Hand Fractures & Finger Dislocations
Care for broken hand and finger bones and dislocated finger joints with Dr. Steven Ward in Tucson and Oro Valley — from splints and buddy straps to pins, screws, or plates when a break or joint is unstable.
Call 520-881-1394Typical ranges for general education. Dr. Ward’s plan for you may differ.
What it treats
The hand has five long bones in the palm (metacarpals) and small bones in the fingers and thumb (phalanges). The most common break is a boxer’s fracture, near the knuckle of the little finger, usually from punching a hard object.
- Metacarpal fractures — breaks in the palm bones, which can leave a sunken knuckle or a finger that rotates
- Phalanx fractures — broken finger bones from jams, falls, crush injuries, or doors
- Breaks into a joint, which are especially important to line up well to limit stiffness and later arthritis
- Finger dislocations — a finger joint knocked out of place, most often the middle knuckle, sometimes with a small fracture or torn ligament
Signs of a problem include swelling, bruising, deformity, a finger that looks short, or one finger crossing over its neighbor when you make a fist. A “jammed finger” that stays swollen or crooked should be checked; some turn out to be fractures or dislocations.
Is surgery right for you?
Many hand fractures heal well without surgery:
- Closed reduction — gently moving the bone or joint back into place without an incision
- A cast, splint, or brace, sometimes extending from the fingertips toward the elbow, to hold the bones while they heal
- Buddy straps — taping an injured finger to its neighbor, which acts as a moving splint for stable injuries
- Repeat X-rays about 1–2 weeks later to confirm the bones have not shifted
Surgery is often needed for open fractures (bone through the skin), breaks that will not stay lined up, rotated fingers, and fractures or dislocations involving a joint that is unstable. Please do not try to pull a dislocated finger back into place yourself; it should be checked and X-rayed.
How the surgery is done
When surgery is needed, the bones or joint are lined up and held in place until they heal. This is usually an outpatient procedure.
- Pinning — thin wires placed through the skin, often with only tiny incisions; they are usually removed in the office once the bone has healed
- Plates and screws — placed through an incision to hold unstable or multi-piece breaks firmly, which can allow earlier motion
- Joint repair — for dislocations that will not stay in place, the joint is realigned and torn ligaments or small fracture pieces are fixed
Stiffness is the main enemy
Fingers stiffen quickly when they are kept still. Dr. Ward balances protecting the break with getting motion started as soon as it is safe, and may refer you to a hand therapist.
If stiffness remains after the bone heals, a later procedure to remove hardware or free up scarred tendons is occasionally recommended.
Recovery overview
Typical ranges only, based on AAOS OrthoInfo patient education. Timing depends on the bone, the break, and how it was treated, and Dr. Ward’s plan for you may differ.
First weeks
- Keep the hand elevated above your heart and move the fingers that are free
- Repeat X-rays about 1–2 weeks after the injury or surgery
- Keep your cast or splint clean and dry
Weeks 3–6
- Many hand fractures are in a cast for 3–6 weeks; a broken finger is usually splinted for about 3 weeks
- Gentle hand exercises can usually start around 3 weeks
- Stable fractures may move to a removable splint or buddy straps
After healing
- Daily exercises to reduce stiffness and swelling, sometimes with a hand therapist
- Return to lifting, sports, and heavy work once the bone has healed and Dr. Ward clears you
- Most hand fractures heal with good overall function when treated promptly
When to call the clinic
Call 520-881-1394 if you notice any of the following after surgery or while you are recovering:
- A fever of 101°F or higher, or chills
- Redness spreading around an incision, or drainage that is cloudy, foul-smelling, or keeps soaking the dressing after the first few days
- Fingers that turn pale, blue, or cold
- Numbness or tingling in the hand or fingers that does not go away once the nerve block or numbing medicine has worn off, or that is getting worse
- A cast, splint, or dressing that feels too tight: throbbing pain, swelling, or numbness under it that does not ease after you raise your hand above your heart and gently move your fingers. Do not cut or remove a cast yourself
- Pain that is not controlled by your prescribed medication, elevation, and ice
- A finger that looks crooked, rotated, or shorter than before, or that crosses over its neighbor when you make a fist
It is normal for the hand and fingers to be swollen, bruised, and sore for a while, and for the hand or arm to stay numb and weak for several hours after a nerve block or numbing medicine. Keep your hand raised above your heart, and move the fingers that are not splinted as you were shown. Call if something feels different from what you were told to expect.
for chest pain, shortness of breath, or trouble breathing. These can be signs of a blood clot in the lungs and need emergency care.
If something does not match the instructions you were given, call the office. Dr. Ward or one of his physician assistants will get back to you.
Related resources
Wrist fracture (distal radius)
Dr. Ward’s broken-wrist page: splint care, swelling control, and the week-by-week rehab plan.
Open pagePatient resources
Surgery packets, pre-op and post-op instructions, exercise guides, and videos in one place.
Open pagePost-op packets
Dr. Ward’s post-operative instructions and packets, organized by joint.
Open pageExercise guides
Hand & wrist handouts, including carpal tunnel exercises and hand and finger exercises.
Open pageOrthoInfo: Hand fractures
Patient education on hand fractures from the AAOS. OrthoInfo also has a page on finger fractures.
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