Hey, I sprained my finger. I just want to understand why exactly keeping the finger immobile in a certain position makes it heal faster.
When changing my splint, I noticed that it is pretty stiff and supposed the body itself tries to keep it still while healing. Why does movement harm it? I can’t find a more accurate explanation to sprains either. Nothing beyond “it is swollen and hurt” yeah I know but ligaments are a very weird material, just want to understand sprains and ligaments a little bit more fundamentally I guess.
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Hello you are supposed too! You support the injury well, yet also must exercise a bit regularly, once healing has commenced and swelling abated a bit.
At the specialist major Hand surgery hospital rehab unit the therapists made incredible casts and splints for fingers, but also had us removed them a few times day, to do exercises that used the natural reflexes to grasp and other extensions of flexing, so we healed, with a range of movements and our tendons were flexible, not scarred or fixed short, and good circulation was supported for healing too.
An easy effective one is: put three bowls on the table, fill with 3 different kind of household goods: pasta, dried beans and rice, for instance. You put your hand in, touch and let go of the items for 5 mins per bowl, you actually cannot help grasping as doing it and it stimulates your sensory nerves, while exercising your tendons or ligaments.
Other ones are rolling your hand forward to touch your wrist, or base of your hand, in particular, trying to do the same with just your injured finger by extending it.
All this was very helpful and important, though I had surgery, the same principles of rest, good support, plus limited but purposeful exercise, apply. Obviously if movement only aggravates matters, you shouldn’t do anything, or gentle versions of the above, they practices for once injury has past first few days phase.
The same is true for dancers now, modern treatment will initially ice to reduce swelling, then alternate ice cold with warmth and heat, warmth is soothing and alternating helps move blood to and away from the area, to stimulate healing, similar to having a routine of both intensive resting, plus specific limited movement routines, being performed, which is also done.
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