Expert: - 4/24/2008

Question
QUESTION: I hurt my ring finger. How i do about drilling a index finger´s hole. I mean distance, soan, angle, etc.
Thank for your help.

ANSWER: Antonio,
An index finger hole won't help support a sore ring finger.

If you look at the Right hand, palm up:


    pinkie -   ring  - middle   - index   - thumb.

Sore  ring, you'd get support drilling a pinkie finger hole. Extra holes are drilled knowing flexibility, existing laterals, existing grip spans and the reason for the hole (support, slow the release, change the tilt). Thanks for the question.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Sorry, I didn´t give the right information. The hurt finger is the middle. Then, do i have to set up my grip wiith pinkie and ring fingers?

ANSWER: Antonio,
Your grip should have middle finger and ring finger in the ball.

If your middle finger in injured, to help support it, have an index finger hole drilled (currently not in the ball). You can throw with the index, middle finger and ring finger in the ball.

But, you may also want to address the angle or length to determine why it is injured.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I can not use my midddle finger at all since it lost flexibility completilly. So my choices are to grip the ball with ring and either pinkie or index or both. What would you recomend in this case.
Thank you.

Answer
Antonio,
How far back will the finger bend? When gripping just the tip of the finger, trying to keep the second joint and the rest of the finger rigid, how much bend is available?

Having the middle finger not inserted into the ball may put significant pressure on it as you release the ball. I would not recommend it.

Pitching the hole away from the thumb and an adjustment of the length of the span for the middle finger may allow you to insert the finger in the ball, with the index finger, and regain some, less painful, control.

If you are intent on keeping the middle finger out of the ball, by inserting ring and pinkie in a ball rolling around the middle MAY allow you to continue to play, but at a tremendously reduced capacity. Avoiding further injury should be your goal.

Thanks for hanging in with your questions. NO flexibility and less flexibility is significant. Thanks for the questions.