MikeKincaid79 waaw, that's great. Are we to see it in a video in some months? 😉
I am from London! And your recovery journey has been great for me! Thanks for your video as i have the same injury as you
You're welcome! Seems we have a bigger club than anyone could have imagined. Keeping those hand surgeons in business, haha.
I would like to thank you for making these detailed videos. I lacerated my tendon in my left index finger (zone I) and had surgery in May. Unfortunately, my tendon ruptured again unknowingly and now have to deal with nerve damage and deep scar tissue. It’s been a hard struggle and 2nd stage reconstruction is not recommended due to the risk of less mobility. However, I’m thankful for you giving me hope during the tough times I had. Needed someone that I can relate to. Although it didn’t work out, I am glad I have my hand back, less function, but it’s there.
Glad you were able to find some comfort in these videos. It's a tough injury to deal with and it's hard for people to understand unless it happens to them. Glad you are finding peace.
bro i always watched ur vids when I'm feeling down because i had a flexon injury 3 months ago, u helped me recover and i just wanna say thank you from the bottom of my heart
You're welcome, glad they are helpful. Hope you've been able to put this behind you and get on with life. Good luck.
Hi Mike,
I've been enjoying your gardening videos and I admire your knowledge of it, especially with figs. I've recently become a true figaholic/fig hunter. When this video about your finger came on, I had my 12 year old son Luka come sit down and watch it with me. Luka accidentally cut his pinky and ring fingers down to the bone in the kitchen with a big knife. This happened in January and he's still recovering from it and the surgery that it took to reattach the tendons and nerves. His fingers look like they'll never be the same as you described. He's still young and I've also encouraged him to do some strength training with light weights so hopefully he'll at least regain function to some extent. As we were watching the video he got up and put our Perfect Pullup bar on the doorway and he's holding on with his hands and just hanging for as long as he can to help build strength. Anyways, thank you for giving him hope and some clarity on what to expect.
Best regards,
Nick
Sorry to hear about the injury but glad the video was helpful. It's definitely a tough injury to heal from both physically and mentally. Tell him to keep working hard and don't give up hope. All the best!
A few months back, i left a comment on one of your old videos about my pinky tendon injury. At the time, i couldn't bend pinky at all. I didn't know if my tendon was completely torn or fully torn since i never went to go get it checked out but months passed, i have gained full range of motion on my pinky, BUT it still hurts. It's sore, and it's weak, but the range is there. Never had surgery, i decided not to because of your videos. I do not regret it. i do stretching exercises and bending exercises on a daily. It's been 8 months so far since, and I'm making progress but i was just. I wondering when the pain went away for you. It's more like a soreness pain. I started lifing weights again like 4 months in and it's just been getting better and better each time i lift weights.
That's great to hear. It's heal up just fine. I had pretty bad soreness for about a year and then it get better and better. It's been 4 years now and I don't have any soreness in the finger but it's pretty gummed up with scar tissue. Sounds like you made the right decision.
I had injury on where I work left hand middle finger and ring finger tip got tendon and nerve cut it's been 1 month I bin watching your all recovery video thank you for your positive advice keep gooing you Mikey you can teach anything your voice and talking attractive for listen
I hope you heal up well. Good luck on your recovery.
My mother in laws passion and how she earned money was being a seamstress. She lost her right thumb in an accident. That woman found a new way to hold a tiny needle and scissors and carried on. You got this Ryan 👍🏻💪. Also not sure if this will help, if it was just a fluke but I dropped my hand into a vat of grease at 425F and had 2nd & 3rd degree burns to my right hand. A neighbour told my parents that as soon as my skin healed over to break open Vitamin E capsules and massage into the scars to help with the tightness. I remember doing this every day for a very long time. To this day (53yrs) I don't have issues.
Oh my gosh! The grease burn sounds horrible! Glad that one is behind you. Thanks for the vit E tip.
Hi Mike! You are such a nice guy! It was so nice of you to take time to help someone going through a difficult time. You were able to help him because you had a similar experience. Accepting that your body will never function the same, but you can make adjustments to do the things you did before, was great advice. It's difficult to accept that life will never be the same. That is the most difficult part of healing. As we grow older there are going to be many things that we aren't able to do as before or maybe we just have to change how we do things. It's not an easy thing to accept for anyone, but just a part of life. Accepting what comes our way is the first step to truly healing. God Bless you 🙏 for being the compassionate man you are and for taking time to help another person going through a difficult time! 🙏 Merry Christmas and a healthy, Happy New Year to you, Shellie and your precious girls!!
Thanks Marcia, you put it so beautifully. The mental acceptance is the most difficult part but if we can beat that then we've got this life thing figured out. Happy New Year!
Ryan, conquere the emotional and mental part and the rest is a breeze! I know you can do it! Don't forget about us when you will be a famous and rich golfer! God bless you! Hugs
Haha, YES!!! I want an invitation to "The Masters" when he's playing in it!
Me too Mike! Heck I need to start loosening weight and working to straighten up my lower back muscles so I can stand up for long periods of time! 😊❤
Had pinky surgery yesterday to release tendons from scar tissue built up from previous surgery. Looking forward to bend finger at all. Baby steps. Thanks for the positive outlook!
Work hard and keep your head up.
Hey Mike you are the best! Caring for your fellow neighbor, it's what we are supposed to do! I am so glad that you finally, it's a long tine now, came to terms with it! In everything this is our biggest problem! The emotional and psychological is the hardest to control, the faster you do that, the easier is to heal because you give your body permission to heal. I don't know why we are so stubborn but we are and that's detrimental to us, and honestly we learn that very slow.....at least I am!
Good to see you my friend, always is! Have a fantastic week! Hugs to you and your girls.
P.s. by the way you learn a lot about your family in those times!🤗💜🤗
Yes, you sure do! Thanks for all the positivity Camelia! I appreciate our friendship.
Thank you Mike! The feeling is mutual my friend!❤
Ok, I am drawn to leave a comment just to thank you Mike for posting these videos and sharing your experience. I am an American currently living in China and suffered Jersey Finger on my left ring finger while playing soccer. Had surgery 6 weeks ago here in China and just this week got the ok from the doctor to start moving the finger. They had to use a suture anchor to reattach the tendon to the bone because it had completely detached so I assume this is the reason they had me wait so long to begin moving it. As you can imagine, there is significant scar tissue buildup in my finger similar to yours and im not sure if I will ever be able to move it properly again. But anyways, your videos have helped a lot to provide perspective and to understand what I will more than likely experience through each stage of the recovery process. Thank you!
Sorry to hear about your injury. I hope it heals up well and you can get that finger moving again. I'm glad the videos are helpful for you. Good luck in your recovery!
The very first time I played golf, I was first and hooked two balls into the farmer's field before one went straight. The gentleman we were playing with only had his left arm. He got up and smacked the ball right down the center of the fairway at least 200 yards and he continued to do that the rest of the round. As I continued to golf and got better over time, I wondered if the handicap that guy had wasn't a benefit, and I will never forget that experience.
That's a really cool story and hopefully Ryan will see this. Thanks for sharing!
Ryan, Mike did it, you can to, you got this. Bless you sweetie and good luck. Listen to Mike,he wouldn't lead you wrong,he is a good man. And Mike, I'm really glad you survived your ordeal with your fingers, you really got to be more careful and so do I. Everyone out there,be safe and have a very Merry Christmas ⛄🎄⛄🎄⛄🎄⛄🎄⛄ and a Happy New Year
Merry Christmas, Glenda!
great pep talk mike. he'll be just fine. it's more of a psych yourself up problem. hope he meditates on it.
Yep, that's it. Good to see you Carmine
MIKE HOPE YOU HAVE BEST CHRISTMAS EVE AND THANKS YOU LOVE DAVID
Merry Christmas David
23:04 I agree! If you are contemplating of doing this specific surgery, don't!. It's not worth the physical and emotional trauma, pain, stress and money. In my opinion, this type of surgery should not be performed until the technology advances. I did 3 months of physical therapy and eventually gave up because the results are very, very poor for most people. The pinky is the worst because it's 50% of your hand strength 💔. I still use the LMB splint now and then but is basically worthless. Good luck to anyone going through this and I am deeply sorry.
I couldn’t agree more.
Ya brother thanks for your story. I just uploaded my story today. A 39 plus minute video lol I’m still so confused about whether I should do surgery. Sucks man. My common sense says ya I don’t want to do anymore damage and cause more arthritis and scar tissue. But I’m a singer songwriter guitar player. With my finger rotated I feel if they went in there to resaw through the bone and put it in the proper alignment it would help relieve this pressure on my joints since the flexor tendon feels contracted as it’s rotated more. And if it was more straight it would be better off. But man it’s a risk. Tendon could adhere to the pins and scar tissue. Could be more stiff. I’m at a point where I’m accepting it. But man when a surgeon tells you 80% chance he could make it better and 20% he could make it worse sounds promising. But no guarantees. I’ll check out that documentary you said
Amazing
Thanks
I love your videos
Very cool video mike
Thanks Mark
Hey mike new subscriber here❤ I’m 22 and I’m a suffering the exact injury on the 28th will be a year since my injury! I’m a cosmetologist 😅and I feel like my career is over before it even started, they say the swelling goes down but it’s still here and same as you the tip just does not want to come down, I haven’t had the chance to watch all your videos but the cut and dry question is did you go through with the second surgery? If so did it help? If not did your swelling subside and grip come back fully on their own or do you genuinely not have any motion any longer in the tip of your pinky?
No one can ever understand what this is like mentally and physically but us and I just want to say you’ve inspired me to share my journey
This is a very tough thing to go through mentally but the more time that goes by, the better you come to accept it. I didn't have another surgery and the tip of my finger still doesn't work. I've become use to it over time. Don't ever sell yourself short or make excuses for not becoming what you want to become or doing what you want to do. There is a story about a famous rock climber who set climbing records after losing a finger. There are many stories of people doing amazing things with only 1 arm or 1 leg, or any number of other disabilities. I'm a nurse and use my hands every day and it hasn't stopped me. Keep going and keep your head up. I wouldn't have another surgery but that's just me.
Very nice vídeo...
He will mike I lost my leg 20 years ago and I’m above knee and not to make it sound easy because it is so far from that now below knee is way different and when it comes to the mental part of it that was way hard I put a truck in the lake near my house and a lot of other stuff but if it gets to much to deal with go get help I did and I really need it my whole life changed I can’t get a fake leg 🦵 because of other medical problems but let him know it is not a bad thing to get help that is all I wanted to say over time I’ve accepted it and just found other things to keep me busy like a garden and I also have over 14 fruit trees and that is new and I have a fig tree as well lol okay hope it helps
Sorry to hear that Gary. It's a tough thing you had to go through. Are you now walking with a prosthetic?
@@MikeKincaid79 no mike I’m not able to get one I’ve tried so many times and different types and because of what caused all this to happen to me at age 40 is what’s stopping me from getting one so now after the fight of not getting into a wheelchair my big mistake I’m stuck to being in one fully now if I would of used the chair with crutches ied be in a better place but fighting it now I’m in one all day every day but like I said I’ve accepted it and moved on to do what I can and still enjoy life that I can I do see me moving to warmer state other then New York winter is just to much but that is after my grandson is out of school he lives with me then I think Virginia is where I might go but thanks for the reply just trying to help someone who is struggling and hope they get help if it becomes to much it was for me till I look at it differently now thanks and I love ur channel I’m going to keep watching I’ve learned a lot the most is just try it and keep trying thanks again
NOW HAVING HELL CHRISTMAS
Why is that?
I've injured my right index finger a month ago and the doctor just sewed everything up. He said I can have reconstruction surgery later maybe after a year.
As of now I can't move my index finger and being right handed and a student I'm scared and frustrated thinking how my life will be from now.Can you suggest something
I'm sorry to hear about your injury, Evan, but I'm not a medical doctor and so the only suggestion I can make is to get another opinion if you don't like that doctor's answer.
@@MikeKincaid79 Thank you so much
This journey has been a bit easier by watching your journey...people has been saying it's just a finger and it's not a big deal....but watching your videos I felt at least someone understand what I'm going through...so thank you
What was the exact place where you cut your pinky finger?
Right along the last joint
WELL PEOPLE FIGHTING OVER TOYS THEY WANT FOR KIDS AND GRANDS KIDS BUT NOW IM OK LOVE DAVID
Hey mike.
Three of my finger are broken and since I opened the cast, I cant bend my finger.
I go to physiotherapy but it is very very painful and my physiothrrapist an my doctor believ that is normal and I have to endure this severe pain. They bend my finger by force and I cry every day and I hurt.
I want know about your treatment method and your situation under treatment period.
It would be grateful if you could help me because I am going through a very difficult situation.
I'm not a medical doctor and can't give medical advice but what I can tell you is from my experience. You should definitely do what your doctor and physical therapists are recommending. Move those fingers and exercise them even if it's painful. Use pain medicine before doing the exercises. I know this sounds crazy but it's a blessing that you just broke them and didn't sever the tendons. You want to keep them moving because you don't want scar tissue adhering to the tendons and locking them down. Then it will be much worse. Trust your doctor and suffer through the pain now for a lifetime of finger mobility. Knowing what I know now, I wish I had only broken the finger instead of cut the tendon.
Hi.. I’m at week 4.5 and have the same injury but it’s to my thumb… the doctor said the thumb is 50% of the hand movement.. I still can’t seem to bend the tip despite exercising daily and massaging the wound.. any advice, words of wisdom?? It would save my life right now if anyone would reply as I am so low…
I’ve also recently become a mother which is making everything so much harder and filling me with guilt ☹️😔
I'm so sorry to hear that. A pinky is bad enough but a thumb is a very difficult injury to get through since it's absolutely essential. Get that thumb moving as much as possible with active range of motion as soon as the doctor lets you. That's the one finger I'd make an exception for to go back and have a second surgery to free up scar tissue. It's a very tough injury to go through. If you need to talk, I'm here. Good luck and just love that new baby all you can right now.
Hi mike
Hey Ivan
I love seen mikes gym video
Maybe I'll add to the channel one day
😊
Could you type on keyboard using the dead finger?
Yes, my finger still works for typing, and I can type fairly quickly, although I have adjusted to using my ring finger for some of the more difficult to reach keys that my pinky can't stretch to. Trust me, it's not a problem. I was worried about that too as my job entails lots of typing.
@@MikeKincaid79 thanks , your this reply made me a little bit relax
Anyone here try silicone gel? I'm dealing with painful finger scars as well
Is that for massage? I just used lotion but the scar tissue is still there.
@@MikeKincaid79 yes my surgeon suggested vigorous massage of the surgical area and continuous application of either a silicone sheet or silicone gel directly to the scar to (possibly) reduce initial scar formation. My surgeon was in total agreement with your gut feeling which was to get that tendon mobilized asap and not keep it stationary because exactly like you said the risk of developing adhesions is much greater than the risk of the tendon snapping (which would require a very large force)
HI MIKE I HAVE KALANCHOE FLOWERS I SNIP THEM ALL FLOWERS AND IT REROOTS ON IT OWN NOW I BLEAUTIFUL PINKS FLOWERS LOVE DAVID
Sounds nice.
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