Coping with a Knuckle Injury
Knuckle injury can either be the result of an accident or what is described as trauma, or a more long-term wear and tear problem. Knuckle injuries can be very painful and can significantly impact finger movement and cause difficulty with hand usage. There are ways to deal with a knuckle injury and a quick introduction to the anatomy of the hand will help in assessing the extent of the problem.
The hand consists of the palm, wrist and fingers and the place where the fingers connect with the palm and where the finger joints intersect are both called knuckles. The joints linking the fingers and the palm determine the motion and flexibility of the finger and define our ability to hold objects, write and pretty much most of our everyday activities. These are so common such that we do not think in terms of ligaments and tendons when we are playing basketball or riding a bike and yet a knuckle injury can pretty much put a stop to any or all of these pursuits.
When we speak of a knuckle injury it can happen in one of three areas:
The largest knuckle in the human body is the junction where the fingers fold, the one between the palmar bones and the fingers. This is the place where the metacarpals and phalanges meet and this knuckle is vulnerable to injuries from closed fist activities such as a fight. A fracture of this knuckle is called a boxer's fracture.
The next area that can be classified as a knuckle is the point where the fingers bones meet the palm and this is referred to in medical terms as the proximal inter-phalangeal joint (PIP). Sports injuries such as a ball hitting the joint or having a bike crash tend to impact this joint and can lead to dislocation.
The distal inter-phalangeal joint (DIP) refers to the joint at the tip of all fingers which allows the absolute flexibility of the finger. This joint is vulnerable to things being slammed on it or to the hand being rammed into objects. Patients tend to be diagnosed as having a fracture or a tendon injury when this joint gets affected.
Your course of treatment for a knuckle injury will depend on where you are hurt and the extent of the trauma. Minor soft tissue damage which may lead to some generalized pain is likely to pass and heal itself if you let your affected hand rest adequately – this should not last longer than a week so if the pain persists follow it up with a doctor.
More severe ligament or tendon tear of a bone break will need some more care and attention. You are likely to see swelling and feel acute pain in these cases. A doctor will recommend a splint or a cast in cases of fracture to ensure that the bone stays stiff. While this may seem like a nuisance in the short-term, it is important to do it right or the bone may not set right as it heals and that can lead to long-term pain and instability in the knuckles.
Pain killers can be used for both minor and major knuckle injuries. If there is no fracture, the doctor may recommend your using cold and hot packs to soothe the trauma. A cold pack can be used to reduce the swelling – it is best not to put ice directly on the skin but to wrap it in a towel and then place it on the body. The ice treatment can be used for 10-15 minutes. Then when the skin slowly returns to normal temperature you can put a hot pack on it to speed the blood circulation. This is believed to help the fluids get moving and so it prevents that bruised and swollen look.
Knuckle injury can be painful and debilitating and it is best to get prompt medical advice to cope with the problem.