Comment by lwarfield

When I broke a joint in my pinky a few years ago it was pretty easy to tell. Early on the range of motion was the limiting factor, and I'd move it back and forth as much as I could without any pain. After that I worked on strength in a similar way, do as much as I can with no pain. I went from "you'll never play an instrument again" to rock climbing and Viola practice.

Overall, seeing my strength and range of motion slowly get better was immensely satisfying and your body is pretty good at letting you know when you're getting close to a limit.