What is Finger Sprain
Finger sprain is a tear or stretch in a ligament in your finger. Ligaments are tissues that connect bones to each other.
Follow these instructions at home:
If you have a splint:
- Do notput pressure on any part of the splint until it is fully hardened. This may take many hours.
- Wear the splint as told by your doctor. Take it off only as told by your doctor.
- Loosen the splint if your fingers tingle, lose feeling (get numb), or turn cold and blue.
- Keep the splint clean.
If the splint is not waterproof:
- Do notlet it get wet.
- Cover it with a watertight covering when you take a bath or a shower.
If you have a cast:
- Do notput pressure on any part of the cast until it is fully hardened. This may take many hours.
- Do notstick anything inside the cast to scratch your skin.
- Check the skin around the cast every day. Tell your doctor about any concerns.
- You may put lotion on dry skin around the edges of the cast. Do notput lotion on the skin under the cast.
- Keep the cast clean.
- If
the cast is not waterproof:
- Do notlet it get wet.
- Cover it with a watertight covering when you take a bath or a shower.
Managing pain, stiffness, and swelling
- If
directed, put ice on the injured area:
- If you have a removable splint, take it off as told by your doctor.
- Put ice in a plastic bag.
- Place a towel between your skin and the bag or between your cast and the bag.
- Leave the ice on for 20 minutes, 2–3 times a day.
- Gently move your fingers often to avoid stiffness and to lessen swelling.
- Raise (elevate) the injured area above the level of your heart while you are sitting or lying down.
Medicines
- Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your doctor.
- Do notdrive or use heavy machinery while taking prescription pain medicine.
General instructions
- Keep any bandages (dressings) dry until your doctor says they can be taken off.
- Do exercises as told by your doctor or physical therapist.
- Do notwear rings on your injured finger.
- Keep all follow-up visits as told by your doctor. This is important.
Get help right away if:
- Your pain is not helped by medicine.
- Your bruising or swelling gets worse.
- Your splint or cast is damaged.
- You lose feeling in your finger.
- Your finger turns blue.
- Your finger feels colder than normal when you touch it.
- You have a fever.
Summary
- A finger sprain is a tear or stretch in a ligament in your finger. Ligaments are tissues that connect bones to each other.
- If you have a splint, loosen the splint if your fingers tingle, lose feeling (get numb), or turn cold and blue.
- Gently move your fingers often to avoid stiffness and to lessen swelling.
- If directed, put ice on the injured area.