How to tell if your Finger is Broken

Explained medically, a broken finger, or finger fracture, is a break in any of the bones in a finger. Each finger consists of three bones called the phalanges. The thumb has only two phalanges!  The most common finger fractures is the distal phalanx, followed by the proximal and middle phalanges.

It has probably happened to you before. You've been trying to catch a basketball and had your hand funny, or just wasn't ready, and the ball slammed straight at the tip of the finger. It hurts like crazy, and feels a little numb to you for a minute. Ouch. The finger could be simply jammed, but you've jammed your finger before, and this doesn't look like a jam. The finger is jutting out a different direction, or has a displacement on one of the middle phalanges.
Broken / Fractured fingers are very common in sports, more common among children. 

What are the symptoms of a Finger Fracture?
- Swelling and tenderness over the site of the fracture.
- Deformity of the finger.
- Pain in the fingers when trying to manipulate them.

- Decreased range of motion with the injured finger.

Pain, swelling, loss of motion and strength loss are common symptoms of a broken finger.

Example of a broken pinky

Treatment of a Broken Finger / Finger Fracture- Temporary immobilization in a splint or cast for 3 weeks.
- Do not immobilize longer than recommended, this may cause increased stiffness.
- Proper usage of NSAIDS to help alleviate any pain.
- Remember to remove any jewelry from the affected hand before applying a splint!




Common Questions: 

When should I see a doctor for a broken finger?

• After injury, if pain or swelling limits the motion or use of the fingers, or if the finger becomes numb, seek medical care.
• If the injury to the finger includes alaceration, crushed tissue, or exposure of bone, the individual should go to an emergency department for immediate medical care.
• Some fractures of the fingers may be subtle and the pain may be tolerable, so if a person suspects that they may have a finger fracture, seek medical attention.

Physiotherapy treatment for broken / fractured fingers may include:

• Ice therapy to reduce swelling and pain
• Ultrasound treatment to promote the healing process
• Strengthening; dexterity exercises to improve strength and function
• Lifestyle advice for activity modification to reduce risk of re-injury
• Sport and function specific rehabilitation
• Hot wax treatment to reduce stiffness

Tips to shorten healing time of a Broken / Fractured finger:

• Act immediately after the fracture occurs and remove any jewelry adorned in the dislocated finger. As the affected portion swells up, it may be difficult to remove afterward. And wearing a tight ring will negatively affect blood circulation and overall broken finger healing process. In case of already swollen fingers, applying ice and cold compresses will help in reducing inflammation. Discussed below are some effectual tips concerning treatment and recovery of a broken finger.
• The first and foremost thing is to use a finger splint. This helps in immobilizing the fractured bone and aligning the adjacent bones properly.
• In case of severe pain, applying ice packs for about 15 minutes is a good remedy to get instant relief. It numbs the swollen finger and reduces inflammation.
• Continue applying cold compresses or ice packs for the first 15 days. Reducing swelling and inflammation of the area is an effective remedy to promote quick healing.
• Wearing a finger sling for the injured one reduces pressure in the affected portion. Hence, if possible, use both finger splint and sling to shorten the recovery period.
• Most probably, the doctor will recommend wearing of the finger splint for 2-3 weeks, by which time the fractured bone heals. Usually, the splint is removed after three weeks.
• Last but not the least, follow the guidelines recommended by the orthopedic or general physician in order to ensure quick healing and complete recovery of the broken finger.

It requires only that you broke or fractured your finger. There are many splints and other bandages available to help heal your broken finger, and they're pretty reasonably priced! Fingers sometimes are overlooked but very important for sports and much of your life. Do yourself a favor and take care of your fingers. 

Xray of broken pinky

If you are wondering what to do if you think you have a broken or jammed toe, check out Broken Toe Help!

How to Treat Jammed Fingers

Unfortunately there is no way to heal jammed fingers faster than what your body can do already, but there are ways to make the your jammed finger heal more comfortably.

A jammed finger or toe happens when there’s an impact injury, resulting in tremendous pain and swelling. A simple jam can be easily treated at home and the pain will subside in a week or two.

With this easy set up you will have no more jammed finger pain. The best way to treat a jammed finger is the RICE method, or the RICE injury treatment method. What is RICE treatment? R -Rest, I-Ice, C-Compression, E-Elevate. To apply the RICE treatment on your jammed finger, you will want to Rest the jammed finger (don't use it), apply Ice to the jammed finger (DO NOT FALL ASLEEP WITH ICE APPLIED, THIS COULD CAUSE FROSTBITE), Compress the jammed finger, and keep the jammed finger Elevated!

Instructions

What you’ll need:

• Ice
• Epsom salts
• Finger or toe splint

Asses the severity of the injury. An obvious fracture, immediate bruising or mobility loss could be signs of a dislocated or broken finger or toe

• Soak, ice and elevate the jammed finger or toe for 20 minutes a day until the pain goes away. Use epsom salts for further pain relief.

Immobilize extremely painful jams by using a finger or toe splint. Use a specific finger splint found at drugstores or wrap a popsicle stick / tongue depressor with medical tape against the finger or toe.

• Tape the jammed finger or toe to a healthy one next to it. This is usually done for shorter fingers or toes that are too small to use a splint. This will also help with mobility and pain relief. 

Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain relief. This will also help the swelling on your jammed finger go down. Once the swelling is under control, the pain is usually reduced.

• Make certain you can bend and straighten each finger. If not, you may not just have a jammed finger or toe, but may have a broken or fractured finger. Call your doctor to make an appointment.

If you are wondering what to do if you think you have a broken or jammed toe, check out Broken Toe Help!

Finger Pain: Fracture

Fractured Fingers

What is a finger fracture?

There are many different ways to break a finger. It could happen playing basketball or other sports. You could break it falling or fighting. You could even break it and not realize it at first!

How to tell if your finger is fractured.

The four main symptoms of a finger fracture are:

• Your finger may feel numb, weak, or tingle.
• Your finger may hurt, either a throbbing or steady pain.
• Your finger may be swollen, bruised, or stiff.
• Your finger may be bleeding (if the skin is broken or torn).
• You may have a hard time moving your finger.
• You may not be able to move your finger.

How is a fractured finger diagnosed?

If you're still not sure if your finger is broken, you will probably need x-rays.

X-rays will take pictures of the bones inside your hand.

How to treat a fractured finger.

Treating your finger fracture all depends on which type of fracture you have and which finger is broken. A cast or splint will prevent movement and ensure you're finger heals safely. Unless the fracture is very very minor, you should see a doctor or specialist.

• Splint or Cast: Put a splint or cast on your finger. You may want to use the "buddy taping" technique by taping the fractured finger to a neighboring finger. This helps the fractured finger heal straight by giving it support during the healing process.
• Ice: Put crushed up ice in a zip-lock bag or use a bag of frozen veggies. Cover the bag with some paper towers or a cloth. Put the bag on your finger for 15 to 20 minutes every hour for as long as you need to. Do Not Sleep With The Ice Pack Because You Could Get Frostbite.
• Elevate: Keep your finger elevated above the level of your heart whenever possible for 48 - 72 hours. This helps reduce both swelling and pain.
• Rest: Resting your finger decreases swelling and allows the injury to heal. When the pain decreases, your caregiver will tell you if you may begin slow, normal movements. You should do finger and hand exercises also to help the finger heal naturally and give it strength. These can help to build strength and decrease stiffness and swelling in your finger

Where to buy a Finger Splint?

I recommend Wayfair for any finger splint. Their prices are great and the product is by far the most durable and comfortable. If you don't have time to wait for shipping of your finger splint, your local pharmacy most likely supplies finger splints.

If you are wondering what to do if you think you have a broken or jammed toe, check out Broken Toe Help!

How to Treat a Broken Finger

A broken finger can take about 6-8 weeks too heal, the mending process is painful but with some of the best headache medicine available out there now, its hardly an issue.

Treating A Broken Finger

If you want to treat broken finger at your house rather than a clinic, try these methods:

• Make a splint (immobilize the finger - you may put a popsicle stick or pen next to it and wrap something around the stick and the finger).

• Apply ice to the injured finger. Do not apply ice directly to the skin. Put a towel between the ice and the finger.

The RICE injury treatment method is an excellent way to not only assist in treating the broken finger, but also helps relieve pain on the broken finger while it heals. 

• Rest:

• The first 24-48 hours (1st and 2nd days) after the injury is considered a critical treatment period and activities that require use of the finger that is broken should be ceased. Gradually use the injured extremity as much as tolerated to keep it from healing in a locked position, but try to avoid any activities that cause pain. Often using a splint is necessary to adequately rest the injured finger and also assists in a nice, straight finger recovery.

• Ice:

• For the first 48 hours post-injury, ice the sprain or strain 20 minutes at a time every 3-4 hours. The ice pack can be a bag of frozen vegetables, allowing you to be able to re-use the bag. I've found that Peas or Corn work best as they conform to the area of the broken finger better than say Broccoli or Beans. Another popular treatment method is to fill paper cups with water then freeze the cup. Use the frozen cube like an ice cream cone, peeling away paper as the ice melts. Do NOT ice a fracture, sprain, or strain for more than 20 minutes at a time! You will not be helping heal the injury any faster, and you can cause damage to the tissues! Do NOT fall asleep with ice applied to your broken finger, this can cause frostbite!

• Compression:

• Use compression when elevating a sprain or strain in early treatment. Using an Ace bandage (Ace bandage with velcro 4 inch x 5.3 ft (Google Affiliate Ad)), wrap the area overlapping the elastic wrap by one-half of the width of the wrap. The wrap should be snug, but not cutting off circulation to the extremity. So, if your fingers or toes become cold, blue, or tingle, re-wrap!

• Elevate:

• Keep your sprain or strain as best possible--try to get it higher than your heart if possible. Elevate at night by placing pillows under your arm or leg.

Remember, these home remedies are excellent but it is always a good idea to consult your physician. The injury on your broken finger could be severe enough that it may require surgery and applying these techniques would certainly not work as surgery.

If you are wondering what to do if you think you have a broken or jammed toe, check out Broken Toe Help!

How to Heal Jammed Fingers

Unfortunately there is no way to heal jammed fingers faster than what your body can do already, but there are ways to make the your jammed finger heal more comfortably. To determine if your finger is broken or jammed, first see How to Tell if Your Finger is Jammed

How to Mend Jammed Finger or Toe

A jammed finger or toe happens when there’s an impact injury, resulting in tremendous pain and swelling. A simple jam can be easily treated at home and the pain will subside in a week or two.

With this easy set up you will have no more jammed finger pain.

Instructions

What you’ll need:

• Ice
• Epsom salts
• Finger or toe splint

Asses the severity of the injury. An obvious fracture, immediate bruising or mobility loss could be signs of a dislocated or broken finger or toe



Soak, ice and elevate the jammed finger or toe for 20 minutes a day until the pain goes away. Use epsom salts for further pain relief.



Immobilize extremely painful jams by using a finger or toe splint. Use a specific finger splint found at drugstores or wrap a popsicle stick or tongue depressor with medical tape against the jammed finger or toe.



Tape the jammed finger or toe to a healthy one next to it. This is usually done for shorter fingers or toes that are too small to use a splint. This will also help with mobility and pain relief.


Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain relief. This will also help the swelling go down. Once the swelling is under control, the pain is usually reduced.


Make certain you can bend and straighten each finger. If not, you may not just have a jammed finger or toe. Call your doctor to make an appointment.

If you are wondering what to do if you think you have a broken or jammed toe, check out Broken Toe Help!