Finger dislocation

Carola Felchner is a freelance writer in the medical department and a certified training and nutrition advisor. She worked for various specialist magazines and online portals before becoming a freelance journalist in 2015. Before starting her internship, she studied translation and interpreting in Kempten and Munich.

More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.

If someone dislocated their finger (dislocated), it was mostly a sports accident to blame. If, for example, volleyball or handball hits the outstretched fingers violently, the head of one phalanx can slip out of the socket of the following phalanx. The two joint surfaces then have no (dislocation) or only partial (subluxation) contact with one another. The middle finger joint is most commonly affected, and in most cases the middle finger. Find out here how to provide first aid for a finger dislocation and why a visit to the doctor is a must.

Brief overview

• What to do with a dislocated finger Keep fingers still, cool against swelling and pain, take affected person to a doctor
• When to the doctor In order to avoid permanent restriction of movement, chronic pain and deformation of the finger, one should always see a doctor with a finger dislocation.
• Dislocated fingers - Risks: Injuries to the tendons, ligaments and bone structures around the affected joint, restricted movement and even stiffening of the finger

Caution!

• Never place ice cubes or a cool pack directly on the skin for cooling, always with at least one layer of fabric in between. Otherwise there is a risk of local frostbite.
• Never try to adjust your finger yourself. This is a job for the doctor!

Dislocated finger: what to do?

If someone has dislocated their finger, even a layperson can usually tell at first glance: The affected finger is visibly crooked and shifted to the side at the level of a joint. It hurts badly, swells and can no longer be moved fully. As a first aider, you should react as follows in the event of such a dislocated finger:

• Calm down the victim.
• Put the dislocated finger as still as possible.To do this, you can ask the person affected to hold the injured hand with the healthy one. Alternatively, you can fix the arm with a triangular scarf. The injured hand rests in the "belly" of the wrapped cloth.
• Cooling helps against swelling and pain: Place ice or a cool pack on the dislocated finger.
• Take the affected person to the doctor!

Dislocated fingers: when to see a doctor?

When a finger is dislocated (finger dislocation), surrounding structures (such as ligaments, tendons, joint capsules, bones) are always damaged. Without expert treatment, the person affected can experience permanent problems and limitations (see below). Therefore: Anyone who dislocated their finger should always consult a doctor!

Dislocated fingers: risks

If a dislocated finger is not treated properly, there is a risk of permanent damage such as:

• Permanently restricted mobility of the finger up to complete stiffness of the joint
• permanent curvature (deformity) of the affected finger
• chronic pain
• permanent, painless swelling

If a dislocated finger is treated surgically, it can also happen that its mobility remains somewhat restricted afterwards.

A dislocated finger can also break the bone that supports the joint. Doctors then speak of a dislocation fracture or a dislocated fracture.

Dislocated fingers: medical examinations

First of all, the doctor will ask the person concerned or the first aider how the dislocated finger came about. Then he will examine the finger. He also checks how flexible and stable the finger is.

Then the injured hand is x-rayed. In this way, the doctor can determine whether the affected finger joint is completely or only partially dislocated and whether additional bones have been injured.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) are sometimes required for finger dislocations. It can also be used to detect soft tissue injuries, such as damage to ligaments and tendons.

Dislocated finger: treatment by the doctor

Anyone who dislocates their finger usually suffers from great pain. Before starting treatment, the doctor will therefore numb or freeze the finger. Then he can usually adjust it again manually by pulling on the finger (reduction).

Afterwards, the doctor often checks again with an X-ray whether the joint is back in the correct position. It also tests how mobile the straightened finger is and whether the tendons and ligaments are working normally.

Then the fixed finger is immobilized in a splint for one to three weeks. Afterwards, the person concerned should start with movement exercises under expert guidance (e.g. physiotherapist). This prevents the finger from becoming permanently stiff.

Operative treatment

In the case of a difficult finger dislocation (e.g. dislocation fracture), an operation is necessary. The same applies if manual adjustment fails (e.g. with torn tendons).

After the procedure, the affected person has to wear a splint for several weeks. Physiotherapy is then advisable: Certain mobility exercises help to make the finger fully mobile again.

Finger dislocation: prevention

In contrast to other joints, it is rare in finger joints that surrounding structures are damaged by the dislocation in such a way that the joint becomes unstable and pops out again and again. Nevertheless, preventive measures are useful. This also applies to people who have never dislocated their fingers, but who belong to the risk group. This mainly includes ball players (such as volleyball, handball, basketball): A tape bandage on the fingers, which is put on before the game, stabilizes the joints. Then it's not so easy to dislocate a finger when the ball hits it.

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