Best way to become ambidextrous

[jyl]

I used my left hand when I was little. My parents didn’t want me to be left handed, so they tied my left hand behind my back. I wish I’d grown up ambidextrous.

[Noah930]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

Good news on finding the break.

What’s the round circle on the left side of your chest?

Gas bubble in stomach or colon.

[rfuerst911sc]

Baz good luck on the recovery .

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by Noah930

The biceps tendon's main function isn't flexing the elbow (there are other muscles that can do that, too), but rather supinating the forearm (turning your palm upwards), such as in turning a screwdriver or doorknob. So if you can still lift and turn screwdrivers (and not have pain) despite a ruptured distal biceps tendon, then maybe surgery isn't necessary.

I think it's 50/50 on pain while turning a screwdriver and lifting. I turned a small screwdriver yesterday threading very small aluminum screws into jig, that was fine. I'm going to test later today. Lifting I'm afraid of.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by Baz

Diagnostics are in. Broken rib.....

Good to see you've got closure on this Baz. What's the plan now?

[Baz]

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6

Good to see you've got closure on this Baz. What's the plan now?

Just picked up some Hydrocodone for pain management and will also take some anti-inflammatorys.........and will try to take it easy for a few weeks. Some are saying it's a 2-3 month time frame for healing, so will just play it by ear and hope for the best.

Thanks, Shaun - please keep us posted on your arm and good luck!

[E Sully]

I've broken ribs. It was rough for weeks. Extreme fear of coughing and sneezing, finding a comfortable position to sleep for the first couple of weeks.
I've learned a few times to be lefty. I've torn the right bicep tendon off the bone, and lost the use of my right shoulder from Postherpetic neuralgia from shingles.
When the tendon tore loose from the bone that night, I immediately new it was more than a sprain of strain. Quite a bit of pain and swelling from internal bleeding, no ability to use bicep and muscle pretty much disappearing. It was a long wait overnight before heading to the Dr's office the next morning. He sent me for an immediate MRI. Doctor called me as soon as he got the results. He told me to go right away to the Orthopedic doctor. I have an advantage in the doctor department. My mother was the beloved RN supervising the nurses in the operating room at the local hospital. I always knew the best doctors to see, and never waited long.
The doctor explained that the bicep had pulled up like a venetian blind. They were going to go in and find the end of the tendon, pull it back down and screw it back in place. Getting it done right away is key, as the muscle has not had time to atrophy and shrink.
Surgery went well, no nerves were damaged. Always a concern. One of my friends had a similar surgery and had nerve issues for months after. Fortunately it worked out for him eventually.
A few weeks in a cast, and then months of physical therapy. Pain was quite intense for the first few months, occasionally worrying that I had over done things and damaged it again, but just part of the healing. I think it is at least as strong as before the tear.
The shingles and PHN was really scary. I could only move my shoulder backwards, no motion forward or to the side. The doctor could not tell me much, as it may or may not recover. For 3 months I did my physical therapy exercises, but it was basically paralyzed. If I lifted it with my left arm and let go, it dropped freely. I had no ability to use it.
I was scared for a long time I might not get the use of my right arm back. After many months I slowly started to get some small activity, but not much. It was close to nine months before I could get my arm to lift above shoulder height. It's been about 4 years now and while I still have a bit of weakness reaching above my head it's mostly recovered.
The Orthepedic that did my hip replacement thought it was interesting where the other doctor chose to make the incision in my forearm. I guess they all have favored techniques.

[Noah930]

That's an interesting incision. Everyone has their own way of doing things, but there are a couple common approaches, and that's not exactly one of them. But as long as it worked out for you, that's what matters the most.

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by NITROVERF

Wait, wait, wait, you can teach yourself to become ambidextrous?

This is the first time I'm hearing about something like that. How does it even work?

Sure ya can! I'm ambidextrous in a weird way. I do almost everything that requires strength with my left arm and everything that requires fine motor skill with my right. I broke my right hand years ago and couldn't write with a cast on so I learned to write with my left. As a kid, in baseball I'd walk to the plate one time and swing left handed then the next time right. I have played golf equally poorly left and right handed. Throwing right handed isn't pretty for me but I can do it. I'm sure if I'd practice I could clean that mess up a little but I don't care.

I shoot a pistol left handed but rifles I can toss to either side with about the same accuracy. I found out a few years ago, when I got my concealed carry permit, that I have been putting my belt on the way a right handed person would. So.... I switched and started putting it on the other way around. The difference is, I don't have to take almost my entire belt off to remove my holster from my belt.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by NITROVERF

Wait, wait, wait, you can teach yourself to become ambidextrous?

This is the first time I'm hearing about something like that. How does it even work?

I was born righthanded. I lost the full use of my right arm in an accident years ago. Now I'm a south paw.

[stevej37]

Nitro doesn't say much.....3 posts in 6 years.

[dw1]

Good luck & heal fast.

I learned to do things "lefty" as a result of injury and surgery on my right shoulder. It's healed now, but I still find it useful to do some things left-handed.

The injury was, among other things, a torn rotator cuff cased by removing and trying to torque rear suspension bolts on my '87 911 using hand tools because my impact wrench went belly up (and I'm not sure it would have been up to the job even it is wasn't broken).

Trying to achieve 231 ft-lbs & 339 ft-lbs (stub axle shaft to hub, M20 & M22 respectively) by leaning on the wrench with all of your weight...well, something has to give. Btw, I tried a long pipe cheater - no go. I now have a gear-type torque multiplier and I highly recommend having one.

[A930Rocket]

Originally Posted by stevej37

Nitro doesn't say much.....3 posts in 6 years.

A bot…

[cabmandone]

No wonder all the pretty girls from my city seem to have disappeared! Mystery solved.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Ultrasound indicated partial tear, they are ordering an MRI now. That's good because I've needed one for that shoulder for months now so we can do both at the same time.

Ultrasound findings favoring a partial-thickness distal biceps tendon tear proximal to the radial tuberosity. This should be confirmed with MRI at the level the elbow joint. Orthopedic consultation is recommended

[Shaun @ Tru6]

so this has been a fun day. At least it's the left arm.

[syncroid]

Ow! Get well soon ya hairy bastard!

[Noah930]

Best wishes for an uneventful recovery.

Out of curiosity, which method of fixation?

[Baz]

Dang, Shaun.......ouch!!! Get well soon, brother!

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by syncroid

Ow! Get well soon ya hairy bastard!

Originally Posted by Noah930

Best wishes for an uneventful recovery.

Out of curiosity, which method of fixation?

Thank you gentlemen. Dan, you should see my ears! But I'll take it given the massive everything homemade from scratch Italian Sunday dinners we had when I was a kid.

Fixation? Surgeon put 4 stitches in. It is a diagonal slice into the arm.