How to Treat a Finger Fracture?
Fractures in the finger can be very painful and should be treated both swiftly and with a great amount of caution. It cannot be expressed enough how crucial it is that the injury is treated with the utmost care. If you or someone you know has suffered from a finger fracture, contact our orthopedic in Paramus NJ, New York Sports Medicine Institute today to see how we can assist you!
What is it?
Many people are relatively familiar with the concept of a fractured finger; however it is important to understand the intricacies of the injury before proceeding with further measures in the healing process. On the most basic level, a fractured finger is when one or more of the bones in the finger are broken. It is typically caused by a direct blow to the finger, and because the bones within the finger are so small it is very common for many of them to break if the impact is significant enough. Typically, a fracture in the finger will cause swelling, bruising, and significant pain for the recipient of the injury. While an orthopedic in Paramus NJ at the New York Sports Medicine Institute is able to assist you with this type of injury, we urge you to behave with caution so that you are not plagued with this injury. Now that we have highlighted exactly what a fractured finger is, we will now discuss the causes.
Causes of a Finger Fracture
There are a variety of situations that might cause one’s finger to fracture. While it is difficult to pinpoint an exact experience that would cause a fractured finger (due to it being an injury that is a result of sensation), there are some commonalities that we see and that we believe you should look out for. Most finger fractures are a result of the person attempting to push away from something or to break a fall. When falling, the hand or the fingers are the first body parts that come into contact with the ground, so therefore they are at an increased risk compared to other body parts. The other way in which finger fractures occur are in what is known as “crush injuries.” This is when the bones within the finger are put under a large amount of pressure, typically coming in the downward direction. The final way in which fractures within the finger usually occur is as a result of rotational or twisting injuries. These injuries can cause the inner bones to distort in awkward ways and cause uncomfortable sensations to the person.
Symptoms of Finger Fractures
The symptoms of a fracture to the finger were talked about briefly prior, but now we will dig deeper into what one should expect should they be dealing with this sort of injury. The most common symptoms include:
- Pain when touching the bone
- Swelling of the finger
- Bruising of the finger
- Difficulty being able to bend the finger
- Deformity of the finger
All of these symptoms, while having different results, cause the recipient a large amount of discomfort and need to be aided before they become worse.
Dangers of a Finger Fracture
On that topic, the majority of the dangers of a finger fracture lie in the ability of the recipient to get the help they need as quickly as possible. If the injury is not treated, it can lead to complications including:
- Joint Stiffness: The most common potential complication of a broken finger. This injury is caused by scar tissue formation around where the injury occured. Can lead to a prolonged period of immobilization in the area.
- Nonunion: This happens when the ends of the fractured bone are unable to grow back together.
- Post-traumatic Arthritis: This occurs when joint surface cartilage wears out during the healing process for the bone.
- Osteomyelitis: This bone infection can occur when a broken finger requires surgery to fix injured skin or the fractured bone.
Contact An Orthopedic in Paramus NJ Today!
If you or someone you know suffers from a fractured finger, contact us today to see how we can assist you! Our orthopedic in Paramus NJ, has many specialists who have years of experience dealing with these sorts of injuries, so we guarantee that you will be in safe hands.