Home »
Misc »
How to treat basketball finger injury
How to treat basketball finger injury
Jammed Finger: Symptoms, Treatment, and More
We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Here’s our process.
Overview
It’s a common occurrence. You go to catch a football or basketball, but instead of the ball sailing smoothly into your hands, it smashes into the tip of your finger. Or, as you go to close a drawer, you accidentally jam your finger against its edge.
This type of blunt impact may cause a jammed finger, a condition that happens when the tip of the finger is pushed back toward the hand.
The momentum from the impact’s force can stretch or even tear the ligaments in your finger, which causes a sprain. Ligaments are tough bands of connective tissue that hold your bones together.
If the impact’s force is hard enough, it can cause tendon damage or a bone fracture.
Even if your finger isn’t fractured, the jam can cause it to swell up and be painful.![]()
A jammed finger needs to be treated. Sometimes the injury is minor enough that you can take care of it at home.
For a more severe injury, you’ll need medical treatment to prevent permanent damage to your finger. It can be difficult to determine if you have a mild or more severe injury. If you’re uncertain, seek medical attention.
If you’ve injured your finger, you may wonder whether it’s jammed or fractured. While both conditions can cause pain, each has unique, but similar, symptoms. This can make it difficult to distinguish between the two.
You can get a jammed finger when you smash your finger against something and the force pushes the tip of your finger down toward your hand.
In this case, the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint in the middle of your finger absorbs the force of the blow and the ligament in your finger gets stretched.
You might jam your finger playing sports, like when you try to catch a ball. Or, you might jam it doing something as simple as closing a door or pushing the sheets under the mattress as you make the bed.
A jammed finger can lead to some complications, including:
- long-term pain and swelling in the joint, known as traumatic arthritis
- stiffness in the finger
- weakness in the finger
- permanent inability to straighten the finger
- deformity of the joint
Often you can diagnose and treat a jammed finger yourself. If you’re in a lot of pain or you can’t bend and straighten your finger, see your doctor or go to an emergency room for treatment. These symptoms could indicate a fractured bone or ruptured tendon.
Your doctor will check your finger for swelling, ask about your pain, and see how well you can move it. Comparing the injured finger to the ones around it can help your doctor determine the level of swelling.
Your doctor may order an X-ray to look for any fractures or other damage inside the finger. You may also need an MRI or CT scan to help your doctor to further assess your injury.
Your treatment plan will be determined based on the severity of your injury.
Here are some steps to take if your injury is minor and you’re able to treat it at home:
- Apply ice for 15 minutes each hour to bring down the swelling. If you don’t have ice, you can soak the finger in cold water instead.
- Keep your finger elevated above chest level.
- Take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) to ease any discomfort.
If the finger looks like it’s out of the joint, don’t pull on it. Instead, keep the finger in place by splinting it. A splint is a piece of metal or foam that wraps around your finger and keeps it in place. Holding your finger still with a splint prevents you from injuring it further.
You can also immobilize your injured finger by taping it to the neighboring finger. This is called buddy strapping. A doctor can splint or buddy strap your finger if you’d rather not do it yourself.
Keep the finger splinted or strapped until it no longer hurts. This can take about one to two weeks.
For more serious injuries, see a doctor. You might need surgery if you have a bone fracture or a torn ligament or tendon.
After the injury has healed, exercise or physical therapy can help you regain full motion of the affected finger. To strengthen the finger, you can practice making a fist, squeezing a ball, or holding objects in your hand.
Find stress balls and other physical therapy products online.
Tips for recovery
- Avoid using the injured finger while recovering.
- If your finger is swollen, ice it for 15 minutes every hour until the swelling goes down.
- See your doctor or orthopedic surgeon if your injury is severe or doesn’t begin to heal with home treatment, or if there’s a deformity or loss of function in the finger.
- After you’ve recovered, use exercises to regain strength to your finger. Try making a fist, squeezing a tension ball, or holding objects in your hand.
Most of the time a jammed finger will get better on its own within a week or two.
But even with treatment, your finger may stay swollen or sensitive for many months.
During recovery, try to use the finger as little as possible while it heals. Take a break from sports or other activities that could worsen your injury.
Once your finger has healed, you should be able to straighten it without any pain.
You’ll have the best chance for a full recovery if you follow the care instructions from your doctor and physical therapist. Without the right treatment, you can have long-term damage and trouble moving the finger.
If you have any questions about your diagnosis or treatment plan, see your physician. The sooner they can make a correct diagnosis and administer the right treatment, the faster your finger will heal.
Jammed Finger: Symptoms, Treatment, and More
We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Here’s our process.
Overview
It’s a common occurrence.
You go to catch a football or basketball, but instead of the ball sailing smoothly into your hands, it smashes into the tip of your finger. Or, as you go to close a drawer, you accidentally jam your finger against its edge.
This type of blunt impact may cause a jammed finger, a condition that happens when the tip of the finger is pushed back toward the hand.
The momentum from the impact’s force can stretch or even tear the ligaments in your finger, which causes a sprain. Ligaments are tough bands of connective tissue that hold your bones together.
If the impact’s force is hard enough, it can cause tendon damage or a bone fracture.
Even if your finger isn’t fractured, the jam can cause it to swell up and be painful. A jammed finger needs to be treated. Sometimes the injury is minor enough that you can take care of it at home.
For a more severe injury, you’ll need medical treatment to prevent permanent damage to your finger. It can be difficult to determine if you have a mild or more severe injury.
If you’re uncertain, seek medical attention.
If you’ve injured your finger, you may wonder whether it’s jammed or fractured. While both conditions can cause pain, each has unique, but similar, symptoms. This can make it difficult to distinguish between the two.
You can get a jammed finger when you smash your finger against something and the force pushes the tip of your finger down toward your hand.
In this case, the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint in the middle of your finger absorbs the force of the blow and the ligament in your finger gets stretched.
You might jam your finger playing sports, like when you try to catch a ball. Or, you might jam it doing something as simple as closing a door or pushing the sheets under the mattress as you make the bed.
A jammed finger can lead to some complications, including:
- long-term pain and swelling in the joint, known as traumatic arthritis
- stiffness in the finger
- weakness in the finger
- permanent inability to straighten the finger
- deformity of the joint
Often you can diagnose and treat a jammed finger yourself.
If you’re in a lot of pain or you can’t bend and straighten your finger, see your doctor or go to an emergency room for treatment. These symptoms could indicate a fractured bone or ruptured tendon.
Your doctor will check your finger for swelling, ask about your pain, and see how well you can move it. Comparing the injured finger to the ones around it can help your doctor determine the level of swelling.
Your doctor may order an X-ray to look for any fractures or other damage inside the finger. You may also need an MRI or CT scan to help your doctor to further assess your injury.
Your treatment plan will be determined based on the severity of your injury. Here are some steps to take if your injury is minor and you’re able to treat it at home:
- Apply ice for 15 minutes each hour to bring down the swelling. If you don’t have ice, you can soak the finger in cold water instead.
- Keep your finger elevated above chest level.
- Take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) to ease any discomfort.
If the finger looks like it’s out of the joint, don’t pull on it. Instead, keep the finger in place by splinting it. A splint is a piece of metal or foam that wraps around your finger and keeps it in place. Holding your finger still with a splint prevents you from injuring it further.
You can also immobilize your injured finger by taping it to the neighboring finger. This is called buddy strapping. A doctor can splint or buddy strap your finger if you’d rather not do it yourself.
Keep the finger splinted or strapped until it no longer hurts. This can take about one to two weeks.
For more serious injuries, see a doctor. You might need surgery if you have a bone fracture or a torn ligament or tendon.
After the injury has healed, exercise or physical therapy can help you regain full motion of the affected finger. To strengthen the finger, you can practice making a fist, squeezing a ball, or holding objects in your hand.
Find stress balls and other physical therapy products online.
Tips for recovery
- Avoid using the injured finger while recovering.
- If your finger is swollen, ice it for 15 minutes every hour until the swelling goes down.
- See your doctor or orthopedic surgeon if your injury is severe or doesn’t begin to heal with home treatment, or if there’s a deformity or loss of function in the finger.
- After you’ve recovered, use exercises to regain strength to your finger. Try making a fist, squeezing a tension ball, or holding objects in your hand.
Most of the time a jammed finger will get better on its own within a week or two. But even with treatment, your finger may stay swollen or sensitive for many months.
During recovery, try to use the finger as little as possible while it heals. Take a break from sports or other activities that could worsen your injury.
Once your finger has healed, you should be able to straighten it without any pain.
You’ll have the best chance for a full recovery if you follow the care instructions from your doctor and physical therapist.
Without the right treatment, you can have long-term damage and trouble moving the finger.
If you have any questions about your diagnosis or treatment plan, see your physician. The sooner they can make a correct diagnosis and administer the right treatment, the faster your finger will heal.
Common basketball injuries
Every year, as NBA stars defy gravity and college basketball players battle to survive until March Madness, basketball fans take to the courts to play together. Both professional and university players, basketball amateurs are prone to injury during the game for the same reasons:
- Short bursts of activity
- Abrupt starts and stops
- Physical contact
Therefore, if you play basketball, you should be aware of the most common injuries in basketball and the process of treating them.
Trauma #1: Anterior cruciate ligament tear
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the main stabilizer that regulates the movement of the lower leg bone in relation to the femur.
When an ACL ruptures, the knee loses stability and may bend in an unpredictable way or move to the side. Rupture of the ACL can occur suddenly in cases where the player:
- Stopped abruptly
- Performed lethal relocation
- Landed unsuccessfully
The effects of an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury can be irreversible for athletes of all levels, from amateur runners to professional football players. However, with timely diagnosis, proper treatment, and knowledge of the necessary measures to reduce the likelihood of further damage, the athlete can safely return to the game.
Symptoms of a torn ACL include a staccato sound in the knee at the time of injury and displacement of the knee joint, accompanied by rapid swelling and pain at the time of physical activity.
The best time to diagnose a sudden ACL tear is within the first hour after injury, before the knee begins to swell, but this is not always possible.
The initial assessment includes a detailed description of the circumstances of the injury and other aspects such as the sound of a pop, where and how much the knee hurts, whether there is a feeling of instability in the knee, and a description of the previous knee injury, if any.
After obtaining a detailed history of the injury, the doctor performs a physical examination of the knee to assess the stability of the ligaments. Using specific tests, a doctor can diagnose an ACL injury while playing basketball by applying weight to the knee. Additional studies, such as X-rays and MRIs, can be extremely helpful in determining the exact extent of the damage.
ACL injury symptoms in basketball:
Limited mobility due to swelling and/or pain Sudden loss of stability in the knee (knee wobbles or arches)
- Jerky sound in the knee at the moment of injury
- Displacement of the knee joint
- Rapid swelling
- Pain during physical activity
Treatment ACL injuries in basketball:
Treatment for an ACL injury in basketball can be either surgical or non-surgical, depending on your lifestyle.
The question is not so much what level of activity you had in the past, the main thing is what this level will be in the future.
Surgery: If your goal is to remain active, surgery may be the way to go because a torn ACL does not heal on its own.
Non-surgical treatment: The therapy consists of a period of fixation of the knee with knee brace with a gradual return to physical activity and muscle strengthening exercises. The goal is to create natural stability for the knee by developing the muscles and tendons.
Injury #2: Ankle sprain
When the foot rolls involuntarily inward or outward, the ligaments that hold the ankle together can be stretched or even torn.
Ankle sprain symptoms:
- Pain in the predominant part of the ankle joint
- Increasing edema
- Bruising
- Sensitivity
- Increase in temperature in the area of the injured area
Treatment Ankle sprain:
- Complete rest with leg extended above body level in the first 24-48 hours after injury
- Cryotherapy (cold treatment)
- Compresses
Basketball injury #3: Achilles tendonitis
Achilles tendonitis is very common basketball injury .
The Achilles tendon is a fibrous structure that connects the calf muscle to the heel of the foot. This allows the calf to lift your heel off the ground and drive it further forward during your next step while walking or running. Achilles tendonitis occurs due to excessive stress placed on the tendons at the time of jumping or landing.
Symptoms of Achilles tendinitis:
- Dull pain or pain in the back of the leg, just below the calf muscle
- Pain worsening after activity
- Slight diffuse edema
Treatment Achilles tendonitis:
- Peace
- Cold therapy
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen
- Bandages
- Taping to prevent injury
- Rehabilitation
Injury #4: Tendinitis of the knee joint
Knee tendinitis is also a common injury in basketball.
Tendinitis is an inflammation of the ligament that connects the patella (patella) and the tuberosity of the tibia. The patellar ligament, along with the quadriceps muscle and its tendon, provides the function of straightening the knee. Tendinitis of the knee joint occurs when regular loads are applied to the patella ligament. Such stress results in tiny inflammations of the ligaments, which the body tries to cope with on its own. As the inflammation of the ligament becomes more and more significant, the body can no longer cope with it on its own, thus causing more inflammation of the ligament.
Symptoms of knee tendonitis:
- Pain directly in the region of the patellar ligament
- Any activity is accompanied by pain, especially jumping or trying to squat
Treatment of knee tendinitis:
- Leisure
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen
- Stretching of the quadriceps, patella and calf muscles
- Cold therapy
- Kinesiology taping
- Use of aids such as support straps
Injury #4: Muscle strain
Muscle stretching occurs when they are excessively stretched, as well as due to intense physical load that is disproportionate to their capabilities.
This leads to deformation or damage to the muscle fibers. Muscle strain can occur in any muscle as a result of physical activity without proper pre-stretching and warm-up.
Muscle strain symptoms:
- Sharp muscle pain
- The sound of popping or cod
- Painful sensations on palpation
- Edema
- Skin discoloration
Muscle strain treatment:
- Leisure
- Cold therapy
- Elastic pressure bandage or kinesio tape
- The injured arm or leg must be in an elevated position
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, if needed.
Muscle sprains are diagnosed as follows:
- Thorough collection of information about the circumstances of the injury
- Palpation of the damaged area helps to detect the area of pain and defects in the muscles
- MRI (for severe sprains) needed to determine the extent of the tear
Injury #5: Finger injury
Finger injuries are in the form of damage to the ligaments or tendons, as well as a banal fracture of the bones of the finger.
An x-ray must be used to confirm a fracture.
Lack of proper treatment of an injured finger can lead to deformity and permanent loss of full functionality of the finger.
Finger injury symptoms:
- Pain in the area of the damaged area
- Inability to move finger
- Bruise
- Edema
- Finger deformity
Finger injury treatment:
- If the injury is not serious, it is enough to apply a tight bandage or kinesio tape on your own during daily activities
- Other finger injuries require surgery to restore function
Buy kinesio tape and other proven sports medicine for injuries and sprains >>>
Read other interesting related articles >>>
The material of this article is the property of Unisport LLC, copying is prohibited.
Injuries in basketball - types of injuries, their causes and prevention
According to statistics, every third basketball player during his sports career faces five minor, two moderate and one severe injuries. Injuries in basketball can put a player out of action for a long time, and therefore special attention in this sport should be paid to the prevention of player injuries.
Consider what kind of injuries in basketball, and what rules must be followed to avoid them.
The most common injuries when playing basketball
Abrasions and bruises are, of course, the most common injuries when playing basketball. Such injuries do not require specialized treatment and it is enough for the player to treat the wound and, if necessary, apply a cold compress. But there are more serious injuries in this sport.
Most common basketball injuries and first aid:
- Anterior cruciate ligament tear. With this injury, the player's knee loses stability and may move to the side.
The main causes of ACL rupture are abrupt stop, unsuccessful landing and lateral movement. First aid for torn ligaments - applying cold to prevent swelling and immobilize the joint. The victim must be urgently taken to the hospital for fixation of the joint. In case of untimely access to a doctor, treatment is carried out surgically; - Ankle sprain. The main cause of a sprain is a sudden change in direction of movement, in which the foot turns inward or outward. In case of sprain of the ankle joint, first aid consists in applying cold to the injury site and complete rest for 48 hours in the position of the leg above the level of the body with the imposition of a fixing bandage. After the swelling is reduced, the athlete is required to wear a fixing bandage until complete recovery;
- Achilles tendonitis. Achilles tendon injuries are the most common injuries in basketball. Injuries occur when there is excessive stress on the foot while jumping. With a sharp pain in the heel area, it is required to immediately provide the athlete with peace and apply cold.
Next, the victim must be shown to the doctor. Treatment consists in fixing the leg until complete recovery, followed by rehabilitation; - Injuries of fingers. Despite the fact that in basketball the fingers receive a significant load, their injuries account for only about 11% of all injuries. Most often, players experience finger sprains and joint damage, but there are also fractures. First aid in case of damage to the finger - cold and see a doctor. For proper diagnosis and adequate treatment, an x-ray of the injured finger is required;
- Head injury. Players receive such damage during collisions and falls. Most often, these are mild concussions. Even with a slight concussion, the victim must be taken to a medical facility. The recovery period depends on the severity of the injury and includes complete rest and taking prescribed medications.
Types of injuries in basketball
Injuries in basketball, as in any sport, are of three main types, they are:
- Acute.
Such damage occurs when a sudden sharp overload of muscles or joints. In case of acute injury, the victim must be taken to the doctor as soon as possible. With timely medical care, full recovery occurs in 90% of cases; - Chronic. Such types of injuries in basketball are most often the result of improper treatment, as well as the player entering the field contrary to the recommendations of doctors. Chronic injuries are difficult to treat and it is not uncommon for a player to require surgery;
- Fatigue. Fatigue damage occurs due to the constant load on certain muscle groups as a result of monotonous movements. The most common injury in basketball players is the knee and ankle.
Causes of injuries in basketball
Recent studies have shown that the causes of injuries in basketball often depend on the age category of players. For example, in children's basketball, craniocerebral injuries, bruises and fractures most often occur, while chronic and fatigue injuries predominate among representatives of adult basketball.
Causes of childhood injuries:
- Violation of the training schedule and technique;
- Neglect of warm-up and stretching;
- Disobedient players;
- Shortcomings in the organization of competitions;
- Poor equipment of gyms.
Adult injury causes:
- Early return to play after illness;
- Body overload;
- Violation of the training regimen;
- Rudeness during a duel;
- Overwork and overtraining.
These are the main causes of injuries in basketball, but there are also accidents that can lead to serious injuries, even if the player is disciplined and strictly follows all the recommendations of the coach.
That is why every basketball player should have reliable sports insurance. Athletes' insurance is a mandatory condition in professional sports; without a policy, an athlete cannot be allowed to participate in training camps and competitions. Particular attention should be paid to children's insurance.
