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Thumb Braces for Skiers Thumb

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Candy
Posts: 1051 - Karma: 176
Hey I have been researching this for a while, and I haven't found much about people who wear thumb braces to stop skiers thumb. I have broken each of my thumbs 5-7 times per season for at least the last 5 years. I'm sick of it honestly, and I've been researching braces a bit. Here's one that I found called the Bio Skin thumb spica:

http://www.bioskin.com/thumb_spica.htm          (it's not letting me make a link)

It seems pretty good, but I'm gonna ask my physical therapist about it tomorrow. I just want to see if anyone's used anything like it. I found this thread from 2007 that has a very sick brace, but apparently they are hand made by some unknown lady in Park City. Here's the thread:

https://newschoolers.com/web/forums/readthread/thread_id/286414/

Maybe someone can help me out? I'm trying to plan in advance not to screw my thumbs up again. And I forgot to mention, I have used my poles holding them correctly with the strap, and with no straps, I have also tried many different kinds of grips, etc... They all fail. Maybe someone can help me out?
Nov 1 2009 8:44PM
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VCharette
Posts: 4276 - Karma: 1,047
So you broke your fingers 25-35 times in the last 5 years? You must be really really shitty....
Nov 1 2009 8:57PM
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Mulberry
Posts: 273 - Karma: 7
hahahahahha, made my day. +k
Nov 1 2009 9:03PM
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Candy
Posts: 1051 - Karma: 176
Wow are you serious? I fall and my thumbs (not fingers, thumbs..) stick in the snow and they get sprained or break. And 5 times a season is hardly anything, considering I ski 100+ days, so lets just call that 5% of days. Apparently I am a horrible skier.
Nov 1 2009 9:08PM
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Ski.Ballet
Posts: 2860 - Karma: 200
That soft one looks like a piece of shit. I went to an occupational therapist and got ones custom made that look identical to the ones in that thread and they work really well.
Nov 1 2009 9:11PM
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VCharette
Posts: 4276 - Karma: 1,047
Oh ok I get it, when your thumb hurts it means its broken? When you actually break your thumb you need plaster cast (?)....
Nov 1 2009 9:14PM
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Candy
Posts: 1051 - Karma: 176
Thank you for a legitimate answer. I'll look more into having something custom made. +K

anyone else?
Nov 1 2009 9:15PM
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Candy
Posts: 1051 - Karma: 176
X-rayed and confirmed broken, months of physical therapy. They don't actually do anything when its broken, they just tell me to take a break from skiing, which is not a solution.
Nov 1 2009 9:19PM
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Thomson.
Posts: 4634 - Karma: 227
5% of the days you go skiing you break your thumb... either drink some milk, stop falling, or stop thinking your thumbs broken cause it hurts a wittle bit.
Nov 1 2009 9:28PM
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VCharette
Posts: 4276 - Karma: 1,047
Thanks.
Nov 1 2009 9:29PM
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Candy
Posts: 1051 - Karma: 176
So far solutions to stop breaking thumbs:

-Drink Milk
-Don't Fall
-"not thinking" they are broken even if they are x-rayed and broken.

Well I think we've pretty much solved my problem.
Nov 1 2009 9:35PM
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CTD
Posts: 6301 - Karma: 350
how the hell do your thumbs get stuck in the snow when you fall? you should prolly stop doing that, and drink some milk. or dont ski with poles for a while.


and yeah, i think everyone heres just givin you shit cause its funny, i had a fucked up thumb for like a year, and its annoying for sure.
Nov 1 2009 9:58PM
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theo79
Posts: 305 - Karma: 70
Athletic tape works for me, just wrap the middle of your thumb a couple of times. You can leave it at that or goes far as wrapping it around your thumb and wrist.
Nov 1 2009 11:43PM
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SteezyOhio
Posts: 6044 - Karma: 60
eat gala apples cause they taste fucking good
Nov 1 2009 11:46PM
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Malcolm
Posts: 15951 - Karma: 9,451
hm... spend the rest of my life breaking my thumb 5 % of the time or taking a break from skiing..............................................................................................................................................................................................
Nov 1 2009 11:59PM
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Piste.Off
Posts: 11586 - Karma: 1,860
I've broken my thumbs multiple times now from skiing, baseball, and other random stuff and braces do nothing. they just get annoying. I would recommend not falling and you'll be good
Nov 2 2009 12:04AM
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dbchili
Posts: 2555 - Karma: 1,657
malcom, if you would rather sit on the sidelines then deal with hurt thumbs, then as a skiing site i think we are fully in line by questioning your sexuality...
Nov 2 2009 12:34AM
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hsavage
Posts: 551 - Karma: 81
OI! you recon he made this thread because he wanted people to be dicks? he made this to get some advice for a reason that is irrelevant!! so if you have something to say that could help say it if not, DONT BOTHER! anyway mate i think they would both do a good job otherwise i recommend a custom moulded brace, Good Luck
Nov 2 2009 12:46AM
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SKIU4EA
Posts: 2387 - Karma: 2,072

^^  agreed   I have the same stiuation as the op and was going to make a thread on it today because it's more serious than these people that are clownin realize.

Once you break your thumb doing any sport it's obviously more susceptible to breaking again.  With skiing getting your thumb twisted in the snow or being contorted just right by your pole, easily sprains the thumb again. Even with taking a break from skiing, it happenening again and again is going to cause chronic problems.

It is so fucking annoying.  Everytime i fall just right it practically ruins my day of skiing cause all i can feel is my hand throbbing.  Then i have to avoid the park for the rest of the day.  So i feel your pain bro and whoever else has deformed thumbs.  Im definately lookin for a brace for this year

Nov 2 2009 11:44AM
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HeartBeatFaster
Posts: 723 - Karma: 26
I haven't broken my thumbs but I do have very noticeable lumps of scar tissue from tearing the ligaments and dislocating my thumbs multiple times. Started in football and now they pop out easily since they are already damaged. I get what you're saying.

My recommendation is athletic tape. You can get a tape kit at Wal-Mart for pretty cheap and then just tape yourself a good brace that will not let your thumb pull away from your hand at more than a 45 deg angle. If it is really bad, completely tape your thumb to the side of your hand/index finger rendering it useless but nearly impossible to hurt. Going no poles through the park also helps at this point.
Nov 2 2009 2:03PM
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Candy
Posts: 1051 - Karma: 176
Thanks to those that helped (+k). I'm considering all options, and I have an appointment with my physical therapist to see what would work best, or if he can custom make me some braces.
Nov 2 2009 3:48PM
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SKIU4EA
Posts: 2387 - Karma: 2,072
hey thx for the input.  Definately gonna give the tape a try early this year
Nov 2 2009 4:02PM
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-Nick-
Posts: 1479 - Karma: 24
haha breaking your thumb 7 times in one season is ridiculous if that actually happened then you should definitely get a brace
Nov 2 2009 4:20PM
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onlyskisline
Posts: 76 - Karma: 10
NO POLES
Nov 2 2009 7:33PM
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