Sick leave – how long sick?
A fast moving finger is usually treated surgically. In many cases, however, patients are not immediately fully able to return to their jobs after the operation. Therefore, for many people the question arises for how long after the operation a sick leave is taken.
Unfortunately, this question cannot be answered in such a generalized way, since every patient is different. In addition, different patients also have different professions. While a craftsman or construction worker puts a lot of strain on his finger every day, a bank employee is less affected by a restriction.
The treating doctor will always take these differences into account. In all cases, the stitches are removed after about one week, until then the finger should be immobilized, also due to the postoperative swelling. In principle, movement is already possible immediately after the anaesthetic has worn off, but out of consideration for the suture, no movement is recommended. Sick leave is therefore at least for one week, in exceptional cases (heavy, work-related physical strain) up to two weeks.
Aftercare
After the fasting finger has been operated, it should be immobilized until the stitches are removed. On the one hand, a swelling of the treated finger naturally occurs after the operation. In order to keep this swelling as low as possible, it is advisable to elevate the finger, ideally above heart level.
The higher a wound is positioned, the lower the pressure that presses against the suture by the heartbeat. Gravity also helps to drain off excess tissue fluid downwards. On the other hand, the sutured skin should not be subjected to too much tension and pressure during the healing phase, as the sutures may tear out.
As a result, they would have to be reapplied, depending on the stage of healing. The sutures can be removed after about one week. This does not necessarily have to be done in hospital, but can also be done by the family doctor.
The removal of the sutures causes at most a slight pulling, but normally it is completely painless. Aftercare in the form of physiotherapy is usually not necessary. Since the procedure is very small (“microsurgical”), no major complications are to be expected.
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