If you jam your finger, treatment depends on the severity of the injury. A minor injury can be treated at home with a few simple remedies. However, the severe injury needs medical attention or may even require surgery.
Home remedies that can help heal a minor finger injury include:
- Ice: Ice the area immediately for 15-20 minutes. You can even dip your finger in ice water. Repeat this every 2-3 hours for the first few days following the injury. Applying cold compress has the following advantages:
- Reduces pain, inflammation, and swelling in the injured muscles, joints, and connective tissues
- Slow bleeding in case of a tear
- Compression: Compress the area with an elastic bandage to reduce swelling. Do not wrap it too tightly to obstruct blood circulation.
- Finger splint: Wrap the injured finger to the adjacent finger using self-adhesive tape, so that the healthy finger acts as a splint for the injured one. For example, if your index finger is jammed, wrap your index finger to the middle finger to protect the finger from pain and further injury. This procedure is called buddy-strapping.
- Surgical splint: Use surgical splints to keep your finger still and prevent further injury. Splints are the best option if you notice that your finger is out of the joint.
- Elevation: Elevate the injured area above your heart level, especially at night, to reduce swelling due to gravity.
- Protection: Protect the injured area from pain and further injury.
- Rest: Rest and avoid activities that may aggravate pain or swelling in the injured finger.
- Medications: Take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as ibuprofen to alleviate pain and discomfort.
People with vascular disease, diabetes or decreased sensation should talk to their physician before applying ice.
Once the injury is completely healed, engage in physiotherapist-supervised exercise or physical therapy to regain full motion of the injured finger.
When should you see a doctor?
You should contact a doctor if you experience:
- Severe pain in the finger
- Inability to bend or straighten fingers
- Swelling in the finger that lasts for hours or days
These are the signs of a fractured finger and need immediate medical attention.
What are types of jammed finger injuries?
When you jam a finger, the tip of your finger is compressed toward your hand. Due to this compression, the ligaments supporting the joints are stretched or sprained. Ligaments are soft tissues that connect two bones and can tear if the compression is severe.
The severity of the sprain may depend on the force of the injury:
- Grade 1: Ligaments get stretched, but no tear found.
- Grade 2: Ligaments get partially torn and may involve some loss of function.
- Grade 3: Ligaments get torn completely or are pulled off from its attachment to the bone.
Medically Reviewed on 11/17/2021
References
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By HSS Rehabilitation
How many times have you hurt your finger during a volleyball or basketball game, family wrestling match, or even tucking in your sheets while making the bed? Sometimes it goes away after a few days or a week. Other times you may need medical attention. If your finger can’t move like normal – if you can’t bend or straighten it with normal effort, or if you feel sharp shooting pain – you may have an injury that you can’t fix yourself.
The three cylindrical bones of the finger (the phalanges) are in line with each other and require ligaments to help them remain aligned while the tendons flex and extend the fingers. Ligaments attach bone to other bone. When a finger is jammed, the stress along the joints can cause any of these structures to fail: ligaments can tear, tendons can rupture and bones can fracture.
If the sides of your finger are red and swollen, it could be a ligament sprain of one of the collateral (side) ligaments. If it’s tender on the bottom, you may have bent your finger backwards (another ligament injury). A sprain can be mild (overstretched) to severe (a large portion is torn or completely detached). Sharp pain could signal a break.
In one common injury the tip of the finger can’t straighten out. It droops into a flexed position, and can’t straighten without help. This is called a “mallet finger” and always needs intervention from a skilled medical professional. Contact a hand surgeon (an orthopedic specialist in conditions of the upper extremity) for proper management.
It’s also good to make a mental note of the injury: date of injury, what you were doing, how it happened, what force and what angle was the force directed, and what position your finger was in during the accident. This information can help guide your treatment and recovery and avoid a similar injury in the future. Ice your finger immediately after the injury to decrease swelling and reduce pain.
If you’re having continued pain and difficulty with motion, a visit to a hand doctor is a good idea to prevent long-lasting deficits and get you back to full mobility.
Originally posted on April 25, 2013Topics: Rehabilitation and Fitness
The information provided in this blog by HSS and our affiliated physicians is for general informational and educational purposes, and should not be considered medical advice for any individual problem you may have. This information is not a substitute for the professional judgment of a qualified health care provider who is familiar with the unique facts about your condition and medical history. You should always consult your health care provider prior to starting any new treatment, or terminating or changing any ongoing treatment. Every post on this blog is the opinion of the author and may not reflect the official position of HSS. Please contact us if we can be helpful in answering any questions or to arrange for a visit or consult.
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A jammed finger is a common injury that can cause pain, swelling, and difficulty moving the finger.
A jammed finger is most commonly caused by an injury to the joint in the middle of the finger, where it bends in half. This joint is called the proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP).
Small ligaments called the collateral ligaments support the PIP joint. A jammed finger may occur when then these ligaments are overstretched or strained.
This damage can happen when the hands absorb too much force, such as when someone catches a ball when playing sports.
A jammed finger can be uncomfortable, but it is not usually a serious injury. At-home and medical treatments can help the finger heal without complications.
A jammed finger causes swelling, difficulty moving the finger, and pain. The duration of the swelling will depend upon how severe the injury is.
Other signs of a jammed finger include:
- pain, but usually not severe
- stiffness
- weakness, or difficulty holding onto an item
- redness and swelling
Jammed fingers are a common sports injury, especially in sports where the hand absorbs the impact of the ball, such as basketball, baseball, and volleyball.
A jammed finger occurs when the tip of a person’s finger presses forcefully against the hand. This action can cause the ligaments in a person’s finger to become overstretched or strained.
Other potential causes include:
- closing a drawer or door on the finger
- injuring the finger on the steering wheel during an automobile accident
- putting the hand down to break a fall
Any action that puts extra strain on the PIP joint can result in a jammed finger.
Share on PinterestA broken finger is often more painful than a jammed finger, although both may be treated using a splint.
A broken finger will cause severe pain and swelling that lasts for hours or even days. While a jammed finger is painful, it is not usually severe.
A doctor can usually tell the difference between a jammed finger and a broken finger based on a visual examination.
A broken finger may have a bone either visibly sticking out of the skin or will be protruding toward the skin. A person may hear a cracking or popping noise with finger movement if they have a broken finger.
A doctor will also ask the person to try to move their finger. A jammed finger will usually have some range of motion, but if a person has a broken finger, they will hardly be able to move it.
If it is still not clear whether the finger is jammed or broken, a doctor may take an X-ray to confirm the diagnosis.
Doctors commonly treat a jammed finger with a splint, which is a brace that keeps the finger straight and stable while the damaged ligaments heal.
Another option is known as buddy taping or wrapping, where the injured finger is taped securely to a non-injured finger for support. Buddy wrapping helps to stabilize the injured finger.
There is a useful at-home treatment for jammed fingers known as PRICE. It stands for:
- P is for protection. Wearing a splint or buddy wrap can help to make the finger less vulnerable to injury. A range of finger splints is available for purchase online here.
- R is for rest. Resting and avoiding using the hand as much as possible will protect the finger.
- I is for ice. Applying a cloth-covered ice pack to the injured finger can help reduce inflammation and redness. Keep the ice on the finger for 10–15 minutes at a time.
- C is for compression. Splinting or wrapping the finger can help reduce inflammation and promote healing. However, do not bind the finger so tightly that circulation is affected.
- E is for elevation. Resting the hand on a pillow where the elbow is lower than the hand can help reduce swelling and pain.
Taking over-the-counter pain relief medications, such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen, can also help reduce pain and inflammation.
Share on PinterestA finger that has been injured and appears crooked should be assessed by a doctor.
If a person injures their finger and it appears crooked, they should not attempt to straighten it themselves. Instead, they should see their doctor to examine and treat the injury.
A person should seek immediate medical attention if the finger starts to feel numb and turns white or very pale. These are signs that there is not enough blood flowing to the area.
A person should see their doctor as quickly as possible when:
- the finger appears deformed or crooked
- they develop a fever following the injury
- the finger becomes significantly swollen
- the finger starts hurting more instead of less over time
- the person cannot fully straighten the finger
If a person’s symptoms continue to get worse instead of better, they should see their family doctor or a doctor that specializes in the skeletal system called an orthopedist. Some orthopedists offer walk-in clinics to assess sports-related injuries.
If left untreated, a jammed finger can lead to complications including prolonged stiffness or difficulty fully straightening the finger.
Once the joint has had time to heal, a doctor may recommend exercises to reduce stiffness in the joint. These may include squeezing an exercise ball or stretching the fingers in a tub of warm water.
With proper care, a jammed finger will regain both the strength and flexibility it had before the injury.