The ball is placed in the palm of the hand and the athlete can perform multiple ball squeezes throughout the day. One recommendation is to have the athlete perform ball squeezes to pain tolerance throughout the day i. If a soft type of ball cannot be found, a good substitute is a rolled sock. The benefit of the sock is that the athlete can choose a sock that best fits the hand. As the range of motion improves and increases over time, the athlete can use a smaller sock.
If the athlete has instability of the ligament, the athlete needs to be referred to a physician for further evaluation. If the ligament laxity is less than 10 to 20 degrees, then a partial tear should be suspected. In this case, the thumb should be immobilized in a splint or thumb spica cast for up to six weeks to allow the ligament to heal properly Brukner, P. Athletes should have pain-free range of motion of the thumb and full strength equal to the uninjured thumb before being released to return to sport.
This can be achieved by performing the ball squeeze exercises suggested above. Athletes returning from either a second or third degree UCL injury should also wear protective splinting or taping when they return to sport.
Several athletic tape jobs can be applied to protect the thumb and prevent the thumb from being placed in a position of hyperextension. One tape job is a check rein. This is a simple tape job that loops one end of a one inch piece of athletic tape around the proximal phalange of the thumb and the other end around the proximal phalange of the index finger.
Care must be taken to first place the tape on the thumb and then move the thumb towards the index finger before securing the tape on the index finger. This will ensure proper positioning of the thumb to prevent injury. The thumb should be moved into a position that restricts the thumb movement from full extension or abduction.
When the thumb is fully abducted or extended, the thumb can form a 90 degree angle with the hand. To protect the thumb with this tape job, the thumb should be placed at about a 45 degree angle and then secured with the tape. Care must also be taken to leave extra tape on each end after the piece is looped around the finger or thumb.
The extra tape is then wrapped around the middle check rein to secure the tape. Certified athletic trainers are experts at applying protective tape for a number of injuries. The thumb is one anatomical structure in which there are a number of different tape jobs for the same purpose. The certified athletic trainer may apply several different tape jobs before finding the one that the athlete prefers.
Sprained Thumb braces are a simple, cost-effective way to provide support and protect the tomb from further injury. Wearing a brace can help reduce your thumb pain and help it heal quicker as you allow the ligaments to properly heal. Here are 5 signs that you have sprained your thumb:.
A jammed finger may result in some simliar symptoms, including pain and stiffness, but many people suffer from jammed fingers and are still able to use and move their fingers. Immediately after injuring your thumb, until you can get to a doctor's office, elevate and ice the injured hand. Wrap it in a bandage so that your thumb cannot move until the doctor can examine you.
The best and safest way to determine the severity of your injury is to visit a hand surgeon as soon as possible. He or she may take x-rays to see if any bones are broken. If a ligament is torn, it may be treatable with a cast or splint.
Repetitive strain injury RSI covers a range of painful or uncomfortable conditions of the muscles, tendons, nerves, usually due to repeated or…. The recovery time for trigger finger surgery is quick and the procedure has a high chance of success.
Learn more about the types of surgery. Extensor tendons connect muscle to bone and are located just under the skin. They are poorly protected by fat and therefore prone to injury. This MNT…. How do you know if you have a sprained thumb? Medically reviewed by Elaine K. Luo, M. Recovery Is it a sprain or a break? Grades Prevention Takeaway A sprain can occur when a ligament in the thumb is injured or torn. How long does it take to recover? Share on Pinterest When the ligaments are injured it may result in a sprain.
A sprain or a break? Share on Pinterest A doctor may order an X-ray to determine if the thumb is broken. This would include a complete inability to range the thumb irrespective of pain. Usually, the pain associated with a sprain dissipates within two weeks of a simple sprain. If the pain persists generally, on motion, or is not improving within one week of the injury, you should seek further medical attention.
Self-diagnose with our free Buoy Assistant if you answer yes on any of these questions. Questions may relate to diseases, illnesses, or conditions you may have or that may run in your family. Your answers will help us provide you with medical information and identify services that may be relevant to your health. Buoy Health uses reasonable physical, technical, and administrative safeguards such as firewalls, encryption, identity management, and intrusion prevention and detection to protect your information.
We will not share your information with third parties unless you give your consent or unless permitted by applicable law. Try our AI assistant here. Informed by current CDC guidelines.
Skip to main content Skip to accessibility services Buoy Logo. Nav Close Icon. Nav Open Icon. Health articles Chevron Icon. Featured topics. Symptom checker. Editorial standards. Who we serve Chevron Icon. Brokers and Consultants. Solutions Chevron Icon. Care Navigation. Sections Icon. What is a sprained thumb? When to see a doctor. Buoy Chat Icon. Symptom Checker. Verified By Experts Icon.
Verified by experts 9 min read. No Ads. Ezekiel Richardson, MD. Jeffrey M. Last updated September 30, Heart Icon. Speech Bubble Icon. Share Icon. Facebook Icon. LinkedIn Icon. Pinterest Icon. Pocket Icon.
Share Link Icon. Copied to clipboard. Table of Contents. Sprained thumb questionnaire Use our free symptom checker to find out if you have sprained thumb. Symptoms of a sprained thumb Pain at the time of injury is common in cases of thumb sprain, but pain at the time of injury can occur with any injury to joints, muscle, ligaments or tendons e.
Main symptoms The main symptoms of a sprained thumb include the following.
0コメント