A metacarpal fracture can be a painful injury, but it is also one that you can play through depending on the sport that you play. A broken hand is considered to be the bones that make up the palm. Not the fingers, or the wrist bones, just the bones of the palm. Each digit of the hand has a corresponding bone associated with it that can break. Sometimes this fracture is referred to as the boxers fracture because it often breaks when punching someone.
Causes of Metacarpal Fracture (Broken Hand)
A metacarpal fracture occurs when the hand strikes another hard object with a closed fist. The force shoots up from the knuckle into the metacarpal bones causing you to have a broken hand. You are especially at risk when you throw a punch without the protection of a glove to soften the blow and the impact on the hand bones. The other way that an individual can suffer a broken hand is if someone falls directly on the hand causing a metacarpal fracture to occur. The back of the hand and the palm can only handle so much force.
Symptoms of Metacarpal Fracture (Broken Hand)
The signs of a metacarpal fracture are pretty clear. There will be an event that will take place where the hand will make contact with something, or something will make contact with it. Once the hand is broke, there will always be some form of discomfort or sign that lets you know that something is wrong.
- Closed fist contacting with the hard object
- Hear loud pop in hand
- Severe pain in the hand
- Swelling and bruising of hand
- Numbness in hand
- Broken hand takes longer than it should heal
Treatment for Metacarpal Fracture (Broken Hand)
You should seek medical attention right away if you suspect that you have a broken hand. The first thing that a doctor will do is put you in a splint. The reason that the splint is the first move over the cast is due to the swelling. If you put on a cast, the hand and wrist will most likely swell and make it tight. A splint is a soft cast that helps to immobilize the area but still allow room for swelling. The fingers are usually outside of a splint so that the fingers can move and not get stiff.
The next step is to have imaging done in the form of an X-Ray so a doctor can get an accurate picture of what is going on. It is at this point that the doctor must decide if surgery is needed or not Surgery is usually needed when the bones are not set in a great place to heal. The ring and little fingers have much more room for error than the other fingers do.
If surgery is not needed the next step is to put the hand in a hard cast. The hard cast is meant to hold everything in place. The healing time usually needs about 6-8 weeks in a cast to work. Over this time in the cast, you will still go in for X-Rays to make sure that everything is doing. Sometimes a doctor will order a CT scan if they needs to see the bone in much more detail.
When to See a Doctor for Metacarpal Fracture (Broken Hand)
Athletes should seek emergency care if there is a fear that something severe is going on. A broken bone is considered to be a severe injury solely due to the extent of pain that you will be in. All athletic injuries like strains and sprains should be seen by sports medicine professionals. You don’t need to dial for a medical emergency but you should be getting in touch with the best in your area. The sooner, the better!
Return to Sport from Metacarpal Fracture (Broken Hand)
If you play a sport like football, and you play defense, you can play with a cast on your hand which means that you can get back on the field sooner. If you play a sport where your hands are needed though, you have to wait until the cast comes off and you would also need adequate rehab of the hand and wrist. If you play with a cast on, you still need to go through rehab once the cast comes off.
It is essential that you get with the best physical therapist you can to rehab your Metacarpal Fracture. The reason it is so important is because a lousy rehab will leave you injured and right back in the same spot. As an athlete, you have to go through more extensively with rehab than an average person would. The reason for this is because you expect that much more from your body.
Finding The Best Local Sports Medicine Providers for Metacarpal Fracture (Broken Hand) Rehabs
9INE POINT Health fka 9INE POINT Health is the best place to start your search for a health care provider to help you stay healthy. The key to success as an athlete is staying healthy and making sure the injuries are dealt with appropriately. Any athlete that plays a contact sport of Metacarpal Fracture (Broken Hand) and the key to success as an athlete is staying healthy.
9INE POINT Health lets you search for providers by type and skill. For example, you can look for a Physical Therapist with any skill set you need. It does not matter what kind of provider you need, 9INE POINT Health can help you find them and help you to sort through their skills.
If you are unsure where to start your journey, 9INE POINT Health will ask you questions and help you figure out the best starting place. All you have to do is answer a few questions. From there, 9INE POINT Health will connect you with the type of provider best suited for your needs. It does not matter if you are injured or making sure you don’t run into Metacarpal Fracture (Broken Hand) issues.
The platform makes it easy to compare health providers as they are all given a 9INE POINT Number. Once you are shown the best local options, how do you know which is the best? Reading bios and reviews is just not enough because you need more than that.
Skill Sets to Look for Metacarpal Fracture (Broken Hand) Rehab
Skill sets are the things healthcare providers learn after they graduate. A healthcare provider can take courses and get certifications for different skill sets. These skill sets are valuable and help them approach injuries from different perspectives so that you can get the best help at the right time for any Metacarpal Fracture (Broken Hand) issues.
- Dry needling
- Acupuncture
- Joint Manipulation
- Active Release Technique
- Graston Technique
- Functional Movement Screen
- Fascial Stretching
- Strength and Conditioning Coach
- Athletic Trainer
- Sports Background
- And many more
