Strange Injury

I was taking a bath this weekend, reached down to pick up a bar of soap and felt a sharp pain in my finger.
Somehow, I managed to break, jam or dislocate the first joint, index finger of my right hand. It doesn't really hurt unless I use it, but how do you not use your index finger on your dominant hand. Have resorted to splinting it which seems to help.

Why don't you go to the doctors? lol

- Simon

Buzzard2010 said:

Why don't you go to the doctors? lol

- Simon

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1) I have broken enough bones in sports (handball, martial arts, gymnastics etc) that I am pretty certain of the injury
2) With injuries like this the treatment is generally
a) limit use
b) if neccessary immobilize by taping to another finger or splinting
3) If it doesn't seem to get better I will go to a doctor

My main concern/interest is the odd way this happened

Bizarre way to injure a finger! Splinting is the only way, as you know, but what a hindrance, and stop pointing, it's rude

Kevriano said:

Bizarre way to injure a finger! Splinting is the only way, as you know, but what a hindrance, and stop pointing, it's rude

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For sure!

I tried to go splintless the first day back at work, then forgot and grabbed my coffee mug as usual and almost went through the ceiling when the handle weight ended up resting right on the joint.
I managed not to spill any, but left at lunch to get a splint.

Razormac said:

I was taking a bath this weekend, reached down to pick up a bar of soap and felt a sharp pain in my finger.
Somehow, I managed to break, jam or dislocate the first joint, index finger of my right hand. It doesn't really hurt unless I use it, but how do you not use your index finger on your dominant hand. Have resorted to splinting it which seems to help.

Click to expand...

This sounds like a very similar injury to "jamming your finger"...like if you were catching a football, basketball, etc. I'm thinking you injured it pretty good by "jamming it"...I would think that breaking or fracturing it would be uncommon.

But...since it was this weekend...and now about 72hrs+ later it still hurts pretty good...maybe it's time for an x-ray.

In my experience with sports related injuries...usually the doctor just confirms what you already know. If you have a broken finger...all they're going to do is splint it...just like you did (not much else they can do with a broken finger). Unless there is some sort of alignment issue.

But again...a broken finger is the worst case scenario...and more than likely you just jammed it or bruised it real good.

About the only thing a doctor might do that's useful...is prescribe some pain medication...assuming the doctor wouldn't just recommend taking some over-the-counter meds.

Hopefully it will get better after a few more days. It's just 1 finger...that's why you have 10!

- Nick

Ouch. Be glad it wasn't your middle finger. You might get some dirty looks. Might even get into a few fights.

Razormac said:

Somehow, I managed to break, jam or dislocate the first joint, index finger of my right hand.

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That reminds me of an old joke. (I hope that sharing it with you doesn't sound insensitive. I do commiserate about your injury.)

A gorgeous young redhead goes to the doctor's office and
says that her body hurts wherever she touches it.

'Impossible!' says the doctor. 'Show me.'

The redhead took her finger, pushed on her left shoulder and screamed, then she pushed her elbow and screamed even more. She pushed her knee and screamed; likewise she pushed her ankle and screamed. Everywhere she touched made her scream.

The doctor said, 'You're not really a redhead, are you?

'Well, no' she said, 'I'm actually a blonde.'

'I thought so,' the doctor said. 'Your finger is broken.'

___________________________________________

Randy B. Singer
Co-author of The Macintosh Bible (4th, 5th, and 6th editions)

Macintosh OS X Routine Maintenance
OS X Maintenance And Troubleshooting
___________________________________________

Ouch .... that is painful !
Experienced something similar after I caught a football in the wrong way.

Can you still do the 2 and 3 finger swipe ?

Cheers ... McBie

Randy B. Singer said:

That reminds me of an old joke. (I hope that sharing it with you doesn't sound insensitive. I do commiserate about your injury.)

A gorgeous young redhead goes to the doctor's office and
says that her body hurts wherever she touches it.

'Impossible!' says the doctor. 'Show me.'

The redhead took her finger, pushed on her left shoulder and screamed, then she pushed her elbow and screamed even more. She pushed her knee and screamed; likewise she pushed her ankle and screamed. Everywhere she touched made her scream.

The doctor said, 'You're not really a redhead, are you?

'Well, no' she said, 'I'm actually a blonde.'

'I thought so,' the doctor said. 'Your finger is broken.'

___________________________________________

Randy B. Singer
Co-author of The Macintosh Bible (4th, 5th, and 6th editions)

Macintosh OS X Routine Maintenance
OS X Maintenance And Troubleshooting
___________________________________________

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BaDum *Tish*

Thanks everyone for the replies . . . I did especially like the blonde joke.

It could be jammed, but I'm generally not one to leave an injury alone so I did as much manipulation (bending, pulling etc as I could to see) the pain appears to be centered in a small area just behind and above the first joint. Feels just like (actually) when I knocked a chip off my ring finger so that is why I lean more to the break. Regardless, it would take an x-ray to find out. So, as long as it doesn't get worse and begins to improve I will just let time take care of it.

Honestly, the middle finger would have been better. I would rather risk the fights for the added useability of my right hand.