Fractured pinky finger

[Billy'smom]

My son is 15 and suffered a fracture of the joint of his right pinky in the palm of his hand. The fracture is in the small area that sits to the inside of the bottom knuckle on his pinky. We took him to an orthopedic doctor who xrayed his hand and confirmed the fracture and then put him in a hard cast from his elbow to his wrist with a wrap the rest of the way. This was on for 10 days. He returned today and with my husbands request the doctor did not put the hard cast on but taped the pinky to the ring finger and then put a soft cast from the tip of his fingers to his elbow. My son fractured his hand playing baseball, went on to play in three more games with the fingers wrapped before we were able to get the first appointment. He states that there is no pain but there is bruising and a smal amount of swelling in the area between the two fingers.


Finally, my question....As a parent I am struggling with the DR and the 15 year old. He is unable to swim, unable to play video games, unable to play baseball  and miserable. He has broken both pinkies in sports before and this type of extensive treatment has never been done. AM I WRONG...in going against medical advice and allowing him to use his hand WITHIN REASON? What is the chance that just keeping them taped will have the same end result as the cast that now has his other fingers and wrist stiff? The doctor consulted a hand specialist and told my husband that taping the fingers and a splint would be fine and a cast would not be needed. Is the splint protecting the joint or is keeping the entire are immobile helping to heal it? It is the summer, he is miserable....we are miserable and it is just a pinky......HELP!

[tcsurfeast]

I recently broke my left pinky in my Aikido class (martial art) and today saw a hand specialist. He gave me two options being have a non-removable type splint/cast put on or just tape the two fingers together which he did for me right then and there as to his recommendation, mainly because of the work I do. He said 4-6 weeks is the usual recovery time for this type of break which was at the base of my pinky.

[lee122]

worried now. just had 2 k wires taken out of my pinky after just ubder 4 weeks. really swollen and no chance of bending it. not got therapy till end of month.

[KR85]

I broke my pinky sliding into 2nd base in a softball game. I fractured my proximal phalanx left small finger on 07/24/08.  The break was so bad, that my finger bend down, and so far over, that it could touch my middle finger with it.  The break is apparently "one of the worst" places to break the finger.  the break required surgery, including the insertion of 2 K-wires .035 (aka-pins).

My recommendation to all of you is to research your hand surgeon before allowing them to perform the procedure.  You think you can trust the hospital to make a recommendation, but you really cannot.  RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH the surgeon(s).  My surgeon inserted the pins into one joint too far and has caused me to go through way to much physical therapy.  It is now 09/23/08 and I still cannot bend my finger or straighten it correctly.  According to my physical therapist, the chances of me EVER being able to do it, are slim.

So, yes. Accidents do happen.  Just be sure that when they do, you research your surgeon and feel comfortable with him or her before allowing them to treat you.

Good luck Everyone!!

[luc268]

My pinky finger on my left hand will not straighten, when people tell me to straighten my fingers i won't, it just bends slightly... Ive never had it seen to, but everyone asks if i broke it when i was younger but i really don't know. It now annoyes me as everyone points it out, but i don't know what to do about it.

It doesnt hurt, well only at times wen i am asked to straighten it, and it takes effort but otherwise i don't get any pain..

[debbiev2]

My child is 11.5 and never had any injury. Today, a friend felled on my child hand while my child help the hand up. I took my child to the doctor and Xrays, and to my suprise, the doctor said it was broken. Then he wrote fracture on the doctor slip, I didn't understand. So it was explain to mean that fracture means broken in the court of law...Anyway, I  am glad to have read all of the comments and my child will be in splint for three weeks then a follow up.  I guess when in doubt, see a doctor.  Also, there was so many children in the surgery area, I had to ask why, the doctor smiled and said, its summer and this is when we get really busy.

[goolia75]

The ortho is a specialist for a reason. If you choose not to listen to him, you may be handing your daughter problems years down the road. A few weeks of one summer is nothing compared to pain or mobility issues for the rest of her life. My advice to you would be to let the specialist decide what's best for your daughter's broken finger. It will heal soon enough.