Finger Dexterity, The Number 3 and What is Wrong?

[Trekker4747]

Sometimes I wonder if there is something wrong with me when it comes to my finger dexterity. For example, I can't do the Vulcan finger salute with my right (dominant) hand. I can't get my ring finger and pinky to stay together. I do, however, have no trouble doing it with my left hand.

Then there's signing the number 3 with fingers. There's a few ways this can be done but the common way I see is people who curl in their thumb and pinky together leaving their ring, middle and index finger spread out to show the number. This I just cannot do at all it almost hurts. So I either do the reverse (hold back the index finger with the thumb) or the German/ALS way of using the thumb and, index and middle finger.

So I guess I have a combo question here.

1. Can you do the Vulcan salute with your right hand? Dominant hand? Both hands? Neither hand?

2. How do you show the number 3 with your hand.

3. Do I have -1 to DEX on my fingers?

 

[Amaris]

Sometimes I wonder if there is something wrong with me when it comes to my finger dexterity. For example, I can't do the Vulcan finger salute with my right (dominant) hand. I can't get my ring finger and pinky to stay together. I do, however, have no trouble doing it with my left hand.

Then there's signing the number 3 with fingers. There's a few ways this can be done but the common way I see is people who curl in their thumb and pinky together leaving their ring, middle and index finger spread out to show the number. This I just cannot do at all it almost hurts. So I either do the reverse (hold back the index finger with the thumb) or the German/ALS way of using the thumb and, index and middle finger.

So I guess I have a combo question here.

1. Can you do the Vulcan salute with your right hand? Dominant hand? Both hands? Neither hand?

2. How do you show the number 3 with your hand.

3. Do I have -1 to DEX on my fingers?

1. I can do the Vulcan salute with both hands.
2. I usually do it the classic "middle three fingers" way, though sometimes I do it the "last three fingers" way.
3. Probably, but you can make up for it with +5 Frustration.

 

[iguana_tonante]

I am not sure what "German/ALS" means (American Sign Language?), but that's how I usually do it.

One: thumb (when counting), or index (when showing: as in "I want only one of that").
Two: thumb and index (when counting), or index and middle (when showing).
Three: thumb, index and middle.
Four: all except pinky (when counting), or all except thumb (when showing).

No problem doing the vulcan salute, with both hands.

 

[Davros]

1. Vulcan salute with either hand equally
2. index, middle, and ring fingers. [right hand ring finger, and pinky when dispaying 3 in binary]
3. possibly

 

[Nerys Myk]

1. Both hands
2. Index, middle, ring

 

[scotpens]

I can do the Vulcan salute with both hands (I'm left-handed), but only with my right hand can I make all the extended fingers lie in the same plane. When I do the salute with my left hand with the palm facing outward, the index and middle fingers tilt back slightly and the ring and pinky fingers tilt forward.

I always extend my thumb, index and middle fingers to indicate the number 3.

Do I have -1 to DEX on my fingers?

Which means . . . what, exactly?

 

[sojourner]

I am not sure what "German/ALS" means (American Sign Language?), but that's how I usually do it.

Go watch Inglorious Bastards.

 

[RJDiogenes]

1. Can you do the Vulcan salute with your right hand? Dominant hand? Both hands? Neither hand?

I can do the Vulcan Hand Salute with both hands. I can also do the Boston Driver Salute with both hands.

2. How do you show the number 3 with your hand.

Index, middle and ring fingers. Or, for emphasis, I make a fist and pound on the person's head three times.

3. Do I have -1 to DEX on my fingers?

No, you just have a speech impediment.

 

[Trekker4747]

I am not sure what "German/ALS" means (American Sign Language?), but that's how I usually do it.

Go watch Inglorious Bastards.

It's also how three is signed in American Sign Language.

 

[Miss Chicken]

1. Can you do the Vulcan salute with your right hand? Dominant hand? Both hands? Neither hand?

Both hands, quite easily

2. How do you show the number 3 with your hand.

I can do the three middle fingers on my left hand but not my right hand. If I try it on my right hand I cannot straighten up my ring finger. However I generally use the thumb, index and middle finger of my left hand, palm inwards to show the number three.

 

[Kemaiku]

Salute with both hands and the "pinkie-thumb" across the palm way of doing 3.

Although I can still do the salute with my left hand, I can't do the "3" thing very well as I damaged the third finger of my left hand in high shool, it was split open and hasn't worked 100% since.

 

[thestrangequark]

I can do the Vulcan salute with both hands, but not the Girl Scout salute, and I was a Girl Scout for years.

I cannot straighten my index finger when I do the salute. I can't even force it straight with my other hand when my pinky and thumb are in that position.

 

[rhubarbodendron]

1. both hands. After a severe tendeon injury on my dominant (right) hand I was forced to do many things with the left one until after a few years a surgery mended most of the damage. I am still ambidextruous, though.

2. usually by folding in thumb and pinkie and showing the three middle fingers (they are of an almost equal length and therefore are easier to see fom afar)

3. sounds like your fingers could be a little more mobile. Try playing an instrument: recorder / flute, piano, guitar all improve your motorical skills. If your finger muscles are weak, try a clothepeg: squeeze it open with thumb and forefinger, thumb and middle finger, thumb and ring finger, thumb and pinkie. If you can do it with a plastic one, switch to wooden clothepegs - they have stronger springs.
Also, look for finger training tips on websites for pianists, guitarists and surgeons.
There are a few pretty good exercises here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeijO73mexk
Don't get frustrated - I've been playing recorders for 45 years, guitar for 32 years and have been wielding scalpels for 29 years now and still there are quite a few things in that video I can't do (yet) (But I love challenges!)

 

[Trekker4747]

I can do the Vulcan salute with both hands, but not the Girl Scout salute, and I was a Girl Scout for years.

I cannot straighten my index finger when I do the salute. I can't even force it straight with my other hand when my pinky and thumb are in that position.

Yeah, I can't do that all, I can kind-of force it with my left hand using my right hand to push the fingers into position but they spring out once I take away my hand. Can't even force it on my right hand. Ugh, stuff like this makes me all freaked out and antsy like I have some sort of odd condition and medical problem.

It's not like I need to do the Vulcan Salute a lot or need to show the number-3 in that way given the other ways I can do it (I sort of prefer the German/European/ASL way of doing it using the thumb as one of the counts) but for my own mental security it worries me that my fingers can't be dexterous enough to do a "3" the "common" way of doing it, it seems, using the thumb touching the pinky. "Boy Scout Salute."

And I was IN the Boy Scouts! I don't recall if I had trouble doing the salute or not, though.

 

[thestrangequark]

^I really think it's no big deal.

 

[ITL]

I can do the Vulcan salute with both hands, and have no trouble indicating the number 3 with either hand using the standard or German method. I do play guitar, so that might help with the motor skills as indicated above.

 

[Trekker4747]

^I really think it's no big deal.

Tell my neurosis that.

 

[thestrangequark]

^I really think it's no big deal.

Tell my neurosis that.

I really think it's no big deal, Neurosis.

 

[Trekker4747]

^I really think it's no big deal.

Tell my neurosis that.

I really think it's no big deal, Neurosis.

It isn't when it's bad and I get to take a "Vitamin X."

 

[iguana_tonante]

Do I have -1 to DEX on my fingers?

Which means . . . what, exactly?

You fail your INT check.

I am not sure what "German/ALS" means (American Sign Language?), but that's how I usually do it.

Go watch Inglorious Bastards.

Ah, that explains it. I never saw it. (Not on purpose: I love Tarantino. I just happened to miss it.)

Ugh, stuff like this makes me all freaked out and antsy like I have some sort of odd condition and medical problem.

Yes, you have. It's called hypochondria.