- Joined
- Apr 23, 2015
- Messages
- 929
In the past 10 years I have had strength issues in both hands but mostly in my right, sometimes making it tedious just to hold a glass of beer (so you know that's bad!). I am right handed. Since the issue prevailed more so after being stabbed in the right forearm in 2009 I correlated the lack of grip to that incident. Only problem with that ideology was that the theory didn't make sense with the atrophy, weakness and constant cramping of my "left" hand as well. I had an extensive nerve test done yesterday and the verdict is in. Luckily I had the same test done in 2011 and again in 2013 so the Doctor had viable scientific information to realize actual prognosis and degeneration.
Turns out my ulnar nerves below the elbow on both sides are basically shot. Asked the Doc to give me a "1 out of 10" scenario and he said the left side is an 8 but the right side is a 12, so surgery was recommended for February. The successive tests showed the electrical stimulus down the nerve from the elbow have gotten progressively worse and the ulnar nerve (funny bone) it doesn't heal itself. In fact, when he tried to pinch the ulnar nerve at the elbow junction to make my hand flinch I felt nothing. Come to think of it, I suspect doing heavy squats back in the late 1980's and early 1990's. My shoulders (traps) are so sloped the bar would always slide down my traps during heavy squats (330-460lbs for reps up to 10). All the weight in my later sets of the bar sliding down my back would go to my ulnar nerves. In fact, that's why I switched to lunges 3 years ago for my multi-joint leg exercise, because my elbows became very painful and I couldn't hold my hands that far back anymore. Looks like this has been the result of a process over the past 30 years. The worst though is the constant cramping and numbness while I sleep preventing me from any deep sleep as I constantly toss and turn. Hopefully the surgery will alleviate the numbness. He figures I've only got about 20% left on the right side. Thoughts, experiences, advice?
Turns out my ulnar nerves below the elbow on both sides are basically shot. Asked the Doc to give me a "1 out of 10" scenario and he said the left side is an 8 but the right side is a 12, so surgery was recommended for February. The successive tests showed the electrical stimulus down the nerve from the elbow have gotten progressively worse and the ulnar nerve (funny bone) it doesn't heal itself. In fact, when he tried to pinch the ulnar nerve at the elbow junction to make my hand flinch I felt nothing. Come to think of it, I suspect doing heavy squats back in the late 1980's and early 1990's. My shoulders (traps) are so sloped the bar would always slide down my traps during heavy squats (330-460lbs for reps up to 10). All the weight in my later sets of the bar sliding down my back would go to my ulnar nerves. In fact, that's why I switched to lunges 3 years ago for my multi-joint leg exercise, because my elbows became very painful and I couldn't hold my hands that far back anymore. Looks like this has been the result of a process over the past 30 years. The worst though is the constant cramping and numbness while I sleep preventing me from any deep sleep as I constantly toss and turn. Hopefully the surgery will alleviate the numbness. He figures I've only got about 20% left on the right side. Thoughts, experiences, advice?
