Finger Fracture

Finger Fracture

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Although the bones in the fingers are small, a finger fracture is not a minor injury. Fingers are capable of very fine, coordinated motions and disruption of this motion can make it difficult to do simple tasks and activities. Think about it; fingers let us touch, grasp, and interact with our environment. They allow us to perform specialized functions such as simple as eating, grasping a pen, playing an instrument, or typing on a computer. A finger fracture can cause dysfunction in the entire hand. if not treated properly, finger fractures and dislocations can have significant consequences, including poor function, chronic pain, stiffness, and deformity. Without appropriate treatment, your broken finger may end up misaligned, stiff, or painful. Even if you can tolerate the pain, you should still see an orthopedic specialist at Colorado Center of Orthopaedic Excellence in Colorado Springs, Colorado to avoid significant consequences. The chances of successful treatment increase the sooner your treatment starts.

OVERVIEW

A finger fracture or broken finger is a common bone break. It is the most frequently injured part of the hand. Finger fractures are the most common sports-related fractures in adults and teenagers in the United States. They are common in children and older adults, but less common in the 45 to 85 age range. More male children break their fingers; in adults, only slightly more males. Fractures of the pinky finger’s bones occur at the staggering rate of over 33% of all hand fractures among adults. A fracture can occur in any of the bones in the fingers.  Fractures can also occur in the knuckles, which are the joints where the finger bones meet. A finger fracture might be a ‘hairline’ fracture (a small crack), a partial fracture, which is common in children, or a complete break, where the bone can be broken into two or more pieces.

ABOUT THE FINGERS

Small bones make up the finger structure. The bones in a normal finger line up precisely. Each finger contains three phalanges, while the thumb contains two. These bones are called “phalanges”, and an individual bone is called a “phalanx”. There are 14 bones in total in the fingers (phalanges) of each hand, each of which is susceptible to fracture. Joints are cartilage surfaces that connect bones to each other. This cartilage allows the bones to glide smoothly against one another, allowing for painless movement. There are four joints in each finger, totaling 20 joints in each hand. The metacarpal bones are the 5 bones that compose the middle part of the hand. The index and middle finger metacarpals have very little motion, while the metacarpals of the ring and little finger move much more. There are no muscles in the fingers, they move by the pull of the forearm muscles on the tendons which attach tissue from muscle to bone.

WHAT IS FINGER FRACTURE?

There are many different types of finger fractures:

  • Closed: the most common type
  • Open: when the bone breaks through the skin or the skin tears over the location of the fracture
  • Oblique: occurs with diagonal loading (falling and hitting hand)
  • Spiral: due to rotational force (finger caught in drill)
  • Transverse: usually from crush injury ( dumbell falls on finger)
  • Comminuted: multiple fragments
  • Avulsion: a small chunk of bone attached to a tendon or ligament gets pulled away from the main part of a bone
  • Tuft: most common type of distal phalanx fracture—a break in the tip (tuft) of the finger
  • Seymour: a break in the bone at the end of the finger at first joint
  • Boxer’s: fracture of metacarpal bone that attaches to a little finger, typically caused by a punching force

Some lesser-known fractures are:

  • Bennet’s Fracture: a fracture that occurs at the base of the thumb, specifically at the metacarpal bone. It’s rare compared to other finger fractures and often happens during activities that involve a strong gripping motion, like punching
  • Rolando Fracture: a more complex version of Bennet’s fracture where the bone breaks into multiple pieces at the base of the thumb
  • Stress fractures in fingers: although rare, they can occur in the fingers, especially in athletes who engage in repetitive finger movements, such as rock climbers or gymnasts.
  • Mallet Finger: often used interchangeably with the term “ baseball finger” which is a specific type of finger fracture that occurs when a ball strikes the tip of an outstretched finger causing the tendon to rupture and the bone to fracture. Despite the name, it’s common in many sports, not just baseball

Read more about Finger Fractures on our new Colorado Springs Orthopedic News Site – Colorado Springs Orthopedic News. Schedule an appointment with a hand and wrist specialist today.