What are the symptoms of a broken pinky finger. How can you tell if your pinky is fractured or just sprained. What should you do if you suspect your pinky is broken. How long does it take for a broken pinky to heal completely.

Understanding Broken Pinky Fingers: Causes and Risk Factors

A broken pinky finger, also known as a fractured pinky, is a common hand injury that can occur due to various reasons. The pinky finger contains three small bones called phalanges, which can break under certain circumstances.

Common causes of a broken pinky include:

• Falling on an outstretched hand
• Direct impact from a hard object
• Sports-related injuries
• Crushing accidents
• Twisting or bending the finger forcefully

The risk of a pinky fracture increases with certain factors:

• Participation in contact sports
• Occupations involving manual labor
• Osteoporosis or weakened bones
• Advanced age
• Previous hand injuries

Recognizing the Symptoms of a Broken Pinky

Identifying a broken pinky can be challenging, as symptoms may resemble those of other finger injuries. However, certain signs can help distinguish a fracture from a sprain or dislocation.

Key symptoms of a broken pinky include:

• Intense pain, especially when attempting to move the finger
• Swelling and bruising around the injured area
• Difficulty moving the finger or making a fist
• Visible deformity or misalignment
• Numbness or tingling sensation
• In severe cases, bone protruding through the skin (open fracture)

Is it possible to move a broken pinky? While you may still have some range of motion, moving a fractured pinky is often painful and limited. However, the ability to move the finger doesn’t rule out a fracture, as some breaks allow for partial movement.

Diagnosing a Broken Pinky: When to Seek Medical Attention

If you suspect a broken pinky, it’s crucial to seek medical attention promptly. Delaying diagnosis and treatment can lead to complications and improper healing.

When should you see a doctor for a possible broken pinky?

• Severe pain that doesn’t subside with rest and ice
• Visible deformity or misalignment of the finger
• Inability to move the finger
• Numbness or discoloration of the fingertip
• Open wound or bone protruding through the skin

A healthcare professional will typically perform a physical examination and may order X-rays to confirm the diagnosis and determine the extent of the fracture.

Treatment Options for a Broken Pinky

The treatment for a broken pinky depends on the severity and location of the fracture. In most cases, non-surgical methods are sufficient for proper healing.

Non-surgical Treatment

For simple, non-displaced fractures, conservative treatment may include:

• Splinting or buddy taping to immobilize the finger
• Ice application to reduce swelling
• Pain medication to manage discomfort
• Elevation of the hand to minimize swelling
• Gentle exercises as directed by a healthcare provider

Surgical Intervention

In cases of severe fractures or open wounds, surgery may be necessary. Surgical options may include:

• Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF)
• Placement of pins, screws, or plates to stabilize the bone
• Repair of damaged soft tissues

How long does it take for a broken pinky to heal? The healing time for a broken pinky typically ranges from 4 to 6 weeks, depending on the severity of the fracture and the individual’s overall health. However, complete recovery and return to full function may take several months.

Home Care and Recovery Tips for a Broken Pinky

While professional medical care is essential, there are several steps you can take at home to support the healing process and promote a faster recovery.

1. Follow your doctor’s instructions carefully
2. Keep the splint or cast dry and clean
3. Elevate your hand above heart level to reduce swelling
4. Apply ice packs for 15-20 minutes at a time, several times a day
5. Take prescribed pain medications as directed
6. Perform gentle exercises as recommended by your healthcare provider
7. Avoid using the injured hand for lifting or gripping objects
8. Attend all follow-up appointments to monitor healing progress

Can you speed up the healing of a broken pinky? While you can’t drastically accelerate bone healing, maintaining a healthy lifestyle can support the process. This includes eating a balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D, avoiding smoking, and following your doctor’s rehabilitation plan.

Potential Complications and Long-term Effects of a Broken Pinky

Although most broken pinkies heal without issues, complications can arise, especially if left untreated or improperly managed.

Possible complications include:

• Malunion: Improper alignment of the bone during healing
• Stiffness and reduced range of motion
• Chronic pain or sensitivity
• Osteoarthritis in the affected joint
• Nerve or blood vessel damage
• Infection, particularly in cases of open fractures

To minimize the risk of complications, it’s crucial to follow your doctor’s treatment plan and attend all follow-up appointments. Early intervention can help address any issues that may arise during the healing process.

Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy for a Broken Pinky

Once the initial healing phase is complete, rehabilitation plays a vital role in restoring function and strength to the injured pinky.

A typical rehabilitation program may include:

• Range of motion exercises
• Strengthening exercises
• Grip and pinch strengthening activities
• Fine motor skill exercises
• Massage and soft tissue mobilization
• Heat or cold therapy

How long does physical therapy last for a broken pinky? The duration of physical therapy varies depending on the severity of the fracture and individual progress. Most patients attend sessions for 4-8 weeks, but some may require longer periods of rehabilitation.

Preventing Broken Pinky Injuries: Tips and Precautions

While it’s impossible to prevent all accidents, certain precautions can reduce the risk of breaking your pinky finger.

Prevention strategies include:

• Wearing protective gear during sports and high-risk activities
• Using proper techniques when lifting heavy objects
• Maintaining a safe and clutter-free environment to prevent falls
• Strengthening hand and finger muscles through regular exercise
• Being mindful of your surroundings and potential hazards

For individuals with weakened bones or osteoporosis, additional measures may be necessary:

• Consuming adequate calcium and vitamin D
• Engaging in weight-bearing exercises
• Quitting smoking and limiting alcohol intake
• Discussing bone health with your healthcare provider

By understanding the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for broken pinky fingers, you can better manage this common injury and promote optimal healing. Remember, prompt medical attention and adherence to your treatment plan are key factors in ensuring a full recovery and preventing long-term complications. If you suspect a broken pinky or experience persistent pain and swelling, don’t hesitate to seek professional medical advice.

Everything you need to know and what you should do

Do I have a broken finger? How do I know for sure? Can I treat it myself, or am I best off visiting my local Minor Injuries? This article does its utmost to provide you with the essential knowledge to treat what is a quite common, but sometimes incredibly painful injury.

This article details the correct symptoms of a broken finger as a means of assessing your own situation. It then goes on to discuss the correct and appropriate course of action should you wish to seek medical attention. You will find all the relevant treatment information right here, as well as some tips for looking after your finger as it heals.

Overview

The bones in your fingers are called phalanges, and each finger has three of them (barring the thumb, which has two.) A fracture can occur in any of the phalanges, or in the knuckles, which are the joints where your finger bones meet. A broken, or fractured finger is a very common injury and you’ll usually need a month to experience a full heal.

What causes a broken finger?

This part is fairly obvious. With the amount of use we get out of them, it makes sense that the fingers have the highest risk of injury of all the parts of the hand. Common causes include falling awkwardly on an outstretched hand or being struck with an object. The severity of the injury and the strength of the bone affected are also factors that determine whether a break will occur.

Dr Hajipour is fantastic! She performed surgery on my finger to sew my tendons back together. In only a few weeks my finger is almost back to normal! Dr Hajipour is obviously very skilled, she is very pleasant to deal with and talks you through everything very clearly. Highly recommend!

Patient at BMI The Alexandra Hospital, 28th June 2018. To read more reviews please click here.

Symptoms of a broken finger

It can often be quite hard to determine whether a finger is actually broken, because most of the symptoms are very similar to injuries such as dislocation or a sprain. If you can’t completely determine whether your finger is indeed broken, it’s always worth seeking out some medical advice (but more on that later.)

Generally, a broken finger be:

• Painful to move, or to touch. The pain will no doubt worsen quite significantly when you attempt to move your finger, especially if you try to form a grip on an object.
• Noticeably swollen in comparison to your other fingers. Visible bruising around the point of the fracture will appear very quickly, almost immediately. This happens because when a fracture of any sort occurs, the fractured fragments will bleed into the tissue. It’s what forms the bump and bruising.
• Difficult to move. A slight loss of motion and ability in the finger is common. It’s less common for someone to experience a complete loss of motion in a broken finger, and this is usually an indication of a more severe fracture. A broken finger will generally remain usable, albeit through intense acute pain.
• Visibly wonky. It is a broken finger, after all. It may be apparent that your finger is deformed as a result of the injury. With more severe broken fingers, you may experience the end of the bone piercing the skin. This is what we call an open fracture.
• Giving you a tingling sensation, or feel numb. This occurs as a result of the restricted blood-flow to the finger.

Reacting to a broken finger

Given you’ve had a chance to compare your injury to the above symptoms, if you do believe you have broken your finger then it is still essential that you seek out medical advice. As with any fracture, putting off a professional diagnosis just prolongs the risk of a poor recovery. Here are some risks of delayed diagnosis:

• Insufficient healing. This can lead to weaker bone structure and disfigurement.
• Loss of motion. You may not retain the same ease of use in the afflicted finger.
• Disability. In severe cases, you may completely lose the ability to use the afflicted finger.

That being said, if you’re confident that either yourself or someone you know has broken their finger:

Head to your nearest Minor Injuries Unit for a full diagnosis and treatment help. Not sure where your nearest one is? Click here. Minor finger breaks will often be treatable here. Of course, in the event of a more serious finger fracture, you can visit an A&E department at your nearest general hospital. This is advised in the event of an open fracture.

In the immediate time after you have broken finger, here are some things to consider:

DIY finger strapping (JefferySterlingMD.com)

Has the fractured bone pierced the skin of your finger? Please be sure to stop any bleeding as quickly as possible, using sterile items if possible. You do your best to stop a wound from bleeding by applying consistent pressure with your chosen dressing, cloth or pad. If the wound is open then this will need to be dressed.

While you’re seeking out medical advice, an ice pack will most likely be an essential to help treat the first wave of symptoms. Gently hold a soft cold compress against the finger and this will help reduce the swelling and pain. If you only have a hard ice pack, then wrap it in a wet cloth. It is highly recommended that each household has a cold compress in the freezer for any type of medical emergency – and most businesses will have one as part of their health and safety regulations. If you’ve suffered the injury when out, then don’t hesitate to ask someone for assistance.

While this is uncommon for broken fingers, it is worth mentioning that more serious fractures may require surgery upon arrival at the hospital. If you believe that the condition of your finger might qualify you for this scenario, then it is advised that you don’t eat or drink anything so you’re ready to go. Other FAQs ahead of an upcoming surgery can be found here.

Try your best to rest the broken finger as much as you possibly can. Avoid moving it as much as you possibly can, as this will only aggravate your symptoms further. In the same way that a broken wrist can be helped by being put into a sling, you may wish to consider gently securing your broken finger to the one next to it.

Miss Hajipour was absolutely fantastic with me. As a very active person I was feeling incredibly anxious about my injury and Miss Hajipour thoroughly and very thoughtfully explained the process. She was genuinely very caring and her professional approach and treatment had me discharged sooner than I could ever had expected. I trust Miss Hajipour implicitly and highly recommend her.  

Patient at BMI The Alexandra Hospital, 3rd June 2018. To read more reviews please click here.

Treating a broken finger

When you arrive at the Minor Injuries Unit or A&E, you will be assessed by a trained practitioner who will help diagnose you and determine what treatment you need. Generally, an x-ray will be performed and this helps confirm that your injury is indeed a broken finger, as opposed to a sprain or a dislocation. As mentioned before, the symptoms are shared. While you wait, you will be administered with mild pain medication and your finger will be fitted into a splint. This helps to maintain the finger in a healthy position.

If the x-ray does determine that the finger is indeed broken, then the images will also provide an insight into the location of the fracture. This will help the doctors to give you the correct treatment.

Treatment for minor finger fractures:

The most common finger fracture treatment is a removable splint, and these are sometimes applied a few days after the break to allow for the swelling to subside. Before the splint, the bone may need to be realigned, which is the process of moving it back into place so it heals correctly. You’ll be on your way once the splint has been put in place, and a follow-up appointment will be booked to check the progress your finger is making.

Treatment for serious finger fractures:

Surgery may be required if the finger fracture is severe, as this will usually mean that damage has been done to nerves or tendons. Wiring, or screws may be utilised to help restructure your finger and bring back some mobility. A plaster cast will be applied post-surgery to help keep the finger in the correct position while it heals correctly.

Recovering from a broken finger

A broken finger will usually take around a month to heal – minor fractures can heal in as quick as a fortnight, while more serious finger fracture treatments could require up to two months. It all depends on the severity. Although the finger may be healed, it will still take a further month or so for you to rebuild the strength in the affected finger.

There are a few things you can do to aid the healing process:

• Avoid using the affected finger as much as possible. This will disturb the finger splint and you will run the risk of deformity.
• Take household medication, namely paracetamol, to ease the pain. These are available over the counter.
• Hold your cold compress against the finger for small, 10 minute periods 3 or 4 times a day. This will help ease the swelling.

Struggling to recover from a broken finger? Miss Ladan Hajipour is a specialist hand and wrist surgeon, and would be happy to receive your enquiry. Fill in the contact form below if you need to.

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How Do You Know if Your Child’s Finger is Broken or Jammed?

March 18, 2022:

A jammed finger is most commonly caused by an injury to the joint in the middle of the finger where it bends in half. This joint is called the proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP).

As kids become more active in sports, jammed finger injuries are becoming more common. When a jammed finger occurs it can stretch or tear the tissues around the finger joint which can cause a sprain. If the impact on the finger is great enough it can cause tendon damage or a bone fracture. A jammed finger is most commonly caused by an injury to the joint in the middle of the finger where it bends in half. This joint is called the proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP).  

What sports have the most jammed finger injuries?

Ball sports such as basketball, baseball and volleyball, the risk for a jammed finger is greatest when attempting to catch or hit a ball.

How do you tell if your child’s finger is broken or sprained?

Symptoms of a broken finger are deformity of the finger or difficulty moving the finger. However, symptoms can be more subtle and swelling may be the main complaint. Other symptoms that can signal a broken finger include pain, tenderness, bruising, stiffness and numbness.

When should you see the doctor?

You should schedule an appointment for your child anytime the finger is excruciatingly painful or if symptoms do not improve within the first 24 to 48 hours. Fingers that appear bent or darkly colored require immediate medical attention. Untreated finger fractures can cause long-term stiffness, loss of motion and arthritis.

How is a finger injury diagnosed?

Doctors can usually tell the difference between a jammed finger and a broken finger based on a visual examination. We will ask the child to try to move their finger. A jammed finger will usually have range of motion, but if your child has a broken finger, they will hardly be able to move it. An X-ray will be taken to confirm the diagnosis.

What is the treatment for a fractured finger?

Treatment options for fractured fingers depends on how severe the injury is. Treatment can include splinting, casting, surgery and/or rehabilitation.

It is important to take your child to pediatric specialists who are experts in treating only kids. At Children’s Orthopaedic and Scoliosis Surgery Associates, LLP our board certified, fellowship trained, specialists provide the best child-friendly care using the latest cutting-edge technology that results in the safest and most accurate outcomes. If you suspect your child has a finger fracture, please call our office at (727) 898-2663. 

Medically Reviewed by Lee G. Phillips, MD, Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon – Hand Specialist

Children’s Orthopaedic and Scoliosis Surgery Associates LLP provides information and articles as a service to our readers. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician. This blog provides general information and discussions about health and related subjects. The information and other content provided in this blog, or in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment, If you have a medical concern, you should consult with your health care provider or seek other professional medical treatment. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately. The opinions and views expressed on this blog and website have no relation to those of any academic, hospital, health practice or other institution.

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Weekend Army.

Poland invented a new branch of the military But now he needs a NATO battalion and 17 territorial defense brigades. But just don’t fight during working hours.

© © AP Photo / Alik Keplicz

Rely on the block, but don’t make a mistake yourself. If it were not for the blatant cowardice of the Polish elite, which filled almost all the vacant places in their country with American military equipment, one could say so about the creation of a new military group here. But all the tongue turns to is to admit that Warsaw’s readiness to repel “Russian aggression” can now be counted on the fingers of one hand. The second one is still holding on to the muzzle of the Abrams. Nevertheless, Poland added a “little finger” to its own Navy, Air Force, infantry and special forces.

Video of the day

Territorial defense troops. Or, as skeptics have already dubbed them, “weekend army.” Firstly, because those who want to become in such a gun should do it exclusively in their free time from work. Secondly, in confirmation of this, the first recruits took the oath on Sunday. On May 21, Defense Minister Antony Macherevich was as happy as ever. It was his idea to replace the compulsory military conscription, which was abolished seven years ago, with voluntary mobilization.

According to the degree of adequacy, even in Poland they put it on a par with military lustration: the minister cleared the army of the elite – officers and generals who received combat education in the socialist past. But it organically fits into the context of his own commission to investigate the plane crash near Smolensk. Macerevich still believes that the Russians planted that fatal birch tree, which at the last moment before the crash caught on board number one, for a reason. Therefore, they did not have an army by chance, but in order to defeat Poland.

And she answered them, so as not to disgrace it – 53 thousand soldiers of the territorial defense. And everything, as the head of the military department says about them, “are included in our potential to intimidate the opponent. ” By the way, Macerevich used to think that even one NATO battalion could cope with the Russians. But either he counted, or he changed his views on “Russian aggression.” But now he needs a NATO battalion and 17 territorial defense brigades.

And then on the condition that Moscow attacks no earlier than 2020, since he plans to collect the full ammunition of the new group only by the end of 2019. And chur not in the midst of a working day. After all, the oath provides for the protection of the homeland without interruption from work. That is, a person must plow at the bench, have dinner, and rest properly. And then, please, occupy if you dare. Obviously, this is how Macerevich imagines the most suitable conditions for the likely reflection of an incredible danger.

Although perhaps the worst thing that can happen to Poland is a change of power. And that is terrible only for those who represent it now. Maybe that’s why Macerevich plans to recruit brigades by 2020, because parliamentary elections are scheduled for this year.