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Carpal Tunnel Release surgery post operation and Pole Dance
Hi guys! So I am 3 weeks post operation from Carpal Tunnel Ligament release surgery, and I am terrified. The doctor I had did not talk to me about how this could affect my life afterwards or dancing or even what the surgery entailed. He made it sound so easy to do and easy to recover from. I have had to inform myself of this from info online, and so far I can’t find ANYTHING on Carpal tunnel release surgery and recovery back into pole dancing. Have any of you had this surgery done? I’m upset because I am scared of reading that the grip strength could permanently weaken after this surgery and I’m a heavy girl.. I was just starting my instructor certification process (in Canada) and now I’m on halt, or even worse, permanently unable to do so. I dont know if I could ever do handstands again by the way it feels, and not having the carpal transverse ligament holding the bones together or protecting the base if my hand. I thought this surgery was in my forearm, not my hand. Also the fingers I have go numb are not the ones they do this surgery for so I’m feeling very emotional that they have corrupted my pole dancing lifestyle permanently without me even kissing it goodbye.. I can’t seen to find any information on this surgery recovery and it’s permanent effect in aerial dance. Please, if any of you have had this done I pd appreciate ANY feedback as all I’ve cam across online is horror stories of lengthy recover and permanent debilitation :'( thank you… So much….
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3 Replies
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Hey there!
First, take a deep breath! All those things, those horror stories online that you’ve been reading… they’re just that: Horror stories! We don’t often hear about things like “Oh yeah, my surgery went great and everything healed well.” Doesn’t make for a very good blog post or media coverage, does it? So, take all of those things with a pretty big grain of salt, and try to relax.
Also, maybe ask your GP about your healing process and your recovery, and what kinds of things may be possible for your dancing, and your life in the future? You should have access through the health system to all of that information, but sometimes you have to specifically ask for it to get it.
And, finally, remember that ligaments and such can take a LONG time to heal. Much longer than muscles! They are more difficult for your body to heal, and receive less blood, so you’ll definitely get healing, just slowly. I learned this when I damaged my achilles tendon, and was asking why it was taking SO LONG to heal!An easy way to explain to your doctor about needing grip strength and stuff is to liken it to rock climbing. The needs are similar (though, obviously, not exact).
Keep your chin up, and try not to get too into those downward thought processes. You may have your pole dancing back! It just might take a bit.
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Did you have EMG or nerve conduction testing done before surgery to confirm that the nerve needed to be released? Which fingers are numb?
I agree with Runemist about the horror stories. You can sometimes get useful tips and things online about medical condtions and procedures but Runemist is absolutely right that no one ever gets online to post how great things went–they just go on with their lives. While people do have complications remember that for each horror story posted there are many more who have done just fine. I work in outpatient surgery (I’m an RN) and most folks move on from carpal tunnel surgery and do very well but I can’t say I’ve seen a pole dancer so I can’t speak to that. I have just had surgery on my ulnar nerve for the second time due to numbness and weakness in my fourth and fifth fingers so I feel ya.
Good luck to you and keep us posted.
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Try not as freak, just as everyone mentioned. I’m not familiar with this type of surgery so I can’t give any thoughts on that. I would say to contact your dr and surgeon so you can talk with them. You’ll want to be honest about your concerns, even though they may not “get” how important pole is to you they can at least let you know that what you’ve been reading isn’t common. The body has an amazing ability to overcome, so never forget that.
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