by EBSCO Medical Review Board

Definition

A finger sprain is stretching or tearing of the ligaments of the finger. Ligaments are strong bands of tissue that hold bones to each other.

Finger Sprain
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Causes

A finger sprain is when a force pushes the bones of the finger apart. If the force is strong enough, the ligament comes apart. This can happen from things like:

  • A blow to the finger
  • An impact with an object or another person
  • Falling on the hand

Risk Factors

Things that may raise the risk of this problem are:

  • Playing sports, such as basketball or volleyball
  • Poor coordination or balance
  • Muscle weakness
  • Loose joints

Symptoms

Problems may be:

  • Pain and tenderness
  • Swelling, warmth, or bruising around the finger
  • Problems moving the finger

Diagnosis

The doctor will ask about your symptoms and health history. You will also be asked how you injured your finger. A physical exam will be done. It will focus on your finger.

It can be hard to tell a sprain from a fracture or dislocation. Pictures may be taken. This can be done with:

Treatment

Treatment will depend on the joint and how severe the injury is. The goal of treatment is to ease pain and improve movement. Choices are:

  • Supportive care, such as rest, ice, a compression bandage, and raising the finger to ease pain and swelling
  • Medicine, such as over the counter pain relievers
  • Taping and splinting the finger to keep it in place as it heals

Surgery may be needed to repair a finger sprain if:

  • A small piece of bone has been broken off
  • A ligament is very torn

Prevention

Most sprains are due to accidents. They cannot always be prevented. The risk may be lowered by:

  • Using the right safety gear and techniques when playing sports
  • Stretching and strengthening the ligaments that support the finger

RESOURCES

American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine  http://www.sportsmed.org 

OrthoInfo—American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons  http://orthoinfo.aaos.org 

CANADIAN RESOURCES

Canadian Orthopaedic Association  http://www.coa-aco.org 

Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation  http://www.canorth.org 

References

Derry S, Moore RA, Gaskell H, McIntyre M, Wiffen PJ. Topical NSAIDs for acute musculoskeletal pain in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev.2015;(6):CD007402.

Sprains, strains and other soft-tissue injuries. Ortho Info—American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website. Available at: http://www.orthoinfo.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00111. Accessed October 14, 2020.

Topical NSAIDs. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:  https://www.dynamed.com/drug-review/topical-nsaids . Accessed October 12, 2020.

Revision Information