Hello all! A quick background on why I'm here, what I hope to gain, and what I hope to give.
I'm a car guy - I've been doing amateur motorsports since 2002. I've dented a few cars, but I've never been "dented" myself until recently . I was instructing another driver at Summit Point raceway in WV on 6/9/2018, and he wrecked the car during his first session. During the wreck, the car rolled on to the passenger side, and my right arm was outside the car during the roll. The accident partially degloved my arm from just below the wrist to my elbow while fracturing my radius bone. Fast forward through 2 skin graft surgeries, OT on my fingers/wrist/elbow, PT on my shoulder, I'm now reaching the self-service part of my recovery.
OT completed in November, PT will complete this week (early Jan '19). I'm very functional, and my pain level is quite low - I'm blessed and thankful for that. I've been working on the edema in my hand, wrist, forearm, and elbow since September.
I started with a light-compression Isotoner edema glove and Tubigrip sleeves over my arm. I graduated to a smaller Tubigrip size for the arm, and Coban wraps for my hand to battle the edema. The Coban wraps were very successful, getting my right hand back to essentially the same size as my left. I made progress with the Tubigrip in reducing the swelling in my arm, but there was still much work left to do.
On 12/26, I transitioned to more "long term" compression garments as advised by my OT/hand therapist. I'm wearing a 20-30 mmHg Juzo compression sleeve and a 20-30 mmHG Juzo "Expert" glove with finger stubs. Both are off the shelf items, as I did not believe my current condition warranted custom garments.
What I hope to gain: Since I'm not under a doctor or therapist's care on a weekly basis, I'd like thoughts about my current course of action from those who have "been there, done that."
- I read conflicting information on wearing the Juzo 20-30mmHG sleeve while I sleep. I have worn it several nights fairly comfortably, but other nights, I've used my size "C" Tubigrip sleeve instead. What is the current conventional wisdom?
- I cannot wear the Juzo glove to bed. It's uncomfortable and my fingers will sometimes "go to sleep." I'm currently wearing my old Isotoner glove to bed. Does this mean my Juzo glove is the wrong size or was it not intended to wear at night?
- When wearing the Juzo sleeve and Isotoner glove at night, fluid pools in my palm around the thumb. Is the sleeve too tight around my wrist, not allowing the hand to drain? Should I be wearing a sleeve with a gauntlet at night instead?
What I hope to give: Participate in the community and share treatments and techniques that worked for me
