Broken finger

I just started cycling about 2 months ago and am training for a 35 mile road fundraiser. I slammed my finger in a door and it is broken. I will have to wear a splint on my left middle finger for 6 weeks. I am only 1 week in now. Can I safely ride minus a finger? I tried gripping my brakes and I can still do it without the use of my middle finger. I will be so disappointed if I cannot do the ride. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

Oh hellz yes!

I've trained AND raced with my right hand in a cast (bone behind the pinkie was broken after crashing over an insane suicidal groundhog) and with right hand and wrist in a cast after low-siding in an oily turn (one bone in the mess of bones that make up the wrist was busted...motor gently through the grease-mud, for there lurks the skid demon!).

You can do this!

I'm surprised the doc did not immobilize your middle finger by strapping it to the index finger and splinting the two of them together...but at least you can still flip off life's morons!

Go easy on the warp speed for the first week or so and try to plan your braking far enough ahead that you can drag just one brake. Yeah, that will kill you average speed, but at least you'll be out in the fresh air and getting a workout in.

Safety first...try a couple of fast, hard stops. If you can mange one, you'll be fine if you really have to lock it up. Good luck!

 

Well I just broken my pinky finger and it hurts, I played some basketball earlier and it got hit with the ball by a sudden pass, I'll goto the doctor tomorrow if it doesn't straighten up. I can't move it now and is really hurting. I tried putting ice and took some ibuprofen capsules to ease the pain worst is I was with my MTB and I had to bike home. And even it's just my pinky finger it really affects my ride so i think to effectively race you have to heal first. Here's a shot of it...

 

For sure you can definitely ride even with that handicap of a broken finger. However, you have to adjust your movement particularly with that hand because your riding will be negatively affected when you will feel the pain from time to time. It is like having a toothache when you are riding. But if you can hold the handle bar and the brake in a way that will not involve your broken finger then I guess you can have a normal ride.

 

Hopefully, you've had your finger checked by a doctor already so that it can be aligned properly if it's really broken and to help you immobilize the finger for better healing.

 

I don't really see why you wouldn't be able to ride without one finger. Sure if you're used to depending on that finger, it might be a bit inconvenient at first, but with some minor readjustment you'd be able to ride just fine.

There was a time when I used to smoke cigarettes (thankfully it was a long time ago) and I'd often ride my bicycle holding a cigarette between my middle and index finger, and squeezing the breaks with my ring and pinky finger. It isn't difficult, just takes some adjusting if you're not used to it.

 

I think it's possible to ride in your current condition. I personally prefer resting for some time before going back to cycling whenever this happens. I don't like to ride if I have something going on in my body.