Broken Thumb: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment By Wrist & Thumb Braces

What Is a Broken Thumb?

There are many ways to break the small phalanges bones of which the thumb is made up of. For example, a thumb is broken when the base of the thumb is fractured, which attaches the thumb to the hand or when the small phalanges bones break.

A Broken Thumb affects a person’s ability and strength to hold or pick up things- as it causes severe pain in the thumb. A Broken Thumb ranges from a hairline breakage to bone piercing the skin.

A Broken Thumb causes inflammation, pain, bruising, and swelling on a thumb- sometimes, a broken thumb is visibly dislocated or misshapen. Its most common causes are calcium deficiency, bone disease, extreme outstretch of the hand to catch something, an accident, etc.

What Causes Broken Thumb?

Some of the most prominent causes of broken thumb are:

First, any accident- like a car accident or falling on your thumb.
Excessive twisting or repetitive motion of the thumb.
Patients having underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, or seizure disorders are at a high risk of developing this.
Bone diseases or genetics- if you have any bone disease, the bones of your hands, especially your thumb, are weak and can break or have fractures easily.
Calcium deficiency can be one of the major causes of a broken thumb.
Playing sports frequently- if you are an athlete or play sports regularly, it can break your thumb.
I am hitting the thumb or knocking it hard against something- like a wall.
It pulls or stretches the thumb too far from its joint or base.

How to Heal Broken Thumb? (Treatment)

If you suspect or experience the symptoms of a broken thumb, do not treat it on your own- it is better to seek medical attention as soon as possible. There are several treatment options available for a broken thumb.

First Aid

Applying ice wrap in a cloth on the thumb is effective. Take a material, wrap an ice cube in it and ice the thumb or take a bowl filled with cold water and dip the thumb in it for a few minutes.
A brace or splint helps keep the thumb straight and relaxes it.
Relaxing or immobilizing the thumb is also a good option.

Medications

To reduce the swelling and pain, pain relievers, like- ibuprofen, are recommended by the Doctor.

Therapy

Therapy is one of the best treatments for treating Broken Thumb.
Do the exercises to strengthen your thumb- as the physiotherapist or the Doctor recommended.

Other Treatments

Restrict or limit the movement of your hand.
Do icing daily on the affected area.
Avoid thumb activities- such as pinching or grasping.
If you have severe pain or bruising, then seeking medical attention immediately is essential.

Non-Surgical/Advanced Treatment

If the pain is not severe or the broken bones have not dislocated too far from their place, then your Doctor would be able to set the thumb without any surgical treatment. The procedure is known as closed reduction- it is painful, so anesthesia is given for this procedure.

In this procedure, the Doctor will place your hand in a Spica cast- for around 5-6 weeks. This cast will immobilize your thumb and help set it back in its place.

Surgery

In some severe cases, doctors recommend surgery to treat Broken Thumb. In the surgery, depending on the displacement of the bones, the surgeon may realign and fix the bones in their proper place with pins or screws. For a few weeks, the thumb will be immobilized.

The Doctor also recommends the guideline about the aftercare of surgery. Physiotherapists also recommend some strengthening exercises.

What Is the Best WRIST & THUMB Brace for Broken Thumb?

A wrist and thumb brace helps maintain and limit the use of fingers so that you can rest them fully. In addition, a brace helps increase stability, alleviating the pain and takes the stress and swelling of the joint of the thumb.

WorldBrace takes pride in being the best and most trusted brace supplier in China. We have produced reliable, high-quality elbow, wrist, thumb, and knee braces for over 20 years. We also deal in custom-made elbow braces.

We offer many braces catering to your problems, including elbow braces, Thumb and Wrist braces, a neoprene brace, and a copper brace.