![]() Your stitches are absorbable so they will not need to be removed. Your plaster will be removed at 2 weeks and the wound checked. It is also important to keep the fingers moving through a full range of motion, including the rest of the joints in the finger which has been injured. Swelling is best prevented by keeping the hand above the level of the heart for the first 48 hours. Swelling causes stiffness and pain which is made worse by hanging the arm down at your side or resting it on your lap. Before the effect wears off, you should take painkillers which should be taken on a regular basis. This area will remain numb for up to six hours after surgery. Local anaesthetic will be injected into the wound at the end of the operation. If there is rotation of the finger other wires may be inserted across the hand. This acts like an internal splint, holding the fracture in an acceptable position while it heals. The fracture is reduced back into the right position and a wire is inserted up the middle of the bone. ![]() This can be done under a local anaesthetic/ nerve block or general anaesthetic. Though quite unusual, fracture rotation is an indication for surgical intervention. If the fracture is angled by more than 60 degrees it may result in a tender palmar mass with heavy gripping. For severe displacement, finger scissoring or multiple metacarpal fractures surgery may be recommended. If the knuckle is severely deformed or the fracture is further down the bone (nearer the wrist) a procedure called a closed reduction may be needed to push the fracture back into proper position before a plaster cast is applied. Even when the fracture is angled and the hand looks deformed it is usually sufficient to treat in this way, as there is no loss of function in the hand and surgery can give worse results than leaving it. Neighbour strapping is the term to describe using some sticky tape to strap the broken finger to the neighbouring intact finger. Most boxer's fractures can be treated with neighbour strapping to stabilise the fracture while it heals. In severely displaced fractures the fingers may overlap or scissor when they are flexed. Bruising and loss of knuckle contour are also common and extending the finger may be difficult. How do I know If I have a fracture?Ĭommon symptoms include pain, tenderness and swelling around the knuckle of the little finger. Occasionally, direct trauma to the hand can also cause this injury. A boxer's fracture can also occur when a person stumbles and tries to break his fall with a closed fist to the ground. Ironically, this is a rare injury in boxers, because they are trained to punch with even force over the entire hand, maximising force and minimising injury. ![]() The force concentrates at the mid carpal neck, leading to a fracture. Since most people punch in a round-house fashion the first point of bony contact in a punch is the little finger metacarpal bone. This type of fracture most commonly occurs when someone punches a hard surface or another person with a closed fist. A boxer's fracture refers to a break at the end of the bone nearest to the knuckle, which is called a metacarpal neck. The metacarpals are the long bones in the hand that connect the fingers to the wrist. Boxers Fracture What is a boxer fracture?Ī Boxer's fracture is a break of the metacarpal of the little or ring finger.
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