Don’t get your fingers in a jam this softball season!
7 CommentsToday’s blog post is written by guest blogger, Judy Micek, OT at Athletico Bolingbrook.
Calling all couch potatoes…Spring is here and with it warm weather sports. With sportsmanship and exercise as great benefits of team sports, many Chicagoans are anxiously awaiting the return of softball season. However, catching that 16” softball can lead to some painful finger injuries or wrist injuries from sliding into base, that shouldn’t be ignored…and they may need more than just ice and rest!
Some frequent injuries can include:
- Wrist fracture – landing on an outstretched hand or “jamming” the wrist when sliding into base can lead to a soft tissue strain or a wrist bone fracture. Pain and persistent swelling are typical signs to watch for.
Mallet finger – when the ball hits the tip of your finger, forcing a quick bending of the tip.This causes the tendon at the end of your finger to pull off the bone. You may notice that you are unable to straighten out the tip of the injured finger.- Jammed finger – impact injury to a finger can cause pain and swelling at the joint, often the middle joint or the knuckle joint. In spite of pain and swelling you should be able to move your finger. Even if you continue to have motion, the injury may be more severe. Finger fractures and complicated dislocations are the most commonly missed injuries in sports and can lead to complications and permanent loss of motion if not treated early. Don’t hesitate to seek medical advice… it’s always better to be safe than sorry!
- Collateral ligament strain of the thumb – falling or catching a softball on the outstretched thumb can tear the ligament at the base of your thumb. Swelling and pain in the surrounding area result. These ligaments need to be protected while they are allowed to heal. If damage is severe, they may need surgical repair.
- Bone fracture – excessive direct pressure to a finger or hand bone can result in bone fracture. Short-term immobilization may be best, but you want it to be done by a professional to ensure the proper positioning to minimize long term problems.
If you sustain an injury to your fingers or wrist, consult a hand specialist to get the proper treatment and the best recovery for that problem. Sometimes waiting to see if it gets better on its own is not a good thing.
If you are unsure of what to do, a free complimentary injury screening appointment is available at your local Athletico clinic. Click here to view Athletico OT locations.
Athletico – Better for Every Body…..including hands!
7 Comments
Musa Issa
Hi there,
Thanks for this enlightening post. I just wanted to know your opinion on alternative physical therapy practices such as yoga to heal hand and finger injuries. Would you recommend that someone try yoga in conjunction with seeing a physical therapist in the hopes of healing an injury, or would this be counter-intuitive?
Thanks,
Musa
Musa M
Hi there,
Thanks for this enlightening post. I just wanted to know your opinion on alternative physical therapy practices such as yoga to heal hand and finger injuries. Would you recommend that someone try yoga in conjunction with seeing a physical therapist in the hopes of healing an injury, or would this be counter-intuitive?
Thanks,
Musa
Judy
Musa,
Thanks for your interest in hand injuries. I think yoga is a great medium for health and healing. I do think the hand /upper extremity weight bearing components of yoga may be stressful to a hand or finger injury depending on the stage of healing the injury is at. If the condition is ready for stretching and weight bearing, yoga could be a useful technique. Know the stage of healing the injury has reached before getting too aggressive. Good luck.
Judy, MOT/L, CHT
Hallie roberts
Hi im a young athlete but today i was running to catch the softball and when i went to cover the ball … I overed it to early and so the softball hit my pinky and the finger next to it . now it has a tiny blood bubble under neath the nail in the right bottom corner. And it hurts bad . Thanks for the information but I would like to know what I might have done to it ….
liz
Hi, do you know any drills a player can do to improve their swing and hitting while recuperating from mallet finger besides airs wings?
Kylie
I was playing softball yesterday and catching grounders the softball hit my thumb hard and now the middle,knickle is swollen. What may the “diagnoses” be.
Athletico
Hi Kylie – Thanks for reaching out. Please call our Injury Hotline at 1-877-ATHLETICO (877-284-5384) to discuss your questions with one of our experts.