New malady, for me, ‘throttle’ finger

[DanTreace]

Have always heard of ‘trigger finger’ but now Throttle Finger!


Had to visit the dr. after recent mountain tour. Think this developed by the constant use of the ring finger only for throttling up and down steep winding roads in North Carolina.

Am a mostly flat lander tourer, so the throttle lever is left in one place, but this tour was steep, hilly, and some rough ones that required two-handed firm steering wheel grip. Think coupled with the firm grip, the throttle finger wagged and wagged, adjusting speeds. Too much irritation to tendon sheath. Caused finger to lock up now, so got a shot for relief. Should fix it.

Funny, telling the dr., as he hadn’t had this cause, and wanted to know if others have experienced . He did know about hand crank wrist injury on the Model T, he isn’t a young ortho dr! Anyone had similar complaint, or is my hand just aging ?

[CudaMan]

Yikes! Hope you mend up soon.

[HPetrino]

I've been building a new patio cover as well as helping my son with a bathroom remodel. Sometimes I can't let go of the hammer. I must literally pry my fingers loose. My son thinks I'm nuts.

Oh well. We can't complain about getting older and the crap that comes with it since there's only one alternative and not getting any older is unacceptable.

[Rob Patterson]

Here's a remedy.
Give your hand a rest by driving a RHD "T" for a few months. The throttle is on the left and spark on the right.
You might have to holiday in the UK or down-under to do that, I suppose. (You'd be welcome here, BTW)
All the best for a speedy recovery.
Rob

[Mark Osterman]

LOL ... I was just thinking today about slipping some closed cell foam tubing over the throttle rod where my finger makes contact. Lots of stop and go traffic here in Rochester.

[Ruxstel24]

Extension...not the best picture.
Handy little bugger

[Dan McEachern]

DONT drive one of them RHD model T's!!! ya put the gas lever up (the one on the right) and a second later you realize you moved the wrong one and the car is not slowing down!!!!

[Duey_C]

I can understand Henry's post about it taking time to let go of the hammer with my fibro-myalgiwhatever (yes, they think we're crazy-we ain't are we Henry-other hand up, just give me a moment-and you can have your hammer back) and also recently losing my hand/arm almost completely due to a dead nerve for a month or two but that's just different Dan!
No carburetor in your palm so it is a wiring (our low voltage nerves/muscles) issue.
I'm certain you don't FORCE your finger back in place and gosh, if you do, take your time. Your nerve needs time to relearn what it does IF I have my head on square.
It'll happen but as we age it gets slower. 50's here and it takes time now but we can retrain our nerves very well!
Slowly work that finger back into working shape if your guy don't know this. Strength training too but darn, go easy. Then work it slow.
That finger will get awfully tired. Work it gently again tomorrow until tired and sore. repeat "ad nauseum" until back at it.
Wonky nerves suck but we can get stronger if we want.
Please keep us informed would you? I'm very interested yet please excuse the notion as if I really know.

[Craig Leach]

Don't know if you have the same issue Iv'e been having trouble with, I have what the hand surgeon calls trigger finger. it's a tendon problem. They correct it with cortisone shots or surgery called a trigger release, had my thumb on my right hand done last year worked great. looks like my ring finger is next. In my case it comes from not wearing gloves when using air chisels, impact wrenches & hammers for 48 years. Good luck with it.

[AndreFordT]

Trigger finger??

I had three on the left hand and I am right handed. Could it be an ignition finger??
Doctor don't know why it is on the left hand but it was.
I had some surgery a while ago and all is OK now.

Andre
Belgium

[DanTreace]

Yipe's all three! Hope that doesn't happen! Glad your's are fixed.


Dave.

I have a throttle extension, and have always loved it with the bigger 17" steering wheel. You know with the stock throttle lever you need the longer fingers to reach, so the index or middle are used for opening and closing.

But with the extension, the shorter finger reaches it, so have wiggle waggled that ring finger, on the tour believe my grip was so tight with the palm, thumb, index and middle around the wheel rim, that left the ring finger solo on the throttle extension... just too much monkey motion all day, each day of the tour

Photo taken some time ago, but how the injury occurred likely.

[Original Smith]

Sorry to hear of your experience Dan. Being a flat lander myself, the tours I go on are usually not flat at all, and I'm constantly adjusting the throttle. I always lift up on the spark and throttle levers on my cars so I don't wear the notches on the quadrant.

[Erik Johnson]

I learned this from my father:

I operate the throttle lever between my first and second fingers. The two fingers are straight and close together, like a Cub Scout salute, and the hand remains on the steering wheel.

[NoelChico]

Dan, I think you need to install one of those new tangled foot operated throttle attachments like I’ve seen on some newer cars

[Steve Jelf]

...new tangled foot operated throttle attachments like I’ve seen on some newer cars.

Mom called it a foot-feed. It was an innovation when she was a kid.

[HaroldRJr]

My Dad told me that when they were kids, my Uncle Jack (Dads' older brother) put "one of them new-fangled foot-feeds" on the family Model T but failed to tell their dad about it. Dad said that the "foot-feed" only lasted one day! Had something to do with "the ol' man" driving the Model T thru' the end of the barn! .......harold