What Activities Can I Participate In After I Recover?

After undergoing finger joint replacement surgery, it is important to have realistic expectations about the types of activities you may do. Minimal stretching and strengthening of your new finger joint are recommended throughout your lifetime to maintain full range of motion.

Driving After Finger Joint Replacement Surgery

Your surgeon may give you permission to drive approximately eight or more weeks after the surgery.

Work Activities After Your Finger Joint Replacement

Determining the date you return to work will depend both on your surgeon and the type of work you do. Some individuals may require job modifications, while others may easily return to their previous activities. Lifting and pulling job-related activities might be delayed or discouraged. Those engaged in heavy manual labor may have to discuss the possibility of vocational counseling with their surgeon.

Leisure and Sport Activities After Finger Joint Replacement

There are different risks associated with certain types of leisure and sport activities. Some activities may lead to damage of your new joint over time due to wear and tear of the joint. In general, the more vigorous the activity, the higher the risk of damaging the implant, increasing the wear and tear on the implant, or increasing the risk of loosening of the implant.

Three major categories of activities should be avoided. These include:

• High impact activities causing stresses on the implant
• Activities with potentially high risk of injury
• Activities which may result in falling or twisting the finger risking dislocation of the joint itself or a fracture of the bone around the implant.

These types of activities include sport activities requiring vigorous hand motions, heavy chopping activities, hammering, heavy lifting or pushing activities, martial arts, and rough contact sports (such as, football, soccer, lacrosse, basketball, baseball, handball, and volleyball). These activities should be avoided.

Weight lifting activities may be limited throughout your life. You must check with your surgeon and therapist about lifting any heavy weights. Weights should be wrist cuff weights, not hand held dumbbells, to avoid finger stress and strain.

Lower stress activities such as hiking, walking, biking with larger handgrips, and swimming are excellent forms of exercise for individuals with finger joint replacements.

As with any medical treatment, individual results may vary. Only an orthopaedic surgeon can determine whether an orthopaedic implant is an appropriate course of treatment. There are potential risks, and recovery takes time. The performance of the new joint depends on weight, activity level, age and other factors. These need to be discussed with your doctor.

Last Updated: 10/16/2007