Our hands and wrists are incredibly complex.
Each contains 35 bones and more than 100 tendons and ligaments.
They’re also prone to injury.
Anyone who’s taken a footy or netball to the fingertip on a cold night knows how painful even minor damage can feel.
But not all serious hand injuries come with severe pain.
In fact, some of the most problematic ones can be dismissed as ‘just a sprain’.
I’ve diagnosed both of the following injuries weeks after they occurred, usually after a patient casually says, ‘While I’m here, can you look at my hand?’
The findings often come as a surprise.
Scaphoid fracture
The scaphoid is a small bone on the thumb side of the wrist, commonly fractured after a fall onto an outstretched hand, typical in sports like footy or netball.
While painful, a scaphoid fracture doesn’t always stop players from finishing the game or playing the following week.
The concern is that part of this bone has poor blood supply.
Without proper treatment, usually a cast positioned at the correct angle, it may not heal.
When diagnosed late, it often leads to surgery and, even then, the outcome isn’t always good.
I’ve seen cases where multiple surgeries failed, with long-term loss of wrist function.
Finger tendon rupture
The muscles that move our fingers sit in the forearm, with long tendons running into the hand.
Sudden force, such as catching a jumper during a tackle or a ball striking the fingertip, can cause a tendon to snap, like a rope under stress.
These injuries don’t always cause intense pain, so they’re easy to overlook.
But they require quick treatment, bracing or surgery within a couple of weeks.
After that, the tendon usually can’t be repaired and permanent loss of finger movement can result.
If you injure your hand or wrist, even if it seems minor, get it checked.
Early diagnosis of serious injuries can make all the difference to your recovery.
Pat Arnold is a director and sports physiotherapist at Echuca Moama Physiotherapy. Appointments with Pat and his colleagues can be made by phoning 5480 0860 or book online at echucamoamaphysio.com.au