23 Jun I hurt my finger playing sport – when should I see a hand therapist?
Have you ever jarred your finger playing basketball? Got it caught in a guernsey? Knocked it in a guernsey? These injuries can STING and make it hard to tell what level of care you need. Sometimes, a little bit of first aid – ice, compression, rest, tape – is enough. Other times, these injuries need a bit more care and attention.
If you’re wondering whether you should book an appointment, these are the guidelines that I use:
- Does your finger look normal? Or is there are a lot of swelling or bruising that doesn’t settle down?
- Does your finger have full movement? Can you make a fist and straighten your finger out? Or is your finger stiff, slow or missing that last bit of movement?
- Does your finger feel normal or do you have pins and needles, numbness or tingling?
- Are you concerned about your finger? You know your body best and if you’re concerned I would recommend getting it checked out.
As a general rule of thumb (pardon the pun):
If your finger is injured and doesn’t settle down within 2 days, I recommend getting your finger checked out
It’s much easier to get you back to 100% if I see you earlier rather than months or years down the line.
Does my finger injury mean I can’t play my sport?
The answer depends on your specific injury and sport, but I like to provide athletes with taping and sports guards to help them return to sport sooner while we continue working on their finger strength, movement and control.
By: Karen Friesen
See also: Sports Injuries, Splints and Braces
