We’ve all had those moments on the basketball field when we get a little carried away dribbling. Before you know it, the ball slips out of your hands and hits the tip of your finger. At first, you feel a sharp pain that’s difficult to ignore.
This may lead you to think that the digit is broken. However, more often than not, it’s just a jammed finger. While the pain may be unbearable for a few minutes, it’s a common injury among athletes, and treatment is simple.
So, if you’d like to learn more about the signs of a jammed finger and how to deal with the sprain, you’re in the right place. In this article, I’ll walk you through the physical symptoms and what you can do about them.
Basketball Jammed Finger Overview
If you’ve spent any time on the basketball court, chances are you’ve experienced a jammed digit or two. It’s a common sports injury that occurs when the ball hits the tip of a finger head-on while the digit is fully extended.
When that happens, the finger will compress, causing the ligaments supporting the joints to stretch beyond their natural limit. We call this a sprain.
This results in a sharp pain that can send a shiver all through your body that’ll make focusing on the game next to impossible. That’s especially true for basketball-jammed thumbs since they can make it challenging for you to open and close your palms.
However, that’s only the first sign of the injury. A basketball-sprained finger can cause a few other physical symptoms.
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Symptoms of a Sprained Finger From Basketball
Aside from shooting pain, jammed fingers come with a whole host of symptoms. Here’s a quick look at some of the general signs:
1. Swelling
The first symptom you’ll notice after jamming a finger is severe swelling. In some cases, your digit can balloon to about twice its size. That may seem alarming, but there’s no cause for concern.
This is your body’s way of ensuring your finger has enough blood circulation to heal the injury in a flash.
2. Bruising and Tenderness
As soon as the swelling begins to go down, the skin on your finger will discolor. You’ll see bruises around the joints that appear as black, purple, or reddish patches.
On top of that, your digit may be tender to the touch for a while. This is normal for the healing process and should go away in a few days.
3. Stiffness and Instability
Your fingers rely on joints and ligaments to bend and extend. So, it’s no surprise that a jammed finger will lead to stiffness. You may find that moving your digits is slightly painful and challenging.
On top of that, if you’re dealing with a jammed thumb from basketball, you can experience instability in your hands. Your muscles won’t be able to function normally, which means it’ll be difficult for you to carry objects without tipping them over.
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Treating a Jammed Finger From Basketball
Even though jamming your finger can be excruciating, it’s only a minor injury. The swelling and bruising should go away on their own in a few days. Yet, if you’d rather skip the wait period, there are several tips and tricks you can rely on.
For one, ice packs are your best friend. Make sure to use a cold compress on your hands to reduce the swelling. Besides that, you must rest your digits for at least a few hours. So, rejoining a basketball game after jamming your finger is out of the question.
On another note, if the pain is too much for you to handle, you can use pain relief medication. You can take a trip to your local doctor, but over-the-counter prescriptions should do the trick.
Finally, to restore full mobility to your digits, you need to follow some form of rehab routine. This may include stretching or exercising your finger muscles by squeezing a stress ball. However, you should only do this once the swelling and bruising disappear.
Jammed Finger vs. Broken Finger
You should know that jamming and breaking a finger are two different injuries with distinct signs. In the event of a break, you’ll notice your digit is out of alignment.
However, you shouldn’t try to pop the finger back in place. If you suspect a broken digit, call a doctor straight away and schedule an X-ray.
Wrapping Up
There are quite a few signs of a jammed finger. For starters, the digit may swell, followed by bruising and stiffness. Yet, the sprain is a minor injury and these symptoms should disappear in a few days.
All you have to do is ice the affected finger, rest it, and then follow a rehab routine to ensure you don’t hurt yourself again. Lastly, if you think you broke your finger, contact a doctor as soon as possible.
