How long to recover from a broken finger?
To reduce your risk of a broken finger from weakened bones, you should: Eat a healthy diet. Be sure to get enough vitamin D and calcium, which strengthen bones. Practice safety. Take care when doing activities or using equipment that may injure your hands. Get regular checkups. Have exams to check ...
How long does it take for a broken finger to heal?
Treatment in these cases is typically rest and protection of the fracture with a splint for a few weeks. Sometimes “buddy-taping” to the uninjured, neighboring finger can be used in stable fractures. Follow-up x-rays are obtained to see how the …
How should you seek medical care for a broken finger?
Mar 22, 2022 · Treatment for a finger fracture typically involves realigning, or setting, the bone and immobilizing it with a splint or cast. A finger fracture, or broken finger can take up to six weeks to heal, but this recovery process is typically uneventful and uncomplicated.
What is the typical recovery time for a broken finger?
Dec 19, 2016 · Depending on the extent of the injury, a broken pinky finger is treated through conservative or surgical methods: A conservative treatment typically involves the placement of a cast or a splint to immobilize the finger, enabling the... A surgical treatment involves a manual correction of the bone ...
What happens if you dont treat a broken finger?
When a bone fracture is untreated, it can result in either a nonunion or a delayed union. In the former case, the bone doesn't heal at all, which means that it will remain broken. As a result, swelling, tenderness, and pain will continue to worsen over time.
How do you tell if finger is broken or sprained?
How do you tell if your finger is broken?Swelling that lasts for several days.Swelling that may extend to other parts of the hand.Bruising around the injured area.Extremely sharp pain.Limited range of motion of the finger.The finger looks misshapen or deformed.Stiffness.Burning or tingling.More items...•Apr 15, 2018
Can a broken finger be treated at home?
How Is a Broken Finger Treated? Temporary splinting, ice, and pain control are helpful supportive treatments. Make a splint to immobilize your finger even if that means putting a popsicle stick or pen next to it and wrapping something around the stick and your finger. Don't wrap so tight you cut off circulation.Nov 1, 2021
How do you treat a broken bone in your finger?
Taping the fractured finger to an adjacent intact finger may treat a stable fracture. Unstable fractures require immobilization. After your doctor aligns the fracture, or reduces it, they can apply a splint. If your fracture is unstable or displaced, your doctor may need to perform surgery.
Is my finger broken or just swollen?
The most tell-tale symptom of a broken finger is immediate pain after the injury. If the pain and swelling prevent movement or use of the fingers, there's crushed tissue or exposed bone, then you should seek medical attention.Aug 19, 2019
Do they cast a broken finger?
Your doctor will put your broken bone back into place, usually without surgery. You will get a splint or cast to hold your finger straight and protect it from further injury while it heals. Sometimes your doctor may splint the fingers next to the fractured one to provide additional support.
How do you wrap a broken finger?
0:191:52How to Tape an Injured Finger - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo using athletic tape you want to wrap the injury finger to the uninjured finger right next to itMoreSo using athletic tape you want to wrap the injury finger to the uninjured finger right next to it to give it some support. If you want you can add a little bit of cushioning. Between the two fingers.
What are the treatment options for a broken finger?
The treatment plan is individualized, based on the x-rays and the patient’s unique needs. Satisfactory healing of the fracture is important to restore the function of the hand. Early diagnosis and treatment is very important, and hand therapy can help with range of motion, swelling, and strength during the healing process.
What is involved with phalanx fracture surgery?
The surgery is performed on an outpatient basis using either local or regional anesthesia (nerve block). During the surgery I improve the alignment of the phalanx fracture and use an implant to stabilize the bones. Fluoroscopic x-rays are used in the operating room to check the alignment.
Why is my finger swollen?
Check your finger for any bruising or swelling. Bruising and swelling will likely occur because you have broken tiny blood vessels in your finger. If you have fractured the fingertip, there will likely be purple blood visible underneath your nail and bruising on the pad of your finger.
How many bones are in your thumb?
Your thumbs have 2 bones and your other digits have 3 bones. Broken fingers are common injuries, and they can happen due to a fall while playing sports, fingers getting caught in car doors, bending your finger in an awkward position, or other accidents.
How to tell if you have a fractured finger?
Examine your finger for any exposed cuts or bones. You may see large open wounds or pieces of bone that have broken your skin and are sticking out of your skin. These are signs of a severe fracture, known as a compound fracture. If you have these symptoms, you should seek immediate medical attention.
How many bones are there in each finger?
You should see a doctor if you have a dislocated finger. There are 3 bones in each of your fingers and they are all arranged in the same manner. The first bone is the proximal phalanx, the second bone is the middle phalanx, and the bone farthest from your hand is the distal phalanx.
How to stop bleeding from a finger?
Apply ice to the finger. Wrap the ice in a towel and apply it to the finger on your way to the emergency room. This will reduce swelling and bruising. Never apply ice directly to your skin. Keep your finger elevated as you ice it, above your heart. This will allow gravity to help reduce the swelling and bleeding. ...
How to keep your finger elevated?
Make a splint. A splint will keep your finger elevated and hold it in place. To make a splint: Take a long thin item, as long as your broken finger, such as a popsicle stick or a pen. Place it next to your broken finger, or have a friend or family member help you hold it in place.
Who is Luba Lee?
This article was medically reviewed by Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS. Luba Lee, FNP-BC is a board certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and educator in Tennessee with over a decade of clinical experience. Luba has certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Emergency Medicine, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Team Building, and Critical Care Nursing. She received her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from the University of Tennessee in 2006. This article has been viewed 895,815 times.
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 happens if you break your pinky finger?
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. 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: 1 Stiffness or tenderness 2 Swelling or bruising 3 Difficulty moving the finger 4 Deformity of the finger
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.
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 heal a broken finger?
The recovery time for a broken finger maybe as short as a few weeks or up to a year, depending upon multiple factors .
What is a broken finger?
A broken, or fractured, finger occurs when one or more of these bones breaks. A break is usually the result of an injury to the hand. A fracture can occur in any of the phalanges. Fractures can also occur in your knuckles, which are the joints where your finger bones meet.
Why does my finger break?
Your finger can break when a fast-moving object hits your hand, such as a baseball. Slamming your hand in a door and putting your hands out to break a fall can also cause you to break your finger. The nature of the injury and the strength of the bone determine whether a fracture occurs. Conditions such as osteoporosis and malnutrition increase your ...
How to tell if your finger is broken?
The symptoms of a broken finger include the following: pain. swelling. tenderness. limited range of motion. Your finger might also look misshapen or out of alignment (deformed). Broken fingers may be very painful, especially when you try to move them, but sometimes the discomfort is dull and tolerable.
What is impacted fracture?
In an impacted fracture, the broken ends of a bone drive into each other. In a shear fracture, the bone splits in two when a force causes it to move in two different directions.
How long does it take for a broken finger to heal?
If the fracture is stable, treatment may be as simple as splinting 1 finger to another by taping them together. The splint will be left in place for about 4 weeks followed by an additional 2 weeks with no strenuous exercise.
How to fix a finger that is swollen?
Make a splint to immobilize your finger even if that means putting a popsicle stick or pen next to it and wrapping something around the stick and your finger. Apply ice to the injured finger as you head to an emergency department. Do not apply ice directly to your skin. Put a towel between the ice and your finger.
What is the most commonly injured part of the hand?
Broken Finger Overview. Fingers let us touch, grasp, and interact with our environment, and they are easily injured. In fact, they are the most frequently injured part of the hand. Injuries may range from simple bruises or contusions to broken bones. In addition, injury to or dislocation of the knuckles, which are the joints formed by the bones ...
How do you know if you have a broken finger?
Broken Finger Symptoms. Broken fingers rarely go unnoticed. Frequently, you have immediate pain after trauma and sometimes a deformed finger either at a joint (commonly a dislocation) or through the bone as a fracture. If there is no deformity, a person will typically feel a sharp pain at the injury site.
What is the fracture of the metacarpal?
Most typically this fracture is caused by a closed fist striking an object. This commonly is called a boxer's (or brawler's) frac ture.
Can you move a broken finger?
If it's broken, doing so will usually be painful. Don't be fooled if you can still move the finger. In some cases, there may still be some range of motion and only dull pain. Fractures are common, and how bad they hurt typically depends on their stability.
What to do if your finger is broken?
If you suspect that your finger is broken or fractured, be sure to treat it immediately, and seek medical attention if needed.
How long does it take for a broken finger to heal?
Complications Of A Broken Finger. After immobilization, reduction, and healing for four to six weeks, there’s a good chance that your broken finger will now be healed. The most common problem after broken finger treatment is joint stiffness. This is because of scar tissue formation and due to the immobilization period.
Why do my fingers feel numb?
The finger will also stiffen. You might notice numbness of the fingers either from the trauma of the injury or because swelling compresses the finger’s nerves. If you have a fingertip fracture, which is called a distal phalanx fracture can happen from and smashing injuries involving the fingernail.
What are the parts of the hand that are injured?
The hand is made up of three parts: the wrist, the palm, and fingers.
How to tell if you have a broken finger?
The most accurate way to determine if you have a broken finger is to consult with your doctor. In the meantime, here are five signs your finger might be broken. 1. Immediate Pain. The most tell-tale symptom of a broken finger is immediate pain after the injury.
What is the PIP joint?
This joint’s fracture is called a boxer’s fracture, as it commonly gets injured due to the closed fist activities. The next knuckle is out towards the fingernail and is called the proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP). This joint can get dislocated in sporting events when an object or ball directly strikes the finger.
How many bones are there in each finger?
There are no muscles in the fingers, as they move by the pull of the forearm muscles on the tendons. There are three bones in each finger that are named due to their relationship to the palm of the hand. The first bone is the one closest to the palm, and it’s called the proximal phalanx.
How to treat mallet finger fracture?
First aid for a mallet finger is similar to any other type of fracture. It needs to be rested and immobilized in the proper position. Initial treatment (right when it happens) should cover the usual basics of rest, ice, compression, and elevation ( RICE ): 1 1 Protect it from further injury 2 Ice it to reduce swelling 3 Elevate it to reduce swelling
What is the first aid for a mallet finger?
First aid for a mallet finger is similar to any other type of fracture. It needs to be rested and immobilized in the proper position. Initial treatment (right when it happens) should cover the usual basics of rest, ice, compression, and elevation ( RICE ): 1
Why won't my finger straighten out?
In most cases, the reason a finger won't straighten out is that the tendon that does the work is stretched or torn. Sometimes, it's because the bone where the tendon is attached has broken off , which is known as an avulsion fracture. 1
How many bones are there in each finger?
The bones of your fingers are called phalanges and there are three for each finger (two for each thumb). The one at the tip has only one tendon to pull it out straight. If that tendon is damaged, it won't straighten all the way (the tip will stay bent).
How to keep a finger straight?
Continue to ice the finger a few times a day until you can get to the doctor. The doctor will likely give you a special finger splint that keeps your finger straight. If the tendon is just stretched, keeping it straight will allow it to heal. If it's torn or if the bone is fractured, your doctor may recommend surgery in order for the injury to heal correctly.
Where are the tendons on the fingers?
Some of the tendons for the fingers run past the wrist all the way to the tips. There are tendons on the palm side of each finger to make it close and tendons on the back side (dorsal) of each finger to extend it (make it straighten). If you tear or stretch the tendons on the dorsal side of the fingers, they won't properly straighten out.
