Finger Injuries and Disorders—Dislocations

Dislocations are joint injuries that force the ends of your bones out of position. The cause is often a fall or a blow, sometimes from playing a contact sport. You can dislocate your ankles, knees, shoulders, hips, elbows and jaw. You can also dislocate your finger and toe joints. Dislocated joints often are swollen, very painful and visibly out of place. You may not be able to move it.

A dislocated joint is an emergency. If you have one, seek medical attention. Treatment depends on which joint you dislocate and the severity of the injury. It might include manipulations to reposition your bones, medicine, a splint or sling, and rehabilitation. When properly repositioned, a joint will usually function and move normally again in a few weeks. Once you dislocate a shoulder or kneecap, you are more likely to dislocate it again. Wearing protective gear during sports may help prevent dislocations.

• Dislocated shoulder – aftercare (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Dislocation (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Kneecap dislocation (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Kneecap dislocation – aftercare (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Nursemaid’s elbow (Medical Encyclopedia)

You use your fingers and thumbs to do everything from grasping objects to playing musical instruments to typing. When there is something wrong with them, it can make life difficult. Common problems include

• Injuries that result in fractures, ruptured ligaments and dislocations
• Osteoarthritis – wear-and-tear arthritis. It can also cause deformity.
• Tendinitis – irritation of the tendons
• Dupuytren’s contracture – a hereditary thickening of the tough tissue that lies just below the skin of your palm. It causes the fingers to stiffen and bend.
• Trigger finger – an irritation of the sheath that surrounds the flexor tendons. It can cause the tendon to catch and release like a trigger.

• Claw hand (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Clubbing of the fingers or toes (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Finger pain (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Mallet finger – aftercare (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Polydactyly (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Smashed fingers (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Trigger finger (Medical Encyclopedia)