Rehabilitation of Sprained Thumb
- Flexion. In flexion, all you need to do is to bend your wrist in a forward position and to keep it there for five seconds.
- Extension. Extension is the exact opposite of flexion and you would need to bend your wrist in a backward position during this exercise.
- Side to Side. Slowly move your wrist from one side to the other and back again. ...
Full Answer
Would you go to the doctor for a sprained thumb?
Thumb opposition With your affected hand, point your fingers and thumb straight up. Your wrist should be relaxed, following the line of... Touch your affected thumb to each finger, one finger at a time. This will look like an "okay" sign, but try to keep your... Repeat 8 to 12 times.
How can you tell if your thumb is sprained?
Apr 26, 2016 · Healing a Sprained Thumb 1. A Splint or Cast. If there is a partially torn ligament, a cast or splint is used. It helps speed up the healing... 2. Thumb Taping. Thumb taping is another way to prevent the thumb from moving and potentially making the injury worse. 3. Thumb Bracing. A thumb brace is ...
How to tell if your thumb is sprained?
Aug 29, 2017 · Nonsurgical treatments. Pressure: Press down on the area of the sprain to keep swelling down. Rest: Move your thumb as little as possible to keep the sprain from getting worse. Ice: Fill a bag with ice and put it on the area of the sprain to reduce pain and swelling. Compression: Wrap the area of ...
How long does it take for a thumb to heal?
How long does a sprained ligament in your thumb take to heal?
How long does it take to recover from a sprained thumb? A mild sprain should heal in about six weeks if you wear a splint or cast and do rehabilitation exercises. A more serious sprain may take several months to heal before you regain most of your thumb's function again, especially if you had UCL surgery.
Should I exercise my sprained thumb?
Ligaments are strong bands of tis- sue that connect one bone to another. doing exercises to strengthen your thumb during the healing process. Your health care provider will recommend that your sprained thumb be splinted for 1 to 4 weeks after your injury.
Can a sprained thumb heal by itself?
A sprained thumb can be treated with a brace or cast and will likely take 3-6 weeks to fully heal. If your sprain is severe, you may need surgery. Every patient is different, so visit a hand surgeon to determine the best treatment for your injury.May 17, 2021
How can I strengthen my thumb?
Gently straighten all your fingers into a full stretch, and then gently make a fist. The following exercises are designed to strengthen the small muscles that support and move your thumb: 5. With your thumb and fingers lightly gripping a tennis ball, gently squeeze against the ball and relax.
How do you tell if your thumb is sprained or just bruised?
What are the symptoms of a sprained thumb?Experiencing pain or tenderness around the base of your thumb.Experiencing swelling in your thumb or at the base of it.Having bruising around the base of your thumb.Dec 23, 2021
How do I know if I tore a ligament in my thumb?
Some symptoms of a broken thumb include:difficulty moving the thumb.sudden and severe pain in the thumb.swelling.tenderness to the touch.thumb appears misshapen.thumb feels cold to the touch.tingling and numbness in the thumb.Jan 31, 2020
What helps ligaments heal faster?
Balance, control, and strengthening exercises can also help your ligaments heal more quickly than they otherwise would.
What Causes A Sprained Thumb?
A sprained thumb (also known as a jammed thumb) is often the result of a repetitive action that strains the ligaments in the thumb. A ligament is s...
How Is A Sprained Thumb Diagnosed?
To determine whether or not the thumb is indeed sprained (and if so, the extent of the injury), your doctor will perform a few sprained thumb tests...
How Long Does It Take For A Sprained Thumb to heal?
To ease pain and swelling, you can place an ice pack on your thumb twice a day for two to three days after the injury. For the first three weeks af...
Some Possible Complications
If you don’t seek treatment for your sprained thumb and you continue to engage in physical activities (even regular activities) too soon, the follo...
Preventing A Sprained Thumb
When participating in heavy contact sports, or sports like volleyball where you use your fingers a lot, taping can be an effective method of preven...
How to heal a strained thumb?
Here are a number of possible treatments for a sprained thumb that your doctor and/or physiotherapist will recommend. 1. A Splint or Cast.
How long does it take to heal a sprained thumb?
The recovery time for a sprained thumb is typically four to six weeks unless the ligament is torn, in which case a more involved sprained thumb treatment, such as surgery, is necessary and will result in a much longer recovery time.
Why do you tape your thumb?
When participating in heavy contact sports, or sports like volleyball where you use your fingers a lot, taping can be an effective method of prevention in keeping the thumb joint stabilized and preventing ulnar collateral ligament injuries. There are a few ways to tape a thumb, depending on how the joint was damaged.
What is the ligament in a sprain?
A ligament is soft tissue that connects bones to other bones, creating a complete joint. Thumb sprains are common in sports such as volleyball, rugby, martial arts, skiing, and even basketball and Ultimate Frisbee to some extent.
What is the best way to heal a torn ligament in your thumb?
A Splint or Cast. If there is a partially torn ligament, a cast or splint is used. It helps speed up the healing process by keeping the injured thumb in a constricted environment, to prevent use, overextension, and further injury. 2.
How to diagnose thumb sprain?
The following are how most thumb sprains are diagnosed: Your doctor will first look at the injury and if they need a second opinion they may refer you to a specialist. Next, your doctor may do a stress test, in which they put pressure on the injured ligament.
What happens if you don't treat a sprained thumb?
If you don’t seek treatment for your sprained thumb and you continue to engage in physical activities (even regular activities) too soon, the following complications might occur: Chronic pain; Chronic thumb joint instability, and a possibility for it to happen again but with less force applied; and.
How to stretch thumb from palm?
Advertisement. Steps: ​. Lay your hand down flat on a table and stretch your thumb away from your palm as far as you can.
How to improve thumb strength?
These thumb rehab exercises can help improve strength and range of motion. Between texting, typing, gripping groceries and cutting open packages, your hands get a lot of action during the day. But this frequent, repetitive use can make your thumbs prone overuse injuries, including tendonitis and sprains.
How to strengthen the wrist?
Steps: ​. Place the elbow of your affected thumb on a table or other flat surface. Gently bend your wrist forward and hold for 5 seconds. Complete 2 sets of 15 reps.
What happens when you overuse your thumb?
This condition happens when the tendons around the base of your thumb, right where your thumb hooks into your hand, become inflamed. This irritation causes swelling, pain ...
How to make a sprite out of a sprite?
Steps: ​. Pick up a variety of small objects, such as paper clips, safety pins, pencils, coins and marbles, using your thumb and each of your other fingers, one at a time. Practice this exercise for 5 minutes.
Who is Michelle Zehr?
Michelle Zehr started writing professionally in 2009. She has written on health, fitness, fashion, interior design, home decorating,sports and finance for several websites. Zehr possesses a Bachelor of Arts in communication from the University of Pittsburgh, a Master of Arts in professional writing from Chatham University and a graduate certificate in health promotion from California University of Pennsylvania.
How to treat a sprained thumb?
The cold helps to reduce swelling, bruising, and pain. Use an ice pack or submerge your thumb in a cold bath. Ice the injury for 15-minute intervals for 24 to 48 hours. Avoid sleeping with an ice pack, if the cold is left on your skin for too long it can cause a skin injury.
What is the procedure to repair a thumb sprain?
As a result, some surgeons will reconstruct injured ligaments by grafting in new tissue. This is a fusion procedure and is the surgery of choice for patients who work in jobs that put significant strain on their thumb.
How to heal a thumb spica?
Compression. Use compression with a bandage or thumb spica brace for 24 to 48 hours. A bandage is better for the compression, but a spica cast or brace will immobilize your thumb to help prevent further damage. Both options will reduce swelling within the soft tissue of the thumb, in turn, this reduces pain and helps to improve healing time.
What ligament is involved in a sprained thumb?
The ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), which is the ligament typically involved in a sprained thumb, needs plenty of time to heal. Resting your thumb will give your body a chance to repair the damage. Be sure to avoid activities that involve using your thumb and protect it with a splint or brace.
How to reduce swelling in thumb?
Raising your thumb above the level of your heart will reduce swelling by encouraging fluid to return to the heart and not pool in the area around the thumb. Prop your hand and thumb on a couple of pillows. Keep your thumb elevated intermittently for the first two days after your injury.
What is the best medicine for a sprained thumb?
One way to treat the pain associated with a sprained thumb is to take over-the-counter pain medications. NSAIDs like ibuprofen and na proxen are two common drugs that are inexpensive and widely available. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is another medication that can help provide some pain relief.
What to do after thumb surgery?
Follow-up with the surgeon and a physical therapist is incredibly important after thumb surgery. Your surgeon will evaluate the incision site and determine if any additional treatment is necessary. A physical therapist will help you work through the stiffness after surgery and encourage you to strengthen the muscles surrounding the site. Follow any recommendations by your surgeon regarding rest, splinting, and pain management.
How to heal a sprained thumb?
Right after you’ve sprained your thumb, use the PRICE method: 1 Pressure: Press down on the area of the sprain to keep swelling down. 2 Rest: Move your thumb as little as possible to keep the sprain from getting worse. 3 Ice: Fill a bag with ice and put it on the area of the sprain to reduce pain and swelling. 4 Compression: Wrap the area of the sprain with elastic wrap to keep pressure on the sprain. 5 Elevation: Keep your hand lifted above your heart to reduce swelling and internal bleeding.
How to stop a sprained thumb from getting worse?
Rest: Move your thumb as little as possible to keep the sprain from getting worse. Ice: Fill a bag with ice and put it on the area of the sprain to reduce pain and swelling . Compression: Wrap the area of the sprain with elastic wrap to keep pressure on the sprain.
What is a thumb sprain?
Overview. A thumb sprain happens when you injure the tissues in your thumb that connect the bones in a joint. These tissues, known as ligaments, keep your bones in place when the joint moves. In your thumb, several ligaments help you grab objects, pinch, and make a fist. A thumb sprain is much less serious than a broken thumb because ...
Why is it called a skier's thumb?
A sprained thumb is sometimes called skier’s thumb because you can easily injure your thumb’s UCL if you hit your thumb at high speeds against a skiing pole. It’s also sometimes called gamekeeper’s thumb because of how common a chronic UCL sprain is among gamekeepers.
What ligament is involved in thumb sprain?
Read about how minor sports injuries can be treated at home. The ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) is the most common ligament involved in a thumb sprain. This ligament is at the base of your thumb near your palm at the metacarpophalangeal joint (MCPJ). It keeps your thumb from bending too far or dislocating.
How long does it take for a thumb splint to be removed?
To treat a minor sprain, your doctor will have you wear a thumb spica splint or a cast to keep your thumb from moving. After about six weeks , the splint or cast is removed. Your thumb will be stiff after not using it for six weeks, so your doctor will then recommend exercises to get back full control of your thumb.
How to get rid of a swollen thumb?
Repeat these exercises 8–12 times several times a day. Bend the top part of your thumb back and forth. Hold the base of your thumb and bend it so that the thumb touches your palm. Touch the tip of your thumb to the tip of each finger in succession.
