Una
08-03-2006, 09:30 AM
Hi all,
I fractured my middle finger playing football on Sunday. It was a classic high ball injury where the ball landed on my finger and the force was transmitted down through the it.
I'm a medical student and one of my tutors made me get it xrayed on Monday - thus diagnosing the fracture. However, the ortho team in the hospital were all in theatre and the intern was run off her feet so I couldn't ask many questions. I have tried to look this up online but to no avail.
Basically, the intern said that I had chipped the middle phalanx but not an exact location, probably lower end near the PIP joint - they did state that it wasn't too bad. I didn't manage to see the XRay myself yet. They just taped it above and below and put me in an elevation sling to protect it and to elevate it. The swelling has gone down slightly today but the bruising is still quite significant.
My problem is, I have a huge match in two and a half weeks - ie 3 weeks post injury (I missed the quarter final today which was extremely frustrating).
Is there any way I could strap my finger to support it, aside from taping my gloves?
How long should a fracture be strapped post injury - I've seen conflicting reports of 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks. Ideally I'd like to mobilise the joint as soon as possible? And should I look into getting a splint which I wasn't given?
Is there any action I could take to help it along - currently I'm elevating, icing, immobilising and taking some anti inflam medication?
I plan to do running training etc from next week but obviously have no intention of attempting to catch a ball for at least another two weeks - am I still being too optimistic with this approach?
Any advice would be very much appreciated.
Úna
I fractured my middle finger playing football on Sunday. It was a classic high ball injury where the ball landed on my finger and the force was transmitted down through the it.
I'm a medical student and one of my tutors made me get it xrayed on Monday - thus diagnosing the fracture. However, the ortho team in the hospital were all in theatre and the intern was run off her feet so I couldn't ask many questions. I have tried to look this up online but to no avail.
Basically, the intern said that I had chipped the middle phalanx but not an exact location, probably lower end near the PIP joint - they did state that it wasn't too bad. I didn't manage to see the XRay myself yet. They just taped it above and below and put me in an elevation sling to protect it and to elevate it. The swelling has gone down slightly today but the bruising is still quite significant.
My problem is, I have a huge match in two and a half weeks - ie 3 weeks post injury (I missed the quarter final today which was extremely frustrating).
Is there any way I could strap my finger to support it, aside from taping my gloves?
How long should a fracture be strapped post injury - I've seen conflicting reports of 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks. Ideally I'd like to mobilise the joint as soon as possible? And should I look into getting a splint which I wasn't given?
Is there any action I could take to help it along - currently I'm elevating, icing, immobilising and taking some anti inflam medication?
I plan to do running training etc from next week but obviously have no intention of attempting to catch a ball for at least another two weeks - am I still being too optimistic with this approach?
Any advice would be very much appreciated.
Úna