Thank you for the informative video! Question: I just took off the splint i have been wearing for about 7 weeks. My finger has a small lag but when i straighten and extend it, the fingertip is not as stable as my other fingers and I am able to move it back and forth slightly. Is this normal? Will it likely keep healing and get stronger or is this what it's going to be like?
Hmm, interesting question. The most likely scenario is that at the time of the initial tendon injury, there was also an injury to one or both of the collateral ligaments at the end joint. If so, this is very likely to improve steadily as the ligaments continue to heal, as long as you can avoid re-injury. A similar feeling of instability could occur just from having some swelling present inside the joint - again, something which should subside and improve gradually. Permanent instability seems very unlikely. I would certainly advise a little extra caution with that finger over the next 2-4 weeks. Maybe keep using the splint part time, or at least be extra cautious in risky environments. All the best with your recovery!
@@iandowley8059 thank you so much! I wouldn’t be surprised if the cal lateral ligaments were injured- my joint got dislocated during the accident. It popped right back when I extended my fingers but it was very painful and swelled excessively the following couple days. Well I sure appreciate your prompt reply! The information is very helpful.
Is there a difference in taping if the sports requires a lot of hand dexterity? I play volleyball and injured my ring finger setting the ball. What would the splint and taping technique look like for volleyball players?
Taping for volleyball (and for most ball sports) is pretty straightforward, as you can play the sport without ever needing to clench your fingers into a full fist. It is much more difficult with grappling sports (eg Jiu Jitsu or wrestling). The most important thing is to protect the injured joint - keeping it splinted in full extension, securely taped on to the injured digit. There is no problem with the PIP joint (middle knuckle) having plenty of movement. Secondly, make sure everyone else on your team is safe, by covering the splint with tape right to the end - no accidental scratches please! And thirdly, protect the other unsplinted joints in your ring finger by buddy-taping it to the middle finger. This buddy taping doesn't need to be with the fingers tight together. Allow 1-2cm of space between the fingers as you put the sports tape around the tips, then pinch the top and bottom bands of tape together into a 'webbing' between the digits. This little bit of extra hand span makes a big difference to the hand feeling more normal when you are playing. I hope it goes really well for you!
Hi David, I mostly use 2.0mm microperforated Orfit Colors - it is marginally too thick for a small finger, so if you have access to a range of plastics you might want to use something which comes in a 1.6mm thickness for smaller hands. Having said that, the extra thickness is rarely a problem, and I like the versatility of the 2mm plastic - I can use it for all my finger and wrist splints, and with a bit of reinforcing can even make it work for an elbow splint. Cuts down on the number of different plastics I need to keep in stock ☺ Cheers - happy splinting!
Thank you for the informative video! Question: I just took off the splint i have been wearing for about 7 weeks. My finger has a small lag but when i straighten and extend it, the fingertip is not as stable as my other fingers and I am able to move it back and forth slightly. Is this normal? Will it likely keep healing and get stronger or is this what it's going to be like?
Hmm, interesting question. The most likely scenario is that at the time of the initial tendon injury, there was also an injury to one or both of the collateral ligaments at the end joint. If so, this is very likely to improve steadily as the ligaments continue to heal, as long as you can avoid re-injury. A similar feeling of instability could occur just from having some swelling present inside the joint - again, something which should subside and improve gradually. Permanent instability seems very unlikely. I would certainly advise a little extra caution with that finger over the next 2-4 weeks. Maybe keep using the splint part time, or at least be extra cautious in risky environments.
All the best with your recovery!
@@iandowley8059 thank you so much! I wouldn’t be surprised if the cal lateral ligaments were injured- my joint got dislocated during the accident. It popped right back when I extended my fingers but it was very painful and swelled excessively the following couple days. Well I sure appreciate your prompt reply! The information is very helpful.
Is there a difference in taping if the sports requires a lot of hand dexterity? I play volleyball and injured my ring finger setting the ball. What would the splint and taping technique look like for volleyball players?
Taping for volleyball (and for most ball sports) is pretty straightforward, as you can play the sport without ever needing to clench your fingers into a full fist. It is much more difficult with grappling sports (eg Jiu Jitsu or wrestling). The most important thing is to protect the injured joint - keeping it splinted in full extension, securely taped on to the injured digit. There is no problem with the PIP joint (middle knuckle) having plenty of movement. Secondly, make sure everyone else on your team is safe, by covering the splint with tape right to the end - no accidental scratches please! And thirdly, protect the other unsplinted joints in your ring finger by buddy-taping it to the middle finger. This buddy taping doesn't need to be with the fingers tight together. Allow 1-2cm of space between the fingers as you put the sports tape around the tips, then pinch the top and bottom bands of tape together into a 'webbing' between the digits. This little bit of extra hand span makes a big difference to the hand feeling more normal when you are playing. I hope it goes really well for you!
what is your favorite type and thickness of thermoplastic sheet material for making these fingertip splits?
Hi David, I mostly use 2.0mm microperforated Orfit Colors - it is marginally too thick for a small finger, so if you have access to a range of plastics you might want to use something which comes in a 1.6mm thickness for smaller hands. Having said that, the extra thickness is rarely a problem, and I like the versatility of the 2mm plastic - I can use it for all my finger and wrist splints, and with a bit of reinforcing can even make it work for an elbow splint. Cuts down on the number of different plastics I need to keep in stock ☺
Cheers - happy splinting!
Promo'SM