HEP: Thumb Sprain
Patient Education
What’s going on?
This injury occurs because of trauma to the thumb.
This can be related to sport (volleyball, soccer, skiing) or work.
How long will it take?
Depending on the severity of your injury, this could take between 3 weeks to 3 months.
How will we treat your condition at IHSM?
At IHSM, a doctor of physical therapy will perform a detailed physical examination of how to move and all the structures that could be contributing to your pain; including the nerves, joints, and muscles.
Your therapist may build a splint for you, or they will direct you to where you may purchase one.
As the pain subsides, your therapist will help restore movement to your thumb.
Gentle strengthening exercises will be performed on your thumb as you recover (isometrics to concentric to eccentric resistance) to restore your wrist to normal function.
Modalities such as acupuncture, or electrical stimulation may also be used to control the pain and inflammation in your thumb.
What can you do to help yourself?
In the most painful phase, use ice for up to 15 minutes.
Rest is essential.
Use the splint and reduce the use of your hand temporarily.
Learn to use your non-dominant hand some of the time.
Try not to grip much with the involved hand, it needs some time to heal.
As symptoms improve, gradually begin to use it more.
If you do need to use your hand, try to keep your wrist and thumb close to neutral when you have to use the hand.
Instructions:
You may do all of these exercises right away.
About IHSM
Integrative Health and Sports Medicine, LLC is a one-stop health and wellness center. Our mission is to restore our patients to a healthy, pain-free, and productive life. By combining orthopedic physical therapy techniques, sports medicine, acupuncture, and Chinese medicine, we are able to treat conditions and achieve results in cases that have not responded well to modern Western medicine.
We are located in Cincinnati, Ohio. Please email us at info@integrativesports.com to schedule a consultation and let us help you on your journey to optimal health.