Andy Dalton’s right thumb has been a hot topic for discussion since he fractured it making a tackle in a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Bengals have said he does not need surgery and may be able to make a return to the field this season. TriHealth Orthopedic and Sports Institute hand surgery specialist Andrew Markiewitz MD is not treating Dalton, but handles a variety of patients with thumb injuries. “With an injury to the thumb, it’s hard to do any grip activity so it really makes thing hard,” Dr. Markiewitz says. “To be working at a professional level and not be pin-point accurate is going to be very difficult,” Make an Appointment Dr. Markiewitz says less than half of patients need surgery for a fractured thumb. “The point of surgery is typically to align the thumb to such a point that it can heal in a more natural position,” Dr. Markiewitz explains. “If the body already has that happening, we don’t need to intervene.” He says about 60 percent of patients have nondisplaced fractures that don't need surgery but require casting or splinting. Every patient is different, so every thumb fracture is treated differently. Depending on a person’s age, Dr. Markiewitz may treat the injury longer, rather than shorter. “A phalange fracture is typically immobilized for three to four weeks and then rehabilitated over the same time frame,” said Dr. Markiewitz. “A metacarpal fracture may be immobilized for about four weeks before splinting and rehabilitation.”
Dr. Markiewitz is selective when deciding if a patient needs surgery. There are several factors that need to be considered including, but not limited to age, function, occupation/demands and medical comorbidities. Treatment options vary and include cast or splint immobilization, protective wraps or reduction and casting. If someone you know recently broke their thumb while playing a sport, you may have several questions about what to do and what to expect during recovery. Sports athletes suffering a broken thumb during a game happen a lot. Immediate attention for a broken thumb is crucial. The sooner you treat it, the sooner you can return to the playing field. "Any thumb fracture is not going to be something that is too out of the ordinary," CHRISTUS Health orthopedic surgeon Stephen Littlejohn said. "It's a little bit more predictable, you know, and they almost always heal." How Serious are Thumb Fractures and Surgery?Thumb fractures are a little bit more predictable than other breaks, and almost always heal. Bones act differently with surgery and function. But usually, the thumb is very forgiving. Sometimes if you break a collarbone, an orthopedic surgeon will use a plate and screws to keep the bone in place. Unfortunately, sometimes, plate screws cause a problem in the future, and somebody breaks the bone on the other side of the plate and screws. Fortunately, thumb surgery, however, is routine, especially for professional athletes. What are Broken Thumb Treatments?There's not a lot of rehabilitation for a broken thumb because the thumb has so much motion it can recover from a fracture and still be functional quickly. Thumb injuries are not like ACL injuries, where you must go through a lot of rehab, work on your range of motion, and do quad muscle work. With a thumb injury, there's not a lot of stiffness, and you're not worried about your muscles that much. However, a thumb injury can cause grip strength to weaken just because of the operation. Also, thankfully:
However, if the operation is needed, screws and pins are used to place the bone back together. If there is a ligament tear, you can open that up and reattach the ligament to the bone with special bone anchors specific to that area. How to Tell if You Have a Broken or Sprained Thumb?A broken thumb is usually more painful than a sprain, and a fractured thumb will look out of place or crooked. A thumb sprain can cause discomfort at the bottom of the thumb due to a ligament being stretched, torn, or completely pulled off the bone. In addition, a sprained thumb can be caused stiffness, swelling, or tenderness. Additionally, sprained thumb will not look out of place. How Common are Thumb Injuries?Especially in contact sports like football, thumb injuries are common. Orthopedic surgeons see hand injuries daily. Injuries can happen when:
"It's actually quite common, especially in quarterbacks where they're throwing near helmets," said Dr. Ben Feibel, Orthopedic Surgeon for CHRISTUS Health. How Long Does it Take a Broken Thumb to Heal?Generally, hands heal in four to six weeks. Thumbs and fingers also can recover in four weeks. For people playing sports positions like quarterback, it's going to take six weeks to get to the point where someone can hold and throw a football again. An orthopedic surgeon's job is to ensure the bone lines up appropriately and to give an athlete or the appropriate patient time to heal. This is about six weeks for professional athletes but can be longer for other patients. But, first, the surgeons ensure the bone is lined up appropriately to give it enough time to heal. It also depends on the position someone plays in a professional sport. For example, quarterbacks need more time to heal, especially if they hurt their throwing hand. "Offensive linemen can probably go back to play in a couple of weeks with a cast, depending on exactly where the break is on the thumb," Littlejohn said. What to Do About a Broken Thumb?If you realize that your thumb is crooked or can't bend or straighten your thumb, then seek medical attention immediately. If your hand is hurting more than you think it should after a couple of days, go to your primary care physician's office or visit a local orthopedic surgeon to undergo an X-Ray. |
How long does broken thumb take to heal
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