Finger Fracture
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer. A finger fracture is a common injury that can vary widely in severity.
What is a Finger Fracture?
A finger fracture is one of the most ubiquitous bone fractures that medical professionals will see. Finger fractures can occur in any number of the small bones that extend from the palm of the hand. The thumb has two different small bones while the other fingers have three. A break in any of these small bones is termed a finger fracture and these traumatic injuries can develop in any number of ways.
Watch Youtube Video ~ Finger and Metacarpal Fractures – For educational purposes only. Video by Dr. Nabil A. Ebraheim, M.D.
Injury Mechanism
A finger fracture has a variety of ways that it can develop. Some finger fractures develop due to stress from wear and tear over time. Holding the finger in a chronically flexed or extended position can cause the bone to wear out and develop cracks. Many people break their fingers while playing sports, perhaps jamming them on another person, wall, or piece of equipment. In an auto accident, it is possible for someone to smash their finger against the window or steering wheel, breaking it. This can be very painful. A broken finger can also interfere with your daily activities and sometimes disrupt your ability to perform your job to your full capacity.
Treatment of a Finger Fracture
Whether or not a finger was broken playing sports, in a motor vehicle accident, or in a pedestrian injury, the treatment is typically the same. For most finger fractures, they are diagnosed using a combination of clinical examination and imaging modalities, such as an x-ray. After this, the fingers will be immobilized, typically through buddy taping (taping the broken finger to the one next to it), to prevent any damage to the peripheral nerves. This will allow the bones to heal properly.
Common Complications
While broken fingers are typically small and easily treated, there are common comorbidities that may develop. If the finger fracture does not heal properly, malunion can result and lead to the development of early-onset arthritis. Furthermore, if the nerves have been damaged, patients could develop chronic pain, which could require medication.
Structures at Risk
The most common structures that are at risk with a finger fracture are the nerves that run through the fingers. These nerves provide the motor and sensory function to the various parts of the finger. If these nerves are damaged, it is possible for patients to lose this function. Patients may feel pain or lose their range of motion with damage to the finger nerves as well.
Differential Diagnosis
The differential diagnosis of a finger fracture includes several other injuries, such as:
- Finger sprain or strain
- Scaphoid fracture (or other hand fracture)
- Metacarpophalangeal Joint dislocation
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Bennett’s Fracture
- Boxer’s or Bar Room fracture
Injury Prognosis
Finger fractures are extremely common and the vast majority of them will heal without incident within a few weeks; however, it is still important to allow the physician to check for additional injuries to provide an accurate prognosis.
Surgery is Rare
Unless the fracture is compound or open, surgery is rarely needed for a finger fracture. If the fracture is open, then surgery may be necessary to reduce the fracture.
Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith. I’m an experienced Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer. If you’ve suffered an injury due to the carelessness of another, please give me a call for free, friendly advice. I can be reached in Sacramento at (916) 921-6400 or you can call me at (800) 404-5400.
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Image Source: used with permission from the GNU 1.2 Free Documentation License version, via Wikimedia Commons
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