To strengthen the finger, you can practice making a fist, squeezing a ball, or holding objects in your hand.įind stress balls and other physical therapy products online. You might need surgery if you have a bone fracture or a torn ligament or tendon.Īfter the injury has healed, exercise or physical therapy can help you regain full motion of the affected finger. This can take about one to two weeks.įor more serious injuries, see a doctor. Keep the finger splinted or strapped until it no longer hurts. A doctor can splint or buddy strap your finger if you’d rather not do it yourself. You can also immobilize your injured finger by taping it to the neighboring finger. Holding your finger still with a splint prevents you from injuring it further. A splint is a piece of metal or foam that wraps around your finger and keeps it in place. Instead, keep the finger in place by splinting it. If the finger looks like it’s out of the joint, don’t pull on it.

Take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) to ease any discomfort.

Keep your finger elevated above chest level.

If you don’t have ice, you can soak the finger in cold water instead.

Apply ice for 15 minutes each hour to bring down the swelling.

Here are some steps to take if your injury is minor and you’re able to treat it at home: Your treatment plan will be determined based on the severity of your injury. If you’re uncertain, seek medical attention. It can be difficult to determine if you have a mild or more severe injury. Sometimes the injury is minor enough that you can take care of it at home.įor a more severe injury, you’ll need medical treatment to prevent permanent damage to your finger. If the impact’s force is hard enough, it can cause tendon damage or a bone fracture.Įven if your finger isn’t fractured, the jam can cause it to swell up and be painful. Ligaments are tough bands of connective tissue that hold your bones together. The momentum from the impact’s force can stretch or even tear the ligaments in your finger, which causes a sprain. In addition, it may extend to parts of the hand surrounding the finger. If it’s a broken or fractured finger: If the finger is fractured, the swelling will last for days. Depending on the force of trauma, the finger may also swell and lose some of its range of motion.

This type of blunt impact may cause a jammed finger, a condition that happens when the tip of the finger is pushed back toward the hand. If it’s a jammed finger: When a person jams a finger, he or she will experience pain, redness, and the finger will feel weak. Or, as you go to close a drawer, you accidentally jam your finger against its edge. You go to catch a football or basketball, but instead of the ball sailing smoothly into your hands, it smashes into the tip of your finger.

Tell if your thumb is jammed