How to Deal With Jammed a Finger

Jammed finger is an injury of a finger joint due to excessive pressure on the joint. This joint is often referred to as the proximal interphalangeal joint. Jammed finger is fairly common in ball-handling sports such as basketball and volleyball. If left untreated, jammed finger may lead to permanent damage.

Instructions

• 1

  Recall how the injury occurred to identify correctly the type of injury. The symptoms of a jammed finger includes severe pain at the joint, visible deformity, tenderness and swelling at the injury site. X-rays may be needed to check for fractures or dislocations.

• 2

  Try to reset a dislocated finger by pulling it. However, it is recommended that you immobilize the injured finger and get help from a trained professional to manipulate the dislocation to avoid future complications.

• 3

  Rest the finger at least 1 to 2 weeks. If necessary, tape the injured finger to a neighboring figure for added support.

• 4

  Take pain medication to relieve pain. Apply sports creams that contain analgesics to reduce swelling and to relieve pain.

• 5

  Be patient. Most injuries of this type will heal in a short time. If the joint is fractured or the ligaments are also damaged, surgery may be needed, and the healing process may take up to 6 months or more.Possible long-term complications include chronic boutonniere deformity, instability, weakness and stiffness.