Article by: AHTA 2019
As the sporting season continues for Netball, Rugby and Soccer, with these kinds of sports comes a very common injury to fingers. Almost everyone can relate to the feeling of an object striking their finger, resulting in much pain, swelling and even bruising.
There are 3 joints in each finger, and the most commonly injured is the middle knuckle of the finger. This is called the proximal interphalangeal joint, or known as the PIP joint. Having an injury to this joint can have serious long term implications in terms of pain, stiffness, and weakness. This injury often affects ligaments, which hold the bones together, can damage tendons which enable movement, and can also result in a fracture of the bone.
It is important to get a finger injury assessed and treated so that the symptoms can be resolved and you can get back to normal, pain free use of the hand as quickly as you can. At Bankstown Physiotherapy, you can see a hand therapist who will be able to determine what structures are affected and what is the best approach to treatment.
You can expect treatment to involve compression for swelling, a custom-made splint in order to support the finger, and a gentle exercise program to allow return to full movement.
Pain does not always indicate how bad an injury is. Sometimes what is dismissed as a “jarred finger” can actually be a significant injury that needs therapy or even surgery to get a good outcome. If injuries are treated immediately, you can expect a much faster recovery than if you wait.
So if your finger is injured, don’t wait and see. Contact us at 9793 3119 to book an appointment with one of our hand therapists today!