Finger sprain: causes and treatment features

A muscle strain in the arm is a common injury. The number of injury cases increases in the cold season, when ice forms on the roads. The most common cause of sprained arm muscles is an unsuccessful fall with emphasis on an outstretched upper limb. In this case, the ligaments of the shoulder, elbow and wrist may be damaged. Also, such an injury is typical for people who lead an active lifestyle and engage in strength sports. During team games there is also a risk of injury in the form of sprained ligaments and tendons of the arm muscles.

In this material we will tell you what a muscle strain in the arms is, what symptoms may occur, and how comprehensive treatment is carried out correctly, including using manual therapy methods.

The muscles of the upper shoulder girdle are divided into the following groups:

• anterior and posterior shoulder group (coracobrachialis muscle, coracoid process of the scapula, biceps brachii muscle, flexor of the forearm and humerus, brachialis muscle, triceps brachii muscle, ulnar muscle.);
• the upper belt, formed by muscles such as the deltoid, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, teres major, subscapularis;
• anterior muscles of the forearm (pronator teres, flexor carpi radialis, palmaris longus, flexor digitorum superficialis, flexor carpi ulnaris, brachioradialis, flexor digitorum profundus, pronator quadratus);
• posterior muscles of the forearm (extensor carpi radialis longus, extensor carpi radialis brevis, extensor digitorum, extensor carpi ulnaris, extensor carpi ulnaris,
• supinator of the forearm, abductor pollicis longus, extensor pollicis brevis, extensor pollicis longus, extensor of the index finger);
• carpal muscles (abductor pollicis brevis, flexor pollicis brevis, oppons pollicis brevis, adductor pollicis brevis, abductor pollicis brevis, oppons pollicis brevis, flexor pollicis brevis, palmaris brevis, lumbricals muscles, dorsal interosseous muscles of the hand).

Each of these muscles is covered in a dense sheath of connective tissue - fascia). At the points where the muscle attaches to the bone tissue, the fascia passes into tendon fibers. Ligaments duplicate the attachment points and fix the position of the bone heads in the articular plane.

When injured, sprains can occur in areas where excess fiber tension occurs. This could be fascia, the muscle fibers themselves, tendons or ligaments. Approximately 60% of such injuries are sprained ligaments. 20% of cases are tendon fiber damage. These cases are characterized by a longer recovery period and a high percentage of post-traumatic contractures (limited mobility). 10% of sprains occur due to damage to the fascia and muscle tissue itself.

Causes

Damage to the connective tissue, in particular spraining the ligaments of the thumb, often occurs in people with heavy physical labor and athletes. The most common cause is backward bending of the finger and adduction of lateral forces. Finger dislocation often occurs precisely when the peak of excessive stress is reached.

Basic factors contributing to stretching:

• Fall with emphasis on the hand (fingers).
• Exercises on the horizontal bar.
• Lifting heavy objects.
• A direct blow to a finger or hand.
• A sharp swing of the upper limb.

Stretching a certain group of ligaments in a finger is possible not only in athletes and children. If you perform the same movements frequently, a similar problem can also arise. Examples: working on a computer, knitting.

Corticosteroids can have a negative effect on the elasticity of muscle tissue if taken for a long time and in abnormally large quantities.

Symptoms characteristic of a muscle strain in the arm

When you strain your arm muscles, symptoms appear almost immediately, without delay. Hand injury differs in that the intensity of the pain syndrome is the same for both sprain and fracture of the bones of the upper limb. This is due to the rich innervation of the hands.

If a muscle strain hurts not only the arm, but also the cervical spine, this may mean partial displacement of the vertebral bodies during a fall. Typically, pain when stretching the muscles of the arm is localized in the place where the microscopic tissue rupture occurred.

Clinical symptoms of hand muscle strain include the following:

• the pain is sharp, burning, sometimes unbearable;
• any movement entails increased pain at the site of injury;
• soft tissue swelling rapidly increases;
• they become hyperemic, dense and hot to the touch;
• bruising occurs;
• the amplitude of mobility is gradually limited (a complete lack of mobility most often indicates a fracture of the hand);
• There may be a feeling of numbness in the arm below the site of injury (this is due to compression by edema and hematoma of the nerve fiber).

All sprain symptoms gradually disappear within 5-7 days.

Forms of sprains

Depending on what factor influenced the occurrence of damage, sprains are divided into two global categories: changes of a destructive nature and mechanical influence.

In the first case, the problem arises against the background of pathological changes in connective tissues (often age-related). The older a person is, the slower all metabolic processes occur, and the blood circulates less actively. Osteophytes accumulate in the bones, and tissues lose elasticity.

Mechanical damage occurs due to direct external impact on tissue or due to physical stress.

Types of hand injuries

There are several types of injuries. Depending on the severity, there are:

• Mild degree. The pain is minor, motor activity is not impaired. When stretching the first degree, the connecting fabric is minimally damaged.
• Average degree. A significant part of the fibers is torn. The pain is severe. Areas with hematomas and swelling are noted. Motor activity is significantly impaired.
• Severe degree. More than 80% of the connective tissue fibers were damaged. A total hematoma is formed, swelling is visually noticeable. The patient suffers from severe pain and needs immediate pain relief.

Often the third form, as the most severe, is accompanied not only by damage to soft but also hard tissues. Total tendon ruptures, dislocations or fractures of the fingers may occur.

What happens during stretching and why is it dangerous?

The first thing that happens when the arm muscles are stretched is the occurrence of excess pressure or tension in the area of ​​the fiber bundle. At this point, small breaks in individual fibers occur. Pain syndrome occurs and the person stops exercising.

In places where the fibers are torn, the integrity of small blood vessels is disrupted. Local capillary bleeding occurs. It is not significant and does not pose a threat to human life. But with the formation of even small hematomas, the inflammatory reaction mechanism is subsequently triggered. It is necessary in order to attract macrophage cells to this focus. They absorb broken blood cells and remove them from the source of injury.

This process is always accompanied by the release of a large amount of a special protein - fibrin. It is something of a natural adhesive. With its help, the body restores the integrity of a wide variety of tissues. Fibrin has an unpleasant feature - it forms scar tissue that does not have the structural and functional characteristics of the tissues that they replace.

Therefore, in the area of ​​stretching of the tendon or ligament fiber, which has simply fantastic properties of strength and elasticity, areas are formed that initially do not correspond to such characteristics. With any excess physical activity in the future, a repeated discrepancy will form at the site of the fibrin scars. To this will be added new tendon or ligament fibers. Thus, the area of ​​scar deformation will gradually increase.

For such a process, it is not necessary to experience the initial stretch clinic every time. With repeated injuries, the patient may experience mild pain that goes away within 3 to 5 days.

The consequences of this degenerative process will entail the need for surgical intervention. There will come a time when, during an injury, a complete rupture of the ligament or tendon of the arm muscle occurs.

After the first episode of arm muscle strain, it is necessary to go to a manual therapy clinic and undergo a full course of rehabilitation. This will eliminate the risk of tissue rupture in the future. In Moscow, you can sign up for a free initial consultation with a doctor at our manual therapy clinic. During the appointment, the doctor will conduct an examination and tell you about all the possibilities and prospects for using manual therapy techniques.

Symptoms

Basic symptoms indicating a sprained arm:

• Severe pain that gets worse when you try to make any movement with the injured arm or touch it.
• Swelling of the limb (totally or only in the damaged area).
• Redness, visually noticeable hematomas.

When a ligament is sprained, pain occurs immediately, intensifying during the first 24 hours from the moment of injury. If painful sensations occur several hours after the injury, we are talking about damage to the muscle tissue, up to complete rupture of the fibers. If at the time of injury the patient heard a specific crack, then most likely he received not a sprain, but a ruptured tendon or a fracture of a finger on his hand. Read more about fractures →

Treatment of a sprained thumb

Treatment of sprained ligaments of the thumb, tendons and other elements of the hand is complex and includes a number of necessary measures, from the provision of qualified first aid to conservative therapy, proper rehabilitation and, if necessary, surgical intervention.

Main activities include:

• First aid. Typically includes pain relief, immobilization, and transport of the victim to an emergency room;
• Drug treatment. It consists of professional medical immobilization, the use of anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs, as well as concomitant symptomatic treatment using a number of necessary medications;
• Ethnoscience. Modern doctors consider it as a potential addition to rehabilitation procedures at a late stage of recovery after mandatory consultation with the attending physician;
• Rehabilitation. Instrumental methods of physiotherapy, massage, as well as physical therapy exercises for the upper extremities are mainly used;
• Surgical intervention. It is prescribed for severe degrees of damage with crushing of bones, complete rupture of tendons, ligaments and other serious conditions that cannot heal on their own, or conservative therapy in their regard is ineffective.

First aid to the victim

The set of first aid measures for a sprained thumb includes the following:

• Maximum limitation of physical impact on the upper limb. After receiving an injury, any physical impact on the hand with the injured finger, both direct and indirect, should be completely avoided. The best option would be to immobilize the appropriate location if you have the skills and appropriate material;
• Relieving swelling and pain. Regular short-term application of cold to the site of sprains and micro-tears is allowed. The ice itself is wrapped in two layers of material to minimize the risk of hypothermia of the skin and soft tissues. The average time for one procedure is about 15 minutes, after which you need to take a break for at least half an hour.
  If necessary, the event is repeated regularly until admission to the emergency room.

  As an alternative, to relieve severe pain, you can use any available non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug or analgesic in tablet or local form;

• Delivery to hospital. In the vast majority of cases, with hand injuries, a person can independently visit a medical specialist, undergo diagnostics and receive the necessary treatment regimen.

Drug treatment

As part of conservative therapy, before directly carrying out any procedural schemes, a specialized specialist prescribes a comprehensive diagnosis, including instrumental research techniques such as radiography, ultrasound, and, if necessary, computed tomography and MRI.

Specific medications used in the treatment of a sprained thumb are prescribed exclusively by a specialized specialist. Based on them, the traumatologist can prescribe the most targeted and correct treatment.

In case of moderate and severe damage to the ligaments or tendons of the thumb, an immobilization procedure is performed by applying a classic cast or using specific bandages that restrict movement.

A thumb clamp is good for this purpose when stretching. In general, it is possible to use analgesics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, glucocorticosteroids, chondroprotectors, muscle relaxants, as well as ointments for sprained thumbs that improve peripheral blood flow and resolve hematomas.

At the same time, it is rational to combine methods of direct administration of drugs into the body. Thus, in cases of mild and moderate forms of the pathological process, drugs in tablet form and local agents are usually prescribed. In severe and acute conditions, injections or parenteral administration are considered a more effective method.

Traditional methods

Any traditional medicine recipes can be used after mandatory consultation with the attending physician and only exclusively within the framework of the rehabilitation period of the late stage of recovery. The predominant form of application for spraining the thumb is the application of compresses.

The most well-known methods for preparing a base solution:

• Clay. For treatment, blue or white clay is suitable, which is filled with warm water in sufficient quantities and applied to the location of the damage for about 2 hours, after which it is removed. The procedure is repeated on a regular basis daily for 1 week;
• Mint-garlic essence. It is necessary to take garlic, eucalyptus and mint in equal proportions, chop them thoroughly and mix, and then apply a compress to the problem area for an average of one hour. The event is repeated once a day for 2 weeks;
• An ancient remedy. One of the oldest means of treating sprained tendons or ligaments is the application of a compress made from a combination of egg yolk and honey. To prepare the base substance, take two fresh chicken yolks and two tablespoons of high-quality natural honey. The ingredients are thoroughly mixed and applied to the problem area in the evening before bed. In the morning the compress is removed. The activities should be repeated daily for one and a half weeks.

Which doctor should you contact if you have an injury?

In the vast majority of cases, the primary specialized specialist who carries out the initial diagnosis of a sprained thumb, refers to additional research methods, and prescribes the appropriate basic therapy is a traumatologist. In some cases, additional doctors are such specialized specialists as an orthopedist, rheumatologist, surgeon, or physiotherapist.

First aid

Only a doctor can distinguish a rupture from a sprain, since the symptoms are sometimes very similar to other injuries. Regardless of what type of injury, a person needs timely medical intervention.

The algorithm for providing first emergency aid is as follows:

1. Before the doctor can examine the arm and help the patient, it is necessary to limit any movement of the injured limb.
2. After immobilization (fixation of the limb in one static position), ice is applied to the affected area.
3. The damaged area is fixed with a bandage or elastic bandage. It is permissible to use a compression bandage made of elastic or neoprene.
4. It is advisable to give the limbs an elevated position, which will avoid swelling or minimize its manifestations.

Stretching fingers: first aid

Only a doctor can differentiate a sprain from a tear. You can determine it yourself by the following external signs:

• In case of rupture, the pain does not go away even without movement;
• loss of the ability to bend and straighten a finger;
• The outline of the joint is different from the normal outline of the joint;
• Feeling of numbness and tingling in the affected area
• When you try to bend and stretch your finger, you hear a crunching sound.

Many people don't know what to do if they have a twisted finger ligament, which causes panic. For this type of injury, the following manipulations should be performed:

1. First of all, you should call an ambulance. Specialists will be able to accurately determine the extent of damage and make a decision on plastering.
2. Before the doctor arrives, it is necessary to completely limit the movement of the damaged organ, placing it higher so that the blood can flow freely. This reduces the risk of bruising and swelling.
3. After immobilizing the injured limb, it is recommended to take a horizontal position and move as little as possible. Any physical impact on the affected organ should be avoided.
4. You should apply a cold object to the damaged area as soon as possible. The best way is with plain ice or a frozen piece of meat. To avoid frostbite of the skin, you need to wrap the product in a thin cloth. This procedure will help reduce swelling and reduce pain. It is recommended to apply ice to the injured area for no longer than 15 minutes.
5. After removing the cold compress, the ligaments must be secured in one position with an elastic bandage. Make sure the bandage is not too restrictive or restricts the flow of nutrients. However, do not wrap it too loosely as this may cause further damage.

Treatment

Treatment of sprains necessarily includes the use of pharmacological products to combat unpleasant symptoms and possible negative consequences of the injury. The following drugs will help eliminate pain and reduce the intensity of inflammatory processes: Diclofenac, Dicloberl, Ibuprfen. Local anesthetics (novocaine, lidocaine) can also be used.

To eliminate edema, L-lysine escinate is prescribed. In order for the symptoms to disappear faster and the regenerative processes to accelerate, chondroprotectors are prescribed. Such medicinal products are mandatory for patients over 40 years of age. They help slow down the age-related processes of tissue destruction.

Physiotherapy

Treatment of a sprain involves prescribing a number of physiotherapeutic procedures. They will help cope with symptoms, speed up the tissue healing process and quickly restore motor functions.

Most often, the patient is prescribed the following procedures:

• Electrophoresis.
• Magnetotherapeutic effect.
• Wave therapy.
• Balneotherapy.

Gymnastics is also indicated, which is carried out only after all unpleasant manifestations of the injury have disappeared. The goal is to develop a mobile joint and restore motor function.

Massage

Light massage is allowed from the 3rd day from the moment of injury. Provided that large vessels and nerves were not affected, and also if there is no hyperemia in the lesion.

Massage sessions should be daily. For the first three days, a sucking massage is practiced. Attention is paid only to areas located above the damage. The main movements are stroking, rubbing, longitudinal warm-up, vibration (light).

After 2-3 sessions, you can begin massaging the damaged area. Now the movements should be more intense. The duration of each session is about 10 minutes. Course duration – 2 weeks. The last 4-5 sessions affect the entire hand: from the little finger to the wrist.

Traditional methods of treatment

You can resort to traditional methods of treatment only with the permission of your doctor. Most popular recipes:

• Raw potatoes are grated on a fine grater, a little onion juice and sugar are added. The resulting pulp is used to create compresses.
• Blue clay is diluted to a thick cream and applied in a thick layer to the damaged areas. Wrap it in a towel and leave it like that for several hours.

Additionally, it is recommended to drink tea based on elderberry flowers, willow bark, and birch leaves. Decoctions of nettle, parsley leaves, currants and lingonberries help speed up the healing process.

Possible complications

For mild sprains, the healing process lasts no longer than 3 weeks. Complex injuries require a long rehabilitation process. If the injury becomes chronic, there is a risk that mobility limitations will remain permanent. This is a direct path to disability.

Almost every person has experienced sprains and dislocations in their life. However, you should not perceive the injury as a minor injury. To avoid complications, you need to take care of your health and seek help in a timely manner.

Author: Victoria Shvidchenko, doctor, especially for Ortopediya.pro