How is capsule rupture treated?

The treatment of a capsule rupture is in many cases initially performed with conservative procedures. The treatment of a capsule rupture should follow the PECH scheme. Painkillers can of course also be used to relieve the pain.

Physiotherapeutic treatment can be useful in some cases to maintain the mobility of the joint or to accelerate the reduction of severe bruising. Surgical treatment of the capsule tear should be considered in cases of serious injuries to the capsule and bony involvement. During the operation, the torn parts of the capsule are sutured or reattached to the bone, depending on the type of damage.

“P” stands for pause: The joint should be immobilized for some time, affected patients should relieve the joint, protect it from excessive strain and take a training break.
“E” stands for ice: cooling the injured joint accelerates the process of decongestant swelling and relieves the pain.
“C” stands for compression: the affected joint should be bandaged with elastic bandages or special joint supports. The bandage stabilizes the joint without completely restricting its movement.
“H” stands for “Hochlagern” (elevation): elevation of the affected limb helps to reduce swelling and thus relieve pain.

A capsule tear on the fingers is not uncommon and can be treated with a finger splint in addition to acute therapeutic measures such as protection, cooling and compression in the later healing process. The finger splint should generally only be used when the swelling of the fingers has slightly decreased.

However, the swelling on the finger in particular often continues for a very long time. Therefore a finger splint can be worn even if the finger is still slightly swollen. It is important, however, to carry out sufficient compression therapy in parallel to allow the swelling to subside.

To relieve and at the same time stabilize the flexor and extensor vision that has been affected by a rupture of the capsule, a so-called “whitening splint” can also be helpful. It is very important that the fingers in particular can be completely stretched again after the rupture of the capsule. This is usually the case after consistently wearing a “Quengel splint”.Otherwise, the tendons may shorten due to a scarring healing process of the capsule tissue, so that a complete stretching is no longer possible.

As with the fingers, wearing a thumb splint after a rupture of the capsule can be helpful. Once the swelling has subsided, the thumb splint can take on a stabilizing function and positively influence the healing process of the capsule tear. Also the Quengel splint is not only used for the fingers but also for complex capsule tears in the thumb.

As soon as flexor and extensor vision is also injured, such a splint is important in order to achieve the same flexor and extensor capability of the joints in the thumb as before the rupture of the capsule. In addition to the thumb splint typical for a ruptured capsule, there are also variations such as a thumb bandage or a thumb orthosis. The technique of taping has been enjoying increasing popularity for several years and is used in various areas, especially in sports medicine, but also in orthopedics.

Various mechanisms of action are attributed to taping. Among other things, the applied tape is supposed to transfer force effects on the joint to the skin and thus relieve the structures of the joint. An actual proof of effectiveness based on large-scale studies has not yet been provided.

Nevertheless, various taping techniques exist for the treatment of capsule tears. It should be emphasized, however, that the healing of capsule tears requires patience so that it can take place without permanent damage and movement restrictions of the joint. Especially after the injury has healed, taping is a good supporting method to give the joint additional stability. However, it cannot accelerate the healing process or replace adequate immobilization of the joint in any case.