What is the best treatment for finger injuries?
Management and TreatmentRest: Let your finger rest, if possible. ... Ice: Ice the injured area for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, especially within the first 24 hours. ... Compression: Wrap an elastic compression bandage around the injured joint to support it and reduce swelling.More items...•Aug 12, 2021
How do you rehab a sprained finger?
Isolated PIP flexionPlace the hand with the affected finger flat on a table, palm up. With your other hand, press down on the fingers that are not affected. Your affected finger will be free to move.Slowly bend your affected finger. Hold for about 6 seconds. Then straighten your finger.Repeat 8 to 12 times.
How long does a damaged finger take to heal?
Recovering from a broken finger or thumb A broken finger or thumb usually heals within 6 to 8 weeks, but it can take longer. It may be 3 to 4 months before full strength returns to your hand. Once it's healed, use your finger or thumb as normal. Moving it will stop it getting stiff.
Can a finger injury heal on its own?
Most of the time a jammed finger will get better on its own within a week or two. But even with treatment, your finger may stay swollen or sensitive for many months. During recovery, try to use the finger as little as possible while it heals. Take a break from sports or other activities that could worsen your injury.
How do you know if you tore a ligament in your finger?
When a ligament supporting a finger joint is injured pain is felt in the finger....Other symptoms may include:reduced range of movement.stiffness.weakness.deformity.biomechanical problems.
How can I get my fingers to bend again?
DIP flexionWith your good hand, grasp your affected finger. Your thumb will be on the top side of your finger just below the joint that is closest to your fingernail.Slowly bend your affected finger only at the joint closest to your fingernail. Hold for about 6 seconds.Repeat 8 to 12 times.
Can't fully bend finger after injury?
If your flexor tendons are damaged, you'll be unable to bend 1 or more fingers. Tendon damage can also cause pain and swelling (inflammation) in your hand. Sometimes, damage to the extensor tendons can be treated without the need for surgery, using a rigid support called a splint that's worn around the hand.
How do you fix a swollen finger?
Try these methods for reducing swelling in your fingers:Keep your hand/arm elevated. If you keep your hand down, gravity is keeping the extra fluid in your hand. ... Apply ice to the affected area.Wear a splint or compressive wrap. Do not apply too tightly. ... Take anti inflammatory medications such as Ibuprofen.May 25, 2020
How do I know if my finger is broken or just bruised?
What Are Some Common Symptoms of a Broken Finger?Your affected finger is bent into a strange or unnatural position.There's excessive swelling in one localized area.There's significant tenderness and bruising in one localized area.Your pain is exceptionally severe.You're finding it difficult to move the affected finger.Apr 5, 2021
Can you tear ligaments in your finger?
A sprained finger is when you either stretch or tear one of the ligaments in your finger. A ligament is a band of soft tissue. Most connect the outside surface of one bone to another bone.Sep 1, 2020
Should you bend a sprained finger?
The finger should be splinted so that the injured joint and adjacent bones are immobilized. Aluminum splints can be custom cut to fit and bent to accommodate most finger injuries. Because there is more tissue damaged in a second-degree sprain, the finger will swell more and may have some discoloration.
When should you tape your fingers?
Buddy taping can be used for minor finger and toe injuries such as sprains or strains. You shouldn't use it if there are any obvious deformities from the injury, such as a bone at an odd angle. Seek medical attention if you have any open wounds that could require stitches, bones visibly out of place, or severe pain.Jan 16, 2019
How to move a finger that is not affected?
Place the hand with the affected finger flat on a table, palm up. With your other hand, press down on the fingers that are not affected. Your affected finger will be free to move.
How to get a swollen finger out of your hand?
Place your good hand on a table, palm up. Put your hand with the affected finger on top of your good hand. Use the thumb and fingers of your good hand to grasp below the middle joint of your affected finger. Bend and then straighten the last two joints of your affected finger. Repeat 8 to 12 times.
How to get a hook out of your hand?
Slowly uncurl the joints of your hand with the affected finger where your fingers connect to your hand so that only the top two joints of your fingers are bent. Your fingers will look like a hook. Move back to your starting position, with your fingers wrapped around your good thumb. Repeat 8 to 12 times.
How to do dip flexion?
slide 3 of 9, DIP flexion, With your good hand, grasp your affected finger. Your thumb will be on the top side of your finger just below the joint that is closest to your fingernail. Slowly bend your affected finger only at the joint closest to your fingernail. Hold for about 6 seconds.
How to help a smashed finger heal?
Gently massaging the injury site and the surrounding area can help improve recovery time by encouraging blood flow to the site. This can also help break up dead blood cells and tissues. The recovery time for a smashed finger depends largely on the severity of the injury and location.
How to treat a finger that is infected?
Very gently apply an ice pack or compress wrapped in a hand towel or cloth to the injured finger for 10-minute intervals with 20-minute breaks, several times daily. Never expose the skin directly to ice, or for longer than 10 to 15 minutes at a time, to avoid the risk of frostbite or further inflammation.
What happens if you bruise your finger?
A painful bruise may develop at the injury site after the initial swelling goes down. Depending on the location of the injury and its severity, the bruise may cause throbbing, aching, or numbness. Once the initial pain and swelling improve, you should increasingly try to stretch and move the injured finger.
What happens if you hit your finger with a hammer?
If you’ve ever caught your finger in a door, or hit it with a hammer, you’ve probably experienced common symptoms of a smashed finger. Any trauma or injury to your finger can lead to: severe finger pain, especially aching and throbbing pain. inflammation (pain, redness, and swelling) difficulty using the finger tip.
How long does a bruise on a fingernail last?
The bruise will remain visible for a few months until the affected portion of the nail grows out. If you suspect that your nail may fall off, or the bruise is visible on 50 percent or more of the nail, call your doctor. Your doctor may be able to help prevent the nail from falling off by relieving pressure.
How to get relief from a sprained ankle?
Rest, ice, elevation, and the use of OTC pain and anti-inflammatory medications are generally the best way to get immediate and long-term relief from this injury. Seek medical attention for injuries that involve the joints, have noticeable abnormalities or breaks, cause severe pain, or don’t respond to basic treatment.
How to clean a broken nail?
Clean and cover open wounds. If the nail or skin is broken, gently clean the area using soap and water, or an antibacterial rinse. Then, cover the wound with sterile gauze or bandages. OTC antibiotic ointments or cream s can also be applied to the wounds after cleaning sessions to help prevent infection.
How to get your finger back to its normal state?
Path to Improved Health. By exercising your injured finger each day, you can help to combat your pain and increase flexibility. Performing these exercises regularly may help your finger return to its healthy state:
How to straighten a finger?
To do this exercise, use your uninjured hand to slowly straighten and bend the injured finger. Hold it straight then slowly bend it.
How to make your finger stronger?
Exercise: Grip Strengthening. This exercise can make your finger stronger. To do this exercise, make a fist with your injured hand and hold it for several seconds. You can do this exercise using only your hand, or you can squeeze a ball (for example, a soft “ stress ” ball or a tennis ball). If you use a tennis ball, make a cut in the side ...
What is the best exercise for fine motor skills?
Exercise: Object Pick-up. This exercise can improve fine motor skills, such as writing or tying your shoes. To do this exercise, pick up small objects such as coins, marbles or buttons with the injured finger and the thumb.
Can you exercise your finger after a finger injury?
Exercising your finger after an injury can make it strong er and easier to move . However, you shouldn’t start these exercises until your doctor says it is safe.
How to treat a fractured finger?
Immediate treatment of a suspected fracture should involve resting the finger, immobilizing it with a splint or buddy strap, applying ice and elevating the hand above the heart to reduce bleeding and swelling . Medical attention should then be sought.
What is a broken finger?
Broken finger. A broken finger is a break or fracture in any one of the 3 small phalange bones which make up each finger. It is common in contact sports and usually caused by direct impact or trauma.
How long does a finger fracture last?
This may be kept in place for 3-4 weeks.
What is finger buddy taping?
A finger buddy taping technique is sometimes used. More complicated fractures where the broken fragment is displaced or broken into more than one part, surgery may be required. This usually involves pinning the two fragments together so that they heal in the right place.
Why does my fingernail hurt?
Fractures of the distal phalanx (the end bone of the finger) can also cause problems with the fingernail, especially if it was caused by a crush injury (see black fingernail ). Blood may gather under the nail causing a build-up of pressure and pain. This may require draining.
What does it mean when your finger is broken?
A broken finger will be the result of some kind of impact or collision. The athlete will feel immediate pain with swelling and bruising which will appear quite quickly. It will be painful to try and move the finger which may appear deformed if the bone is displaced or joint dislocated. If there is any nerve damage, ...
Can a finger fracture be caused by a ball?
Finger fractures may be common but it is important to get them checked out and treated properly. If a bone heals out of alignment , this could cause future problems, as well as looking strange!
What to do if you have a finger injury?
Be aware that many finger injuries occur during athletic events, especially ball games (such as, basketball, baseball, football). Remove rings or other jewelry before participating in sports. If you enjoy participating in such activities, keep some first aid items on hand for splinting a finger.
What to do if your finger is deformed?
If the finger is obviously deformed, immobilize it with a splint in whatever position is least painful . Almost any small rigid item such as a popsicle stick, a pen, or a piece of cardboard can be tied or taped to the finger as a splint. A finger can also be buddy-taped-that is, taped to the finger next to it.
What tendon is on the back of the finger?
Mallet (or drop or hammer) finger: Extensor tendon (the tendon that is on the back or "dorsum" of your finger responsible for extending the finger straight) torn away from the distal phalanx (bone in the end of your finger). This causes the tip of your finger to sag and not completely straighten out.
What are some facts about finger injuries?
Facts You Should Know About Finger Injuries. Picture of nail bed laceration resulting in a subungual hematoma. Finger injuries are common and range from minor cuts and scrapes to wounds with major damage to bone, tendons, and ligaments. If not treated properly, serious finger injuries can lead to permanent deformity and loss of function.
What happens if you blow your finger?
A direct blow to the tip of a finger can cause tendon or ligament damage, as well as fracture or dislocation of the bones. If the side ligaments are torn, the patient may have pain on the side of a joint, and the joint may be loose.
What happens if you tear a ligament?
If the ligament on the bottom of the joint (called the volar plate) is torn, the patient may have pain and looseness on the underside of the finger. If a tendon is torn away from its attachment, the patient may be unable to completely bend, straighten, or grip with the finger (or thumb).
What causes numbness on the side of the finger?
Nerve injuries. Sensation to the finger is supplied by four nerves, two (dorsal and volar digital nerves) running along each side of the finger. Damaging the nerve can cause numbness on the side of the finger supplied by the nerve.
How long does it take for a broken pinky finger to heal?
Normal recovery time is 3 to 4 weeks. A surgical treatment involves a manual correction ...
Why is my pinky finger broken?
There are numerous activities and situations that can lead to a broken pinky finger in people of all ages and fitness levels, from engaging in ball sports to slamming your pinky in a car door to carelessness when using power tools to calcium deficiency or osteoporosis.
What is the name of the finger that is the most important part of the hand?
Every individual finger on the hand is essential for the hand’s perfect health and function, and yet there is one finger that we all take for granted: The pinky finger.
How many bones are in the palm of your hand?
The fact is, the palm of your hand consists of 5 bones (called metacarpals) and the fingers consist of a total of 14 bones (called phalanges). Fractures of the pinky finger’s metacarpal or phalanges occur at the staggering rate of over 33% of all hand fractures among adults! There are numerous activities and situations that can lead ...
How long does it take to recover from a sprain?
Normal recovery time is 3 to 4 weeks. A surgical treatment involves a manual correction of the bone alignment in the hand, followed by immobilization using pins or wire. Normal recovery is approximately 10 weeks, which may include physical therapy.
Can a broken pinky finger cause stiffness?
Although fractures can occur in a variety of ways and result in various scopes of damage, symptoms of a broken pinky are essentially the same: If left untreated, the fracture may lead to persistent stiffness in the affected finger or even a permanent deformity.
How to treat a sprained finger?
In addition to taping or splinting the injured finger, other treatments for a sprain include: 1 Ice the injured finger 2 Elevate if there is swelling 3 Take an anti-inflammatory medication 4 Gently move the finger to prevent stiffening
How long does it take for a finger sprain to heal?
So long as there is no fracture or dislocation, most finger sprains should be allowed to move within about a week.
What is the most common injury to the hand?
Finger sprains and dislocations are common injuries to the hand. When a sprain occurs, a ligament that supports a joint is stretched too far and the tough fibers of the ligament tissue become either partially or completely torn. Ronald Martinez / Getty Images.
What causes a finger to sprain?
Common causes of finger sprains and dislocations include sports injuries, work-related injuries, and automobile accidents.
How long does it take to use your hand after a sprain?
Usually, you'll be able to use your hand as normal within a week. It is also normal for a sprain to cause pain and discomfort for a longer period of time. If it's really bothering you, ask your doctor if there is a way to reduce the discomfort. 6 . Although dislocation is a more serious injury, expect treatment similar to that of a sprain.
What is a dislocated finger?
A finger dislocation is a more severe injury to the digit, as it involves not only the ligament, but also the surrounding joint capsule, cartilage, and other tissues. When a joint is dislocated, the normal alignment of the finger is altered, and the joint must be put back into place. Sometimes, relocating a finger dislocation can be simple ...
What is the purpose of X-rays for dislocated fingers?
The X-ray is performed to ensure the joint is perfectly aligned, and that there was no fracture that occurred at the time of the injury. 5 . Once is has been reduced and splinted, care for a dislocated finger is similar to that of a sprained finger. You should ice and elevate the injured finger after the injury.
What to do if your finger is dislocated?
Immediately after a dislocation, avoid popping the finger back into the joint yourself. You could injure underlying structures, sometimes permanently, like: 1 blood vessels 2 tendons 3 nerves 4 ligaments
What is the best way to bind a dislocated finger?
Buddy tape. In addition to a splint, or sometimes instead of a splint, your doctor may use medical tape to bind your injured finger to an uninjured one next to it. This method adds more support to the dislocated finger and may allow early motion to prevent joint stiffness and loss of motion.
How many joints does a finger have?
Overview. Every finger has three joints. The thumb has two joints. These joints allow our fingers to bend and straighten. When any two bones are forced out of place at the joint, such as by a traumatic sports injury or a fall, the finger becomes dislocated. When a finger is dislocated, the bones are no longer together and are out ...
What happens if you dislocate your finger?
You should seek medical attention if you suspect a dislocated finger. When you dislocate a finger, your finger may also be sprained or broken. Sprains and breaks share similar symptoms to dislocation, so it can be difficult to determine which injury you have without seeking help.
What happens when you put your hand out?
A dislocated finger can also occur when you put out your hand to break a fall. The impact from the fall can push your fingers beyond their normal range of motion and out of their joints.
How to get a splint out of your finger?
Physical therapy or occupational therapy may be prescribed once the finger has recovered enough to remove the splint. A trained physical therapist will guide you through exercises. Your physical therapist may also offer heat and massage therapies to help reduce stiffness and increase mobility in the joint.
How long do you need to keep a splint in your finger?
A splint prevents you from moving and possibly reinjuring your finger. You’ll likely need to keep the splint in place for a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on the severity of your injury.
What to do before injury?
To do this exercise, pick up small objects such as coins, marbles, or buttons with the injured finger and the thumb.
How to straighten your fingers?
This exercise can make it easier to straighten your fingers. To do this exercise, put your injured hand flat, palm down, on a table. Lift each finger one at a time.