Recovering grip strength after a hand injury

[jcs_smith]

I would really appreciate some advice.
I used to regularly use Captains of Crush and was the level where I could nearly close a level 2 gripper – not great I know but I felt a sense of achievement having reached that level. However a few months ago I suffered a hand injury – I work as a bouncer and throwing a drunk out one night I strained my hand and my doctor advised large amounts of rest. I had to give up training for awhile ( I hurt my back at the same time) and since starting again, my training has mainly consisted of deadlifts and shrugs with a shrug bar, incline bench with an axle, curls with an axle, low rows, good mornings, front squats and military press with an Olympic bar.
Yesterday, after a good shoulder workout I tried using my grippers for the first time in many months. I managed 15 reps with the trainer on my right hand and 6 on my left. I almost closed the number 1 but not quite. Any advice on how I can quickly get back to closing a 2? Obviously I want to move beyond there but regaining my hand strength is my immediate priority.
Should I do a separate hand workout or is it OK to train my hands before or after a normal lifting session?
I have the trainer, 1, 1.5 and 2 Captains of Crush, IMTUGs – 4.5 and 6, expand your hand bands, R-rings, a rolling thunder, wicked wrist roller and a hub style gripper.

[Dave Lemanczyk]

I was in your spot for 6 years throwing people around and mixing it up as a bouncer. I know what it's like to get hurt just like you in a variety of ways. The best advice I can give you is to allow all your injuries to heal before doing any direct "training" to the affected areas. Specifically, allow your strained wrist to heal fully before doing anything with it. If your opposite wrist does not have pain, optimize all ranges of motion then build strength using those ranges of motion. Your wrists are very important for everything not to mention close quarter combat. When your feeling better make sure the things you do for physical improvement match what you need in life situations. Good luck man!

[Russ Farver]

I'd recommend when you start training again to take it slow and steady to start. The last think you want to do is re-injure yourself by trying to do too much too fast. That'll put you back even further than taking it real slow not to mention it could affect your job. Strength training is a marathon, not a sprint. You WILL eventually get back to where you were and beyond. Good luck brother!

[Daniel Reinard]

I'd take it easy. Discomfort means it isn't ready. It kind of depends on what you hurt, tendon or muscle, because both heal differently. And when your hand is ready to receive a load start with flexibility and stretching excercises. I've done slow high rep light duty gripping on store bought rubber jobbers. That'll get blood flowing, then stretch each finger and wrist range. Do that each day for a week and after that try increasingly heavier loads with bigger grippers, as discomfort permits. But keep up the slow warmup and stretching. In the mean time keep hitting the good hand, the other one will catch up. I always make sure to warm up then stretch my hands and wrists before working them out. It'll keep your hands healthly and more resiliant to stresses and also aids in recovery.

Edit: And as it pertains to your other workout: Make sure that isn't affecting the healing process. If it doesn't I'd do it post workout since you'll be warm and it'll have less affect on your hands than a hand workout will on your lifting. But still try to warm up that hand and stretch before working it with any excersise.