Overstretched thumb

When do we speak of an overstretched thumb?

The thumb is the only finger that consists of only two phalanges. The basic joint of the thumb is particularly flexible for this. The individual thumb joints are stabilized by ligament structures.

The ligaments are located on the inside and outside of the joints. Particularly as a result of sports accidents, these ligaments can be overstretched. This happens when the thumb is pressed too much in a direction in which it is not actually movable.

When the thumb is overstretched, however, one of the tendons or muscles of the thumb may also be overstretched. These are located at the top and bottom of the thumb. Your complaints are not exclusively on the thumb?

Causes

The cause of an overstretched thumb is usually caused by sports accidents. This results in excessive force being exerted on the thumb. Often, sports where the hands are needed to hold on to something are affected.

These can be balls (volleyball, handball, basketball, soccer as goalkeeper) or things like ski poles. The clinical picture of the ski thumb describes, for example, overstretching or injury to the inner ligament of the thumb. This occurs when the ski pole gets stuck and you get caught in the loop with your thumb. More rarely, an overstretched thumb can also occur in other accidents. You suffer from a ski thumb?

Symptoms

An overstretched thumb primarily manifests itself through pain. These typically occur after an accident with an overstretched thumb. If the thumb is held still and not used, pain is not necessarily present.

However, pain does occur when the thumb is used. Usually the thumb swells up additionally after the sports accident. More rarely, bleeding in the form of a bruise may also occur.

This so-called hematoma occurs when a structure with blood vessels is injured. Usually, the mobility and functionality of the thumb is severely restricted after overstretching. On the one hand this is due to the pain, on the other hand the thumb can also feel unstable.

The joint is less protected by the injury to the stabilizing ligaments. The injury causes fluid to be stored in the affected thumb joint. This can also restrict mobility.

The pain of an overstretched thumb is usually due to the injury to the joint structures. When overstretched, the stabilizing ligaments do not tear, but small tears in individual fibers of the ligaments can occur. Other structures can also be affected. For example, small blood vessels can burst, fluid is stored and presses on the surrounding structures, thus activating the pain-conducting nerve fibers. Typically, the pain occurs mainly when the thumb is loaded and used.