Overstretched finger

What is an overstretched finger?

An overstretched finger is the stretching of the finger ligaments or the joint capsule beyond their natural extent. The finger joints of humans are stabilized by numerous ligaments, the synovial fluid is held in the joint by the joint capsule. Injuries during sports or accidents involving rapid and jerky movements can cause the ligaments to stretch beyond their elastic limit, resulting in severe pain and swelling of the fingers.

Causes

The most common causes of overstretching in the finger joints are unnatural strain or sports with jerky, uncontrolled movements, especially in team and ball sports such as volleyball or handball. Overstretching is usually preceded by an external force acting on the fingers, for example when a ball hits the fingertips. Acute overstretching without a previous injury is unlikely. However, it can also occur as a result of accidents or injuries to other structures of the hand.

These are the symptoms of an overstretched finger

The typical symptoms of an overstretched finger include severe, stabbing pain in the finger, swelling and, in rare cases, bruising. In addition, there may be a loss of strength and restricted movement in the fingers. If the finger is overstretched without tearing, the stability of the joint is not affected, so there is no loss of function in the finger joints.

The fingers can thus be moved normally, but this is usually accompanied by severe pain. Sometimes surrounding structures are also damaged during the injury, so that, for example, cracks in the cartilage can occur. When the joint is injured, synovial fluid can leak into the surrounding tissue and cause swelling of the fingers.

This can also lead to further restrictions of movement. Pain is a very typical and frequent symptom of an overstretched finger. It is usually limited locally to the fingers up to the wrist and usually occurs only when the finger is moved.

At rest, patients usually report no pain. They are often described as pulling. The intensity of the pain depends on the degree of hyperextension and the individual pain perception of the patient.