Whether you play a sport professionally, for school, or just for fun, your musculoskeletal system works hard. You may experience overuse injuries or traumatic injuries, especially in the extremities.
If you have a finger injury, it is in your best interest to have an evaluation and possible treatment by a sports medicine doctor, especially one who focuses on the arms and hands. Let’s talk about how a sports medicine doctor can treat your finger injury, and where you can go in Clarksville and throughout the greater Baltimore area for world-class hand care – so you can get back in the game.
Finger Injuries Often Treated by a Sports Medicine Doctor
The following hand and finger injuries are seen most often by orthopedic doctors who specialize in the arms and hands:
Sprains and Strains in the Finger
Ligaments are the thick, fibrous, somewhat flexible tissues that connect bone to bone. When a ligament in the finger is overstretched or torn (partially or fully), the finger is sprained. When muscles or tendons (which connect muscles to bones) are similarly injured in the finger, then the finger has sustained a strain.
Your sports medicine doctor can treat finger sprains and strains by first performing an evaluation, possibly ordering an X-ray, and then discussing your treatment options. The physician will explain some of the easy interventions you can do to mitigate pain, such as applying ice or compression, and the sports medicine doctor may also prescribe medication or suggest wearing a hand splint to keep the area immobilized for temporary periods while your finger heals.
Mallet Finger
Also called drop finger or baseball finger, this finger strain impacts the tendon which connects the tiny finger muscle with the top section of a finger, causing:
- Pain
- Swelling
- A droop or drop in the top part of the finger, so you’re unable to straighten it
- Bleeding under the fingernail
After determining the extent of the injury, your sports medicine physician will likely recommend wearing a splint around the finger area for six weeks. Mallet finger injuries rarely warrant surgery to regain function in the finger.
Finger Fractures (Broken Finger)
Fractures are bone breaks occurring anywhere in the finger. The severity is determined by your sports medicine doctor via a physical examination of the hand and X-ray imaging.
Many finger fractures tend to heal well by taping it (using medical-grade tape) to an adjacent healthy finger or by splinting the area. More severe breaks may require surgery in order to heal fully and properly.
Boxer’s Fracture
This common sports fracture happens when the hand strikes an object at a high velocity and force. It is confirmed by your sports medicine doctor via evaluating your symptoms and taking X-rays of the hand.
The boxer’s fracture affects the fifth finger (pinky finger). However, the break itself is located in the metacarpal bone which is just below the pinky. It is generally treated via wearing a hand splint and resting, icing, and elevating the hand.
Sports Medicine Doctor in Clarksville, MD
Here at Greater Chesapeake Hand to Shoulder, our sports medicine doctors are affiliated with The Curtis National Hand Center at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore. Our advanced credentials assure you of an accurate diagnosis and treatment which restores the function of your injured finger.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment with one of our outstanding hand specialists, contact our friendly staff today by calling us at (410) 296-6232 or by filling out our appointment request form online now. We look forward to serving you!
