I hurt my finger

[Darknight]

Basically i hurt the third finger or my right hand and i heard a crack noise when it happened. I have taped it to the fourth finger for the last two weeks and went to my class yesterday. During the class i was finding it very hard to grip with that hand and during sparring i was effectively fighting one handed. I explained it to the coach but he said just tape it ( i had taken the tape off for the class). Not sure what tape to use or for how long or even how to tape the finger and then how do i grip people with a taped finger ?

The finger can bend , it is not pain free but isnt very painful. I can grip but it feels very stiff and a bit sore. There is a bump in that finger which i can see but other people shrug off as being barely noticeable. I tried to go to the doctor but the doctor's receptionist said i should just go to the hospital A&E for an x ray but that even if a bone is broken there is probably very little that can be done for a broken finger bone. I'm wondering what i should do as i would like a scan to see what is wrong as i dont want to make it worst but then perhaps i should go back to the wrestling and judo classes as it sounds like nothing can be done and noone seems to care. Yes i have seen the youtube videos of competitors with knees and fingers etc all taped up. I've found a clinic online that can do an MRI scan if i pay them a lot of money which would result in me going into debt this month but perhaps it would calm my mind. I dont want an x ray as i dont want to increase my risk of cancer

i) what do you think is wrong
ii) what should i do
iii) Will i ever be able to grip and grab to the same extent during wrestling and judo again pain free

This situation is seriously doing my head in but noone seems to careand i cant stop thinking about it

 

[Tez3]

but the doctor's receptionist said i should just go to the hospital A&E for an x ray

The doctor's receptionist should not be stopping you seeing the doctor nor should s/he give you any medical advice. If you want to see the doctor insist that you do, then take their advice rather than ours because we can't see the issue and most aren't medics. Having said that don't worry unduly, just go to your doctor and make an appointment.

Going to A&E at this time of year ( unless you are Antipodean) mean you will be waiting a long time to be seen so your doctor first then if they advise they can set you up for an xray ( it won't actually up your chances of getting cancer, more things to worry about that that) and suitable taping or that weird metal thing they can put on.

It's fixable whatever even if it's on it will mend but get your mind put at rest, you will be able to train again no problems.

and Welcome to MT!

 

[Gweilo]

For me it sounds like a hyperextended tendon, this usually improves after a week, if you are in the UK, I would go to A&E, as getting a Dr's appointment is difficult, and they would send you to A&E anyway, if you have broken a finger, they will probably tape it up and send you home, tell you to take a pain killer, unless it needs to be reset in place.My experience is for the UK, but its probably not that nowone cares, its just, they know theres not a lot they will do about a broken finger here, so may as well tape it up.

 

[Tez3]

For me it sounds like a hyperextended tendon, this usually improves after a week, if you are in the UK, I would go to A&E, as getting a Dr's appointment is difficult, and they would send you to A&E anyway, if you have broken a finger, they will probably tape it up and send you home, tell you to take a pain killer, unless it needs to be reset in place.My experience is for the UK, but its probably not that nowone cares, its just, they know theres not a lot they will do about a broken finger here, so may as well tape it up.

I have to say if you are in the UK please don't go to A&E, you will spend many hours waiting as I said at this time of year especially as now hospitals are gearing up for the Coronavirus in addition to the usual flu. A sore finger is not classed as an emergency and you will be shunted further and further down the waiting list as real emergencies come in. Phone 111 to find out if there's a minor injuries/walk in unit or see your doctor or practice nurse. Your local pharmacy would be good too.
When to go to A&E

 

[Gweilo]

I have to say if you are in the UK please don't go to A&E, you will spend many hours waiting as I said at this time of year especially as now hospitals are gearing up for the Coronavirus in addition to the usual flu. A sore finger is not classed as an emergency and you will be shunted further and further down the waiting list as real emergencies come in. Phone 111 to find out if there's a minor injuries/walk in unit or see your doctor or practice nurse. Your local pharmacy would be good too.
When to go to A&E

Fair point, I guess I am lucky enough not to need the nhs services very often, infact the receptionist at my drs struck me off the register, because I hadnt been there for 9 years, so forgot all about 111 and walk in units, I only been to the dr once in 15 years, and that was for plantar fascitis, which has now sorted.

 

[drop bear]

If you heard it it is probably broken somewhere. And you will need to splint it or cast it or something.

 

[Darknight]

Thanks for the replies, yes i am in the UK .

Perhaps i misrepresented the receptionist. What she actually said was that if i wanted it seen to soon its best to go to A&E. Alternatively i could go to the surgery the next day before 8 am,and i would be seen before midday if im one of the first 15 in the queue. I couldnt do this due to work commitments. Alternatively there was an appointment with the doctor in 2 weeks, its been so long since i have been there that i dont know the doctors name so im surprised i had to wait this long but she also added that its likely i would be referred to get a x ray in the hospital by the doctor after the appointment. So she technically didn't prevent me seeing the GP though i must add that it took two attempts to get them to pick up the phone at the so called dedicated appointment booking line. I realise its not a life or death thing and some people would just say stop doing wrestling and martial arts

I didnt like the idea of going to A&E as i have been there before and it isnt the most pleasant place to spend a few hours waiting in. The nearest minor injuries unit is in the same hospital as the A&E
I went to the pharmacy and they just said keep it straight, rest it and take ibuprofen and seek medical attention if its feels worse after 2 weeks. Its not constantly sore its just if it is in some angles its sore.

I have just come back from the gym now and its difficult to grip dumbells, weights and rowing machine handles. I don't know whether i should push myself to grip them through the pain and stiffness or whether i shouldn't as i dont know if the injury would be made worse or not . I dont really want to take time off training like this and im not sure how long i should take time off training for anyway . Im also aware that if something is broken it may need a screw depending on the angle of the break as not all breaks heal by themselves but then i dont know if screws can be put into a broken finger bone .

I'm leaning more and more towards paying for the MRI just so i know what if anything is wrong as i really dont want an x ray.

When it comes to taping i have been using masking tape, can anyone recommend anything better or even a link as to how you are supposed to tape yourself correctly ?

 

[Tez3]

I went to the pharmacy and they just said keep it straight, rest it and take ibuprofen and seek medical attention if its feels worse after 2 weeks. Its not constantly sore its just if it is in some angles its sore.

So, they said rest it and you went to the gym?

I have just come back from the gym now and its difficult to grip dumbells, weights and rowing machine handles.

Rest it as you were told, take the 'brofen and be patient.

I don't know whether i should push myself to grip them through the pain and stiffness or whether i shouldn't as i dont know if the injury would be made worse or not .

It will be made worse.

I dont really want to take time off training like this and im not sure how long i should take time off training for anyway .

You rest it until it stops hurting. You don't have to stop training, just do things that don't involve that finger.

Im also aware that if something is broken it may need a screw depending on the angle of the break as not all breaks heal by themselves but then i dont know if screws can be put into a broken finger bone .

It's just broken it will mend with or with any help, without may make it a bit bent but workable.

I'm leaning more and more towards paying for the MRI just so i know what if anything is wrong as i really dont want an x ray.

No one has an MRI for a broken finger. X rays are fine.

When it comes to taping i have been using masking tape, can anyone recommend anything better or even a link as to how you are supposed to tape yourself correctly ?

Surgical tape or even just a couple of plasters. Anything that keeps your finger straight, tape it to another finger or just wrap it round, not tightly, it's just to keep it straight, it's going to mend anyway.
PhysioRoom Finger Tape 2cm x 4.5m - Tapes - Taping & Strapping - from PhysioRoom.com

I've broken all my toes more than once and a few of my fingers, they are all fine.

 

[Darknight]

Thanks it isnt hurting now but when i make a fist to grab or grip then it hurts a bit then the pain goes and comes back. Its very hard to train without using the finger as i need it to grab or grip people . I cant do this without bending that finger.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Go get an X-Ray. If it's strained/sprained, it can be splinted. If it's broken, it will need splinted, but may require surgical repair. There's no way to tell over the internet.

 

[isshinryuronin]

I think I read in an ancient Chinese traditional medicine scroll that you can chop up some ginger and seal penis and soak it in rice wine, then apply it to the affected area. Oh, yeah, and stick some needles in random parts of your body.

If you can't find any seal penis, just take two aspirin, chicken soup, and tape up the finger.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and have absolutely no qualifications to give medical, or any other type of advice (according to my wife.)

 

[Gweilo]

I think I read in an ancient Chinese traditional medicine scroll that you can chop up some ginger and seal penis and soak it in rice wine, then apply it to the affected area. Oh, yeah, and stick some needles in random parts of your body.

If you can't find any seal penis, just take two aspirin, chicken soup, and tape up the finger.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and have absolutely no qualifications to give medical, or any other type of advice (according to my wife.)

Pickled seal cock, does it every time.

 

[Tez3]

Go get an X-Ray. If it's strained/sprained, it can be splinted. If it's broken, it will need splinted, but may require surgical repair. There's no way to tell over the internet.

He needs to go to minor injuries or his GP, not A&E but he won't, it seems, have an x ray because 'cancer'. ( here, his GP can send him for an x ray without having to wait as can minor injuries which he says they have near him, both free instead of paying from £300 to £800 for a private MRI, the top price being what boxers/MMA fighters have to pay)
What he needs is to stop training where it means using that hand, whether he gets treatment or not, nothing will help unless he stops using it. Training through the pain does nothing.

 

[drop bear]

Thanks it isnt hurting now but when i make a fist to grab or grip then it hurts a bit then the pain goes and comes back. Its very hard to train without using the finger as i need it to grab or grip people . I cant do this without bending that finger.

Wear a boxing glove.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

The doctor's receptionist should not be stopping you seeing the doctor nor should s/he give you any medical advice. If you want to see the doctor insist that you do, then take their advice rather than ours because we can't see the issue and most aren't medics. Having said that don't worry unduly, just go to your doctor and make an appointment.

Going to A&E at this time of year ( unless you are Antipodean) mean you will be waiting a long time to be seen so your doctor first then if they advise they can set you up for an xray ( it won't actually up your chances of getting cancer, more things to worry about that that) and suitable taping or that weird metal thing they can put on.

It's fixable whatever even if it's on it will mend but get your mind put at rest, you will be able to train again no problems.

and Welcome to MT!

I'm assuming A&E is the British term for emergency medicine? If so, then from my experience at the hospital that I work at: if you go around noon or midnight you won't have a huge wait. And either way, it's important to get an xray done to make sure nothing else is going on.

Most likely what you'll need to do is splint your fingers until they're mostly healed, but that's not something I can say..you need to check with a medical professional who actually looks at your fingers.

Also, receptionists at doctors office feel as if they can give medical advice because they see the same symptoms a bunch, and hear the doctors recommendation after an exam. But they don't know why that recommendation is appropriate, or what would prevent it from being appropriate.So you shouldn't trust the receptionists with no medical training on your medical issues.

 

[Tez3]

I'm assuming A&E is the British term for emergency medicine? If so, then from my experience at the hospital that I work at: if you go around noon or midnight you won't have a huge wait.

It's the accident and emergency department, a broken finger isn't an emergency as defined by the NHS. Go with a sore finger that hasn't a bone sticking out or bleeding profusely you will be triaged then seen eventually but be constantly pushed to the back of the queue even if you go in what you'd think is quiet times. The A&E simply don't want you there, there's television ads, newspaper ads telling you what and emergency is and a sore finger is not one of them. Think! Why A&E? - Think! Why A&E?

The OP has said there's a minor injuries unit which is where he should go, or he can go to his doctor who will arrange an x ray appointment if he were going to take it up but he's already said he doesn't want an x ray.

It's well known that A&E waiting times are long, it's not so much a failing of the hospitals or the NHS but that because our treatment is free at point of use, people aren't concerned about having to be able to afford to go so they go when they need to however a lot still go instead of going to the doctor ( it's not that hard to get an emergency appointment from your doctor, they leave slots open for that, you can also make appointments online). Our wet and cold winters brings many in with asthma, chest infections and flu ( still kills 6 x more people than the Coronavirus) especially among the old, young and those with weak immune systems. At this time of the year you will find many old and inform coming in from nursing homes etc, falls are also more common in winter, deadly often to the old.

 

[Tez3]

Of course if the OP wants to spend a bit of money and is close enough he could give these a call, training injuries are well known here the osteopath has inflicted a few as well as knowing how to fix them.
Highly recommended. https://www.oltonosteopathy.com/what-we-do

 

[advfhorn]

i) what do you think is wrong
ii) what should i do
iii) Will i ever be able to grip and grab to the same extent during wrestling and judo again pain free

This situation is seriously doing my head in but noone seems to careand i cant stop thinking about it
[/QUOTE]

I injured my finger over a year ago sparring, blocking a kick. I could also bend it, it STILL hurts a year later. I think I jammed it, and prob need a shot of cortisone, heat and stretching.

Lesson learned, I will never block a kick with my hand again, ever! "failure is the greatest teacher". Yeah you would not get a whole lot of sympathy at our dojo either, sorry

 

[Tez3]

Lesson learned, I will never block a kick with my hand again, ever!

Oh yes, I think we have all done this...once!

Most of people I know me included aren't particularly sympathetic people much preferring to give practical help rather than just saying 'there, there' but then most of us don't want sympathy either.

 

[Gweilo]

Oh yes, I think we have all done this...once!

Most of people I know me included aren't particularly sympathetic people much preferring to give practical help rather than just saying 'there, there' but then most of us don't want sympathy either.

What no diddums?