# Hyperextended finger! How to treat?



## Hamstrung

I was at the beach last weekend and caught a football wrong and hyperextended my ring finger on my fretting hand! It's not severe in that I can still play albeit a bit painfully. The middle joint is still quite tender. 
Any docs here that can tell me the best and fastest way to heal this?


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## smorgdonkey

Ice in a bag with a towel over it. That will treat the swelling and help with pain.
Massage. Use your other hand to stimulate circulation in the injured area and slowly & carefully move the digit.

Alternate those things. You probably shouldn't ice longer than 20 minutes and no more often than once per hour. That's likely 'overkill' if you still have normal days but a few times per day will really help.


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## six-string

my coach used to say this about torn joints and damaged tendons, ligaments etc...
*R.I.C.E.*
*R*= Rest -try to take it easy and give the injury time to heal
*I*= Ice - use ice wrapped in a towel 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off to get the swelling down
*C*= Compression - when not icing, keep the injury wrapped in a compression bandage to prevent further injury
*E*= Elevation -try to keep the injury elevated above your heart. this will prevent blood pooling and help reduce swelling.


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## mrmatt1972

_hypo_extension:banana:


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## jimihendrix

i've hyper-extended my middle finger many times when i'm out driving...i've never injured it...yet...it must be in great shape from constant usage...!!!...


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## smorgdonkey

jimihendrix said:


> i've hyper-extended my middle finger many times when i'm out driving...i've never injured it...yet...it must be in great shape from constant usage...!!!...


Wait a minute brother...you were hyper and you extended the finger - that's a bit different!


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## darkjune

jimihendrix said:


> i've hyper-extended my middle finger many times when i'm out driving...i've never injured it...yet...it must be in great shape from constant usage...!!!...


If you are finding yourself using your middle finger that much when driving,it may not be the other drivers with a problem.It could be that you are the bad driver.LOL Just ask my sister.Major case or road rage and a real bad driver.


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## jimihendrix

But of course...I jest...


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## darkjune

jimihendrix said:


> But of course...I jest...


 



F%&*ing "A"


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## Diablo

walk-in clinic.
we all (over)pay for OHIP, may as well use it.


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## fraser

Diablo said:


> walk-in clinic.
> we all (over)pay for OHIP, may as well use it.


really?
a doctor? for a hyperextended finger?
a doctor isnt going to fix it, hes going to tell you to not use it and maybe perscribe some overpriced medication to relieve the pain/swelling.
no wonder we "(over)pay for ohip".

ive done this a couple times- just needs rest.
last time took a few weeks to heal to the point of not bieng painful.
its a good time to play some slide.


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## zontar

The icing & rest helps.

I haven't hyper extended anything for a while now.

But growing up-lots of hyperextended fingers from playing football, hockey, frisbee, etc.
Once my brother kicked me and when I instinctively put my arm out to block his kick--he hit my finger & hyperexteneded it.

So yeah--the icing & resting it works.

If you want to try something worse--try hyperextending your hip...


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## Diablo

fraser said:


> really?
> a doctor? for a hyperextended finger?
> a doctor isnt going to fix it, hes going to tell you to not use it and maybe perscribe some overpriced medication to relieve the pain/swelling.
> no wonder we "(over)pay for ohip".
> 
> ive done this a couple times- just needs rest.
> last time took a few weeks to heal to the point of not bieng painful.
> its a good time to play some slide.


Who diagnosed it as a hyperextended finger? Can you be sure it isnt broken?

I once thought I simply tweaked my shoulder in hockey....thought I'd just let it heal naturally. A month past, no improvement. Went to chiropractor, went thru his BS for a couple more months (paying for the visits out of my own pocket), still no improvement. 
Turned out I had a torn rotator cuff. That doesnt heal naturally very well, if at all. So I sufferred for months by trying to be a hero and safe our OHIP system a few bucks.
Would I ever do it again. No way.


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