How to Treat a Sprained Finger

Finger sprains and dislocations are common hand injuries. A sprain happens when the tough tissue that supports a joint is stretched too far. This tissue, called a ligament, can be partially or completely torn. If the damage is bad enough, the joint comes apart. This is called a dislocation.

Sprains and dislocations can cause pain and swelling. The injuries commonly happen during sports, at work, or in car accidents. While a dislocation is more serious than a sprain, the treatment is often the same for both injuries.

This article discusses how finger sprains and dislocations happen. It also explains what to do if you sprain or dislocate your finger.

A splint on the finger of Dirk Nowitzki
Ronald Martinez / Getty Images

What Are the Symptoms of a Sprained Finger?

Finger sprains are classified in degrees, from mild to severe.

First-Degree Sprain

A first-degree sprain is considered mild with ligaments getting stretched but not torn. Symptoms may include:

  • Pain while moving your finger
  • Bruising and/or swelling on your finger or joint
  • Tenderness or stiffness of your finger joint

Second-Degree Sprain

A second-degree sprain results in more damage to the ligament, such as a partial tear that may also affect a finger joint. Symptoms may include:

  • Prolonged pain
  • Swelling
  • Weakness
  • A change in the range of motion at a nearby joint

Third-Degree Sprain

A third-degree injury is the most severe sprain resulting in the ligament, muscle, or tendon tearing severely or completely, causing symptoms such as:

  • Severe pain and swelling
  • Limited range of motion
  • Instability of the finger
  • Possible discoloration of the finger
  • Possibly a “pop” sound as it happens

What Are the Causes of a Sprained Finger?

Sprains can occur any time your finger bends in an unusual way. This can happen if you fall on your hand or get hurt while you're playing a sport, for example.

Sprains can be in any of the knuckle joints in your finger. However, the joint in the middle of your finger—called the proximal interphalangeal or PIP joint—is the most commonly sprained.

How Is a Sprained Finger Diagnosed?

If you sprain your finger, you might need to have an X-ray to see if any of the bones in your hand are broken (fractured). If you've broken a bone in your finger, you'll need different treatment than if you've just strained the tissue.

How Is a Sprained Finger Treated?

There are many ways to treat a sprained finger, such as the RICE method, which stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. 

  • Rest: Don't use the injured body part in order to protect it from further damage.
  • Ice: Apply an ice pack a few times a day for 10 to 20 minutes at a time to reduce pain and swelling. Do this for the first two to three days. Place a towel or cloth between your skin and the ice pack to avoid damaging your skin with the ice.
  • Compression: Wrap the injured finger with an elastic bandage (like kinesiology tape), but not too tightly. Loosen the bandage if you notice numbness, tingling, increased pain, or swelling below the wrap.
  • Elevate: Raise the injured finger above heart level anytime you're sitting or lying down.

Other treatments may include:

  • Over-the-counter medication: Take an anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, and Aleve) or a pain reliever like acetaminophen (Tylenol and Panadol).
  • Buddy tape: Buddy-taping involves taping the sprained finger to one of the fingers next to it while it heals.
  • Splint: Splinting a sprained finger while you're doing activities that could injure it more can protect your hand. However, if you splint your finger for long periods of time, it can make the joint stiff.
  • Surgery: If you have a fully torn ligament or tendon or it is separated from the bone, surgery may be necessary to repair it. A hand surgeon determines the type of procedure that’s necessary based on the location and extent of the injury and whether it affects a tendon, ligament, or bone.

How Long Does a Sprained Finger Take to Heal?

If you have not broken any bones or dislocated the joint, you'll probably be able to move your finger again in about a week. Your healthcare provider will let you know when you can start using your finger normally.

Thumb sprains and certain finger sprains in children might need to be splinted or taped for longer—especially if the ligament might be torn.

A severe sprain typically requires splinting and can take several weeks or even months to recover fully. Some sprains require finger exercises or physical therapy to regain the full functioning of the injured finger.

If you sprain your finger and it feels swollen and stiff for more than a couple of weeks, talk to your healthcare provider. They might need to check your hand again to make sure you didn't break a bone.

An injury called "gamekeeper's thumb" is a more serious kind of sprain that occurs with forceful or repetitive thumb movements or a fall on an outstretched hand. Activities prone to this injury include skiing, rock climbing, and soccer.

The term "gamekeeper's thumb" first originated from Scottish gamekeepers. The repetitive use of their hands frequently caused this injury.

Hurting the ligaments at this joint multiple times can make it harder to use your finger to make a "pinching" movement. Often, this injury needs to be taped up or splinted for a long time. It might even need surgery to fix.

How to Treat a Dislocated Finger

Sometimes it's easy to reduce, or reposition, a finger back into place. In fact, a person might be able to reduce their own finger just by simply pulling it back into position.

Other times, the dislocation is harder to fix. A person might need to be put under anesthesia or even need surgery to get the joint back into place. In these cases, there might be tendons or other tissues preventing the joint from getting into position.

Putting your finger back into the right position is called "reducing" it. Once it's been reduced, your finger needs to be splinted for about three weeks. You'll also need to have an X-ray to make sure the joint is lined up correctly and that you didn't break any bones.

After these steps are complete, caring for a dislocated finger is basically the same as it is for a sprained finger. For example, ice your finger and keep your hand elevated to help with swelling. Check with your healthcare provider to find out when you can start moving your finger again.

When a joint is dislocated, the ligaments and the joint capsule get torn. Usually, a splint is enough to help the tissue heal. However, sometimes ligaments do not heal properly. If this happens, you might need to have surgery.

When to See a Healthcare Provider

Many finger sprains can be treated safely at home. However, you should seek medical care in the following cases:

  • Symptoms do not go away after rest and home treatment.
  • The bone or joint is clearly deformed or broken.
  • There is severe swelling and/or pain.
  • There is tingling, numbness, or paralysis of the finger.

Summary

Finger sprains and dislocations are common hand injuries. A sprain happens when the finger is stretched in a way that stresses the ligaments and tendons. A dislocation happens when the joint in the finger moves out of place. Both injuries can cause pain and stiffness in the finger.

Sprains and dislocations are often easy to treat. However, to find out how badly you've hurt your finger, you'll need to see a healthcare provider. They can also get your finger splinted or taped up to help keep it from moving while it heals.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How can you tell if a finger is sprained or broken?

    An X-ray is the only way to know if your finger is broken or sprained. Symptoms of both a sprained and broken finger include pain, swelling, and tenderness to the touch.

  • Can you move a sprained finger?

    You might be able to move a sprained finger, but not without pain. Sprains affect the ligaments around a joint, causing swelling and pain.

  • Will a sprained finger heal on its own?

    It depends on the extent of the sprain. A mild sprain may heal on its own in a few weeks. A severe sprain typically requires medical attention and splinting. Even then, a bad sprain can take several weeks or even months to recover fully. Some sprains require physical therapy before the finger is fully functioning.

8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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  2. Elfar J, Mann T. Fracture-dislocations of the proximal interphalangeal joint. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2013;21(2):88-98. doi:10.5435/JAAOS-21-02-88

  3. OrthoInfo from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Hand fractures.

  4. Harvard Health Publishing. Finger dislocation.

  5. Tufts Medical Center. Finger sprain exercises.

  6. Physiopedia. Gamekeeper's thumb.

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  8. Merck Manual. Finger dislocations.

Cluett

By Jonathan Cluett, MD
Jonathan Cluett, MD, is board-certified in orthopedic surgery. He served as assistant team physician to Chivas USA (Major League Soccer) and the United States men's and women's national soccer teams.