Even injuries unrelated to EDS can have knock-on effects

Not everything that happens to me is related to my Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (although much of it is!). Sometimes accidents happen simply because I’m human.

My current nemesis is a ganglion cyst in my right index finger, courtesy of the fact that I accidentally dropped a square beam (6 inches wide, 12 feet long) on my hand a few months ago. While it’s not specific to EDS, the condition certainly exacerbates the impact of the cyst.

Out at the farm where I live, we’ve been working on a new run-in shelter for the horses. It’s a three-sided structure that lets the horses come and go freely to get out of the weather and enjoy the shade. It’s large, and the bottom beams have to be sufficiently heavy to hold the structure’s weight, which is why the 6-inch-wide ones are necessary.

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My dad and I were moving one beam off the wood pile when it slipped out of my left hand. The beams are heavy, and I couldn’t hold it up with just my right hand, especially since my right shoulder and ring finger are badly damaged thanks to previous injuries and EDS-related complications. As a result, the beam fell onto the boards below it — and onto my right hand.

The good news was that it mostly missed the plates and screws in my right finger, and I could tell nothing was broken. The bad news, though, was that it hurt. A lot. Since I knew nothing was broken, I shook it off and kept going. It hurt for a week or so, but nothing too bad after the initial sting wore off.

A few weeks later, I noticed that the joint where my finger attaches to my hand was quite sensitive and painful. I felt around and realized I had a soft lump on the edge of the joint. One of the bonuses of working at a high school is that I have access to our athletic trainer, so I went to ask her opinion. She felt it and immediately said, “That feels like a joint cyst. Have you had any trauma to your hand recently?” I laughed and asked her if dropping a giant wooden beam on it counted.

She laughed in return and said, “Absolutely.”

Joint cysts, or ganglion cysts, are common among people with arthritis, but they can also develop after a trauma to the area. Sometimes they go away on their own, but not always, though they usually become less painful over time. For me, the cyst has gotten bigger but less painful over the past few months. Some weeks it seems to get smaller, and other times it’s bigger. I’m guessing it has to do with how much I’ve done to aggravate it.

While it’s not related to my EDS, anything that affects my movement has knock-on effects. My shattered ring finger has led to strain in my hand and forearm, and when the cyst is sore, I tend to guard my pointer finger, causing even more strain.

I tend to think of physical issues as either related to EDS or unrelated to EDS, but the reality is much more nuanced than that. There are certainly injuries that are a problem specifically because of my EDS, such as sprains and strains. But even issues that aren’t directly affected by the condition, like my cyst, may involve compensations that can lead to EDS flare-ups. It’s important for me to remember that so that I properly manage any injuries I sustain.

Note: Ehlers-Danlos News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Ehlers-Danlos News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Ehlers-Danlos.