Part of the Game: Hand Injuries on the Gridiron

With football season in full swing in Mississippi, many players and coaches will tackle an extra opponent: hand injuries.

Studies show a quarter of all sports injuries involve the hand or fingers. In football, where hands can be smashed between helmets and fingers may be jammed while catching passes, players are especially susceptible to upper extremity injuries.

Dr. Derek Culnan, the medical director of Mississippi Burn, Hand and Reconstruction Center at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center, said there are 27 bones in the hand, more than any other part of your body, and that doesn't include the tendons, nerves and other structures.

"Football is a very physical sport, and the fingers, hands and wrists take a lot of abuse," he said. "Hands are a complicated part of our body, and injuries that may not seem severe can involve significant damage to joints, tendons, and nerves."

Usually, gridiron injuries of the upper extremities involve fractures and sprains, but may also include ligament damage, cuts, damaged fingernails and other injuries. Some specific sports-related hand injuries include:

Boxer's Fracture: A break near the knuckle that can cause pain and swelling.

Jersey finger: This injury involves the rupture of a tendon that results in limited movement of the digit, as well as pain and swelling.

Mallet finger: This injury, caused by something striking the finger hard, leads to the player being unable to straighten the tip of their finger due to pain and swelling.

Scaphoid Fracture: This injury to the wrist usually occurs when excessive pressure is placed on the wrist. Players with this fracture will experience pain and swelling, as well as tenderness near the base of the thumb.

Dr. Culnan said some injuries can be simply treated with R.I.C.E. (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) and a combination of physical therapy, injections and/or prescribed medications. Other injuries may require more severe intervention like surgery.

"There are times where you need to get to a doctor or emergency room as soon as possible," Dr. Culnan said. "If your hand starts to swell or turn gray shortly after the injury or if you lose feeling, those are signs of very severe injuries."

Left untreated, or considered something a player can "battle through," these injuries may lead to long-term, more severe issues such as stiffness, deformity, ganglion cysts, and arthritis. Dr. Culnan said treatment is imperative for these injuries, especially when you consider the long-term impact.

"Everyone says you can't play football forever, and that's absolutely true," he said. "Proper treatment helps us make sure you can use your hands for work and play long after the final whistle of your playing days."

For more information about MBHRC, visit www.msburnandhands.com or www.msburnandhands.com. To schedule an interview with a burn physician, please contact Jason B. Smith at 706-832-7592, or via email at jason@msburnandhands.com.