Finger injuries in sport

Finger injuries make up a significant proportion of injuries suffered by sports people. Every basketballer knows the awful feeling of being struck on the tip of a finger by a bullet pass and every netballer will remember an attempted intercept that leaves the finger feeling like it’s about to drop off. Some athletes will have experienced both. Most people will try and play on despite a knock to the finger but this is not necessarily the right thing to do. Correct management strategies need to be utilized, the same as for a serious knee or ankle injury.

What to look for

If you have sustained a finger injury there are some important signs that will give you an indicator as to whether you should be continuing play or stopping immediately. If there is an obvious deformity of the shape of the finger you must stop. If a joint is obviously dislocated you must stop. If you are unable to move the finger you must stop. If movement is accompanied by sharp pain you must stop. If aching or sharp pain persist or worsen, you must stop. Remember…being able to move your finger does not mean it can’t be broken.

What to do

As for all injuries, follow the RICE principles of injury management. That is:

Rest: rest the injured part (ie. Stop play)

Ice: apply ice packs to the injured part (frozen peas or soft drink cans are better than nothing)

Compression: apply a compression bandage. It should be firm but not so tight that the finger starts to turn cold or blue.

Elevation: keep the injured limb elevated. A sling can be used effectively for this with finger injuries. If a finger is dislocated it is important to seek attention from an experienced person such as a doctor or physiotherapist. Trying to “pop it back in” will often result in causing more damage to the finger joint, leading to an extended rehabilitation period. In a small number of cases a local anaesthetic will be required to reduce the dislocation.

Every finger dislocation should be followed by an X-ray to determine the extent of the injury. Even sprains should be X-rayed in most cases to exclude the possibility of fractures or other joint damage. This should be accompanied by a visit to a sports physiotherapist to have the injured finger assessed for joint stability and an appropriate rehab programme commenced. Most finger injuries can be treated with taping or very light splinting which allows continued participation in most sports almost immediately with protection against further injury and therefore long term damage. It is always far easier to treat acute injuries to fingers early than to try and fix a stiff, deformed, dysfunctional knuckle joint later on.

Steve Hawkins is an APA Sports Physiotherapist and consults at OPSMC as well as being team physiotherapist for the Melbourne Vixens Netball Team.

• For additional help and advice about finger injuries and their treatment, make an appointment to see Steve Hawkins or contact the Physiotherapy department at Olympic Park Sports Medicine Centre.