The finger joints are the smallest hinge joints in the human body and the most prone to accidental injury from sprains, strains and
dislocations.
Finger joints are very strong despite their small size and have complex structures and ligaments surrounding them to protect them from injury. These structures are called volar plates, central slips, collateral ligaments, joint capsule and lateral bands.
Injury to these special structures can cause life long finger deformity and disability of not treated on time.
If you are in doubt about the seriousness of your injury, it is best to get medical attention as sometimes finger injuries are worse than they appear on the outside and often need immediate treatment.
Swelling in a joint following an injury is a natural response and a necessary step in the healing process. Swelling usually lasts a few days but swelling lasting weeks will hold the finger joint in a slightly bent position and this will cause a permanent change to the length of tiny ligaments. Once over-stretched they are not able to effectively help the joint to move, which leads to secondary shortening of tendons and muscles through disuse.
Swelling can lead to severe stiffness inside the affected joint as well as those not injured initially. Prolonged stiffness can lead to a contracture which means the joint is unable to bend or straighten to it's normal full range. A
boutonniere deformity. is a type of contracture to the middle joint in the finger called the PIP joint.
Any injury to small finger joints needs to be taken seriously as contractures can develop surprisingly quickly once a finger has been immobilised by swelling.
Treatment for finger injuries will be different depending on the structures involved. At first treatment of swelling and positioning of the finger to allow it to rest for a couple of days will be provided at A&E but optimum healing requires specialist Hand therapy with knowledge of anatomy, finger splinting and exercise.
Finger injuries can change rapidly so need to be closely monitored every week to ensure the ligaments and tendons are healing correctly and that the splint is fitting comfortably. The splint may need adjusted as the injury heals and gets stronger to prevent loss of movement and contractures from forming.
Gradually controlled exercises can be introduced that will strengthen the injured ligaments. Other treatments such as therapeutic ultrasound to encourage the affected tissues to remodel and heat therapy to loosen stiff joints prior to exercising may also be indicated.
The earlier treatment begins the better the outcomes will be following a finger injury. Hand Kinetics can begin by making you a customised splint and introducing controlled exercises at the right time for your injury.
Please note:
If you have had arm or hand surgery please telephone to discuss this before attending. It is always helpful to bring any reports you may have if you recently attended hospital for your hand or arm condition.
Hand Kinetics Telephone: 0044 28 417 72301
www.handkinetics.com
contactus@handkinetics.com
