• Reference Number: HEY-256/2021
  • Departments: Orthopaedics

Introduction

This leaflet has been produced to requite yous general data about your injury.  Most of your questions should be answered past this leaflet.  Information technology is not intended to supplant the give-and-take between you lot and the healthcare team simply may act as a starting point for give-and-take.  If later reading information technology you lot have whatsoever concerns or require further explanation, please discuss this with a fellow member of the healthcare team.

What is a soft tissue injury?

The term soft tissue refers to muscles, ligaments and tendons that surround and support our joints. Injuries to the soft tissue surrounding the thumb are usually caused by a forceful stretch when landing awkwardly on the hand or straight blow for example when playing ball sports.

What are the symptoms?

A soft tissue injury to the thumb may effect in:

  • Hurting.
  • Heat, redness or bruising.
  • Swelling.
  • Stiffness and loss of function.

Pain relief

To manage your hurting it is advised that y'all regularly take uncomplicated pain relief which tin can be brought over the counter.  If you have allergies or weather condition which prevent the apply of hurting relieving or anti-inflammatory medication, please seek advice from your medico or a pharmacist.

What should I do in the first 72 hours later on the injury?

The well-nigh important initial treatment is aimed at controlling the pain and swelling by following the principles of RICE:

R – Rest

Complete rest is not appropriate but it is important that you lot prevent putting the pollex nether strain in the early stages of healing.  Ensure you lot continue to movement your fingers and wrist as normal as information technology is common for these joints to quickly become stiff.

I – Ice

Ice will assist reduce the pain in your thumb and and so should be practical for 10 – 15 minutes. This will assistance to reduce the swelling

There are many different ways in which ice can be applied however it believed crushed ice, in the course of frozen peas for instance, is the almost effective. Whichever method yous cull it is important that you wrap the ice in a damp towel, in order to prevent it from 'burning' the skin.

Please Annotation:

Only use an ice pack on areas that accept normal skin sensation i.e. where you tin feel hot and cold.
Do non employ over an open wound.
Exercise non employ an ice pack to an area that has poor circulation.
During ice application bank check the skin every v minutes and discontinue its use if:

  • the surface area becomes white, blueish or blotchy.
  • the area becomes excessively painful, numb or tingles.

C – Compression

You may have been given a special compression bandage to wear to assist control swelling in your thumb. It is important this is removed if you lot develop any signs of poor apportionment such as tingling, numbness, blueness of the skin of the thumb and increasing pain. Unless otherwise brash the bandage should be removed when yous become to bed at night because when you are asleep you cannot monitor these symptoms.

Due east – Elevation

If you have swelling in your thumb, sit on a chair and place your elbow on cushions so that it is level or slightly college than your shoulder. In this position point your hand towards the ceiling so open and close your hand as this will further help to reduce any swelling.

What not to do

Consuming alcohol, massaging the injured area and applying heat can all be detrimental in the early on stages of healing and therefore should be avoided. It is important to note that smoking may also delay the healing process.

Rehabilitation and recovery

If you lot follow this bones communication your injury should take around half-dozen weeks to heal. However, everyone recovers from injuries at dissimilar rates and information technology is dependent on the severity of the injury and the presence of any other medical issues. Information technology is possible yous may suffer symptoms for up to 3 months.

Afterwards 72 hours it is very important you endeavour to start using your manus normally over again especially when doing everyday tasks like washing, dressing and eating. The exercises beneath will assistance yous to regain full function, flexibility and strength.

1. Concord your thumb with your other hand so that all you tin movement is the cease joint.

Bend the end joint of your thumb every bit far equally you can and experience it stretching.

Hold this for 10 seconds.

At present straighten this joint as if you were doing the thumbs up motion. Hold this for 10 seconds.

ii. Touch your thumb to the tip of the index finger on the same manus.

Now slide your thumb down this finger as far as possible until yous feel it stretching. Hold 10 seconds.

Repeat the same exercise as described above while touching your thumb to your middle finger, then your band finger and finally your little finger. Each time hold the stretch 10 seconds.

3. Concur your paw upright palm facing away from you lot

Move your pollex sideways away from your palm as far equally yous can and experience information technology stretching gently

Hold this for x seconds.

4. Next signal your hand forward equally shown in the flick.

Endeavour to take your thumb out equally wide as you tin and feel it stretching gently.

Concur the stretch for 10 seconds.

five. Lastly put your hand flat on the table palm downwards

Lift your thumb upwards so that it lifts off the table.

Concur for 10 seconds and relax.

All photos with kind permission of ©Physiotec™

You should effort to do the exercises 10 times each, 4 times per twenty-four hours. You lot may experience more discomfort when yous offset exercising however this is normal and does not mean you should finish.  If your symptoms remain worse for more than 2 hours afterward the exercises then you should subtract the number of each exercise that you do and build up again slowly.

When can I return to normal activities?

If your job involves activities using your hand and thumb regularly you must ensure that you practice similar tasks and then that you build your strength and function up gradually.

If you participate in an active hobby then it is advised that yous do not return to this until you have full range of movement, strength and you can apply your hand ordinarily without experiencing pain or swelling.

If yous play a sport involving apply of your hand and thumb, practice sports specific activities like gripping a lawn tennis racquet or a cricket bat to fix yourself. Build this upward gradually before returning to full preparation sessions and contest.

Do I require further treatment?

You may be brash that you lot require physiotherapy post-obit this type of injury, unless your symptoms are minimal on your initial engagement. Your physiotherapy could be at a variety of locations in the Hull and Eastward Riding area.

You tin can self-refer to physiotherapy by contacting the following number depending on the location of your doctor:

  • Hull GP patients self-refer to Healthshare: (01482) 300003
  • East Riding GP patients self-refer to East Riding Physiodirect: (01377) 208300 or self-refer online at chcpmsk.org.uk

On occasions the clinician may wish to refer you to the physiotherapy team within the hospital trust. If this is the case they will advise you of this and you should receive an appointment at Hull Royal or Castle Hill Hospitals within 5 to vii days of your attendance at the Emergency Department. If yous have received no contact within this time please call the physiotherapy admin squad on (01482) 674880.

When to seek farther help

If ten days following your injury you are unable to use the thumb and it remains painful and bloated, despite post-obit the above advice, please contact the physiotherapy squad that you were advised to contact at your Emergency Intendance attendance.

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