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Other/Mixed Palm of my hand cut. What now?

Other strength modalities (e.g., Clubs), mixed strength modalities (e.g., combined kettlebell and barbell), other goals (flexibility)
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dnguyen411

dnguyen411

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So I cut the palm of my left hand yesterday while fixing our washing machine (sharp metal edges). The cut is about 3/4 inches long, not quite deep enough to need stitches though. I've been working on S&S at 32 kgs for the swing and 36 kg for TGU, but I probably shouldn't use kettlebells during this time. I guess I could do one-handed swings and TGUs on the right hand side but I really shouldn't work on adding imbalances.

I really don't want to lose my gains, per se, while it is healing. Other than some one-handed squats with a dumbbell or kettlebell in the right hand, are there any other exercises I could do while I wait for my hand to sufficiently heal?
 
dnguyen411 said:
I guess I could do one-handed swings and TGUs on the right hand side but I really shouldn't work on adding imbalances.
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I wouldn't worry about it. I spent several months rehabbing a shoulder after rotator cuff surgery doing swings and snatches on only one side (mostly with the same total volume I would normally have divided between sides), with no ill effects.
 
Not knowing exactly how deep the cut is, it's hard to tell how long it will take to heal. That being said, assuming you've been training for a few months, you should be able to take an entire week off completely with no ill effects. Actually, if you've been consistently training S&S for the last couple months or longer, a break would probably improve your performance. The nice thing about near daily practice is that you have plenty of flexibility when you occasionally have to take some time off, and the body often responds very well to the occasional break from the daily grind.

My advice: If you've been doing S&S 4-6 days a week for 6 or more weeks straight, just take enough time off for the cut to knit together, then give it another 2-3 days. This might take about a week. Then tape it up and start S&S again (carefully, maybe at a lighter weight or fewer reps). You'll be pleasantly surprised how little you regress; you might even make progress.
If you haven't been able to be that consistent with your training, then do what @Steve W. said. You won't make any imbalances in a week.
 
@dnguyen411 : I would give that hand time to heal, and not worry too much about strength loss. As @Steve W. and @Snowman said, taking a week or two off of S&S will not (significantly) reduce your gains.
Wishing you a speedy recovery.
 
I would say keep it packed with chalk or tape it up good with athletic tape, but that is just me. Cuts on the hands take a while to heal, especially a puncture wound.

If I didn't lift because of a cut on my hand I would never get anything done. I have a new pretty deep scratch across the heal of my palm. It's annoying but I am working through it.
 
Try a light kettlebell, to see if your hand can bear it. If not, rest or do something else that doesn't affect the cut.
 
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Of course I don't know how much your hand hurts in general, but for swings the KB shouldn't be anywhere in your palm anyway, so swings should be fine.
TGUs can be a problem, but swings shouldn't be.
 
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