Finger Sprains
Finger sprains are injuries that cause a stretching of the ligaments of the fingers or thumb. The most common cause of a finger sprain is a fall onto your hand. Often the finger bends unusually causing the ligament injury and subsequent pain.
What are the symptoms of a finger sprain?
Symptoms of a finger sprain include pain, swelling, and tenderness of the finger. An x-ray should be performed to ensure that there is no fracture of the bones.
How is a finger sprain treated?
Finger sprains are often splinted or buddy taped for a short period of time. So long as there was no fracture or dislocation, most finger sprains should be allowed to move within about a week. Splinting the sprained finger during sports can help protect the injury, but unnecessarily splinting the finger cause cause it to stiffen up. You should discuss with your doctor when to begin finger motion.
Other treatments for a finger sprain include:
- Ice the injured finger
- Elevate if there is swelling
- Take an anti-inflammatory medication
- Gently move the finger to prevent stiffening
Finger Dislocations
A finger dislocation is a different type of injury, and more severe. When a joint is dislocated, the normal alignment of the finger is altered, and the joint must be put back into place.When the joint is dislocated, the ligaments and joint capsule surrounding the injured joint are torn. Sometimes, these ligaments do not heal adequately and surgery is occasionally needed to repair the injured structures. That said, most finger dislocations can be treated with a simple splint. Once the joint has been put back into position, the finger is splinted to allow the ligaments and joint capsule to heal.
Treatment principles of a dislocated finger are similar to those for a sprained finger. You should should ice and elevate the injured finger after the injury. Have the finger x-rayed and splinted. Then follow you doctors recommendations for when to begin finger motion.
