You were playing basketball over the weekend and caught a pass rather awkwardly. The fingers took the brunt, and soon one of them swelled up and stiffened. In no time, the finger turned blue, and bending or moving it became difficult. All these are classic symptoms of a jammed finger.
“Jammed finger injuries are frequently encountered in general orthopedic and sports medicine practice,” says Dr Sarath Kumar, bone and joint expert (orthopedics), Fortis Malar Hospital, Chennai. “Often underestimated, these injuries can lead to pain, deformities and reduced hand functionality if there is no active intervention. People tend to see jammed fingers as a minor injury and neglect them. They have a mindset where they believe that it will heal on its own without any active intervention.”
What is a jammed finger?
A jammed or sprained finger is the result of a sudden impact or excessive force on the finger joint, causing the ligaments to stretch or tear. The term ‘jammed’ refers to the compression of the joint and the surrounding soft tissues. The injury manifests as swelling, bruising, stiffness and difficulty in bending or straightening the finger.
“The whole finger, including the individual joints, is susceptible to these traumatic injuries,” adds Dr Kumar. “In many cases, they have some degree of deformity. These injuries are usually seen in people who have met with road accidents, work in large-scale industries dealing with heavy objects and are sports practitioners.”
Why do you jam your fingers?
The complex anatomy of the finger joint makes it susceptible to jamming. The bones, cartilage, ligaments and tendons work together to enable the finger’s fascinating range of motion. However, this intricate design makes the joint vulnerable to sudden trauma. The ligaments that stabilize the joint can be overstretched or torn, leading to instability and difficulty in moving the finger. In rare cases, a piece of an adjacent bone can chip off due to the force and worsen the pain.
“Jammed fingers need special attention. Our fingers have three joints. The proximal interphalangeal joint gets injured most often, which is very important for athletic activities (throwing, gripping, etc.) and regular hand function,” explains Dr Kumar. “Any injury to this joint should be actively taken care of and not neglected. If it is neglected, it could cause a slight deformity.”
Treating a jammed finger
The healing time for jammed fingers depends on the severity of the injury.
“Jam injuries can be closed or open,” says Dr Kumar. “An ice pack can help in case of closed injuries. If the pain is severe, you can go to a nearby healthcare provider and get yourself checked properly. If it is an open injury, you must apply a good wound wash and avoid contamination. An ice pack is not advised in this case.”
Mildly jammed fingers might start feeling better within a week or two with proper attention and self-care, while severe cases could take several weeks to heal completely.
Takeaways
- A jammed or sprained finger is the result of a sudden impact or excessive force on the finger joint, causing the ligaments to stretch or tear. The injury manifests as swelling, bruising, stiffness and difficulty in bending or straightening the finger.
- Jammed fingers need special attention. If left unattended, it could lead to severe deformities, pain and loss of hand functionality.
- The healing time for jammed fingers depends on the severity of the injury and how well you manage it. It could take anywhere from one or two weeks to several weeks to heal completely.
