Blog post #4 The Man From the South

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In this story, The Man From the South, a solider finds himself in a life altering situation when a contentious bet goes too far. If it were not for the wife interrupting the little game, the solider would soon be facing the reality of having one less digit on his hand. The importance of the pinky finger is often overlooked due to its size, yet it is a crucial digit. If the soldier were to lose his 5th digit he would ultimately lose about 50% of his grip strength. The pinkie finger works diligently with the ring finger to provide power and control while holding objects and rotating the hand.
If the man were to have lost his 5th digit, many of his daily occupations would be affected. His day may begin with an initial struggle to grasp his toothbrush in his hand and provide enough power to efficiently clean his teeth. The solider may then have trouble or need assistance when pouring his morning cup of coffee, or even holding something as light as box of cereal. Due to his lack of grip strength, the solider will ultimately struggle to safely and effectively use weapons such as knives or firearms to protect himself and his fellow soldiers while on the battle field.
The solider should consider using specific gloves with strong grips to be able to latch onto his weapon and prevent it slipping from his grasp. The soldier will also have to learn to compensate by using his ring finger for power and strength. Although it is possible to still use weapons after a 5th digit amputation, much training should be had to build up strength in the other digits and practice using the gripper gloves.

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