The bones in your fingers are called phalanges. Each finger has 3 phalanges, other than the thumb, which has 2 phalanges. A broken, or fractured, finger happens when one or more of these bones breaks. A break is generally the outcome of an injury to the hand. A fracture can take place in any of the phalanges. Fractures can likewise occur in your knuckles, which are the joints where your finger bones meet.
What Causes a Broken Finger?
Fingers have the highest threat of injury of all the parts of the hand. You can injure your finger while working with a tool, such as a hammer or a saw. Your finger can break when a fast-moving item hits your hand, such as a baseball. Slamming your hand in a door and putting your distribute to break a fall can also trigger you to break your finger.
The nature of the injury and the strength of the bone determine whether a fracture happens. Conditions such as osteoporosis and poor nutrition increase your chances of breaking a finger.
What Are the Different Types of Broken Fingers?
According to the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, the number of combinations of types of hand fractures is limitless. The following terms describe how broken fingers are classified:
Method of Fracture
- In an avulsion fracture, a ligament or tendon and the piece of bone it connects to pull away from the primary bone.
- In an affected 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 2 various directions.
Skin Involvement
- In an open fracture, the bone breaks through your skin and produces an open wound.
- In a closed fracture, the bone breaks but your skin remains intact.
Bone Position
- In a nondisplaced fracture, or stable fracture, the bone fractures somewhat or completely but doesn’t move.
- In a displaced fracture, the bone get into different pieces that move and no longer line up.
- A comminuted fracture is a displaced fracture in which the bone burglarize three or more pieces.
Who Is at Risk for a Broken Finger?
People with weak bones, such as older adults or those with a calcium shortage, have an increased danger of fracture. Likewise, individuals who work with their hands, such as athletes and manual laborers, have actually an increased risk of broken fingers. Sports that increase danger for broken fingers are:
- basketball
- baseball
- volleyball
- football
- hockey
- rugby
- boxing
- skiing
- wrestling
- snowboarding
High-impact occasions, such as auto mishaps, can likewise trigger broken fingers.
Recognizing the Symptoms of a Broken Finger
The symptoms of a broken finger include the following:
- pain
- swelling
- tenderness
- restricted variety of motion
Your finger may also look misshapen or out of positioning (deformed). Broken fingers might be really agonizing, specifically when you try to move them, but sometimes the discomfort is dull and tolerable. The lack of extreme discomfort doesn’t indicate that the fracture doesn’t require medical attention.
How is a Broken Finger Diagnosed?
Medical diagnosis of finger fracture starts with your physician taking your medical history and doing a physical examination. X-rays of the finger will usually indicate whether your finger is fractured.
How is a Broken Finger Treated?
Treatment for a broken finger depends on the location of the fracture and whether it’s stable. Taping the fractured finger to a nearby undamaged finger might deal with a steady fracture. Unsteady fractures need immobilization. After your doctor aligns the fracture, or decreases it, they can use a splint.
If your fracture is unstable or displaced, your medical professional may need to perform surgery. Surgery supports the fracture when you have:
- multiple fractures
- loose bone pieces
- a joint injury
- damage to the ligaments or tendons
- unstable, displaced, or open fractures
- an impaction fracture
An orthopedic surgeon or hand surgeon will identify the very best treatment method for a complex fracture. Pins, screws, and wires are useful in surgeries for broken fingers. Correct medical diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of broken fingers assist to maintain hand function and strength and prevent defects.
The recovery time for a broken finger maybe as short as a couple of weeks or up to a year, depending upon numerous factors. The diagnosis also depends on various factors, such as if there is an associated nerve injury or vascular injury, or if there’s an injury to the joint surface causing arthritis.
How Can Broken Fingers be Prevented?
A proper diet with adequate quantities of vitamin D and calcium can help keep your bones healthy and less prone to fracture. People who have trouble walking and are most likely to fall can do physical therapy and utilize assistive gadgets, such as a cane or walker, to help them walk around securely. Athletes and workers should work out care to avoid finger fractures.
