Finger, hand, or wrist injuries most commonly occur during:

• Sports or recreational activities.

• Work-related tasks.

• Work or projects around the home, especially if using machinery such as lawn mowers, snow blowers, or hand tools.

• Accidental falls.

• Fistfights.

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The risk of finger, hand, or wrist injury is higher in contact sports, such as wrestling, football, or soccer, and in high-speed sports, such as biking, in-line skating, skiing, snowboarding, and skateboarding.

 

Sports that require weight-bearing on the hands and arms, such as gymnastics, can increase the risk for injury. Sports that use hand equipment such as ski poles, hockey or lacrosse sticks, or racquets also increase the risk of injury.

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In children, most finger, hand, or wrist injuries occur during sports or play or from accidental falls. Any injury occurring at the end of a long bone near a joint may injure the growth plate (physis) and needs to be evaluated.

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Older adults are at higher risk for injuries and fractures because they lose muscle mass and bone strength as they age. They also have more problems with vision and balance, which increases their risk of accidental injury.

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Most minor injuries will heal on their own, and home treatment is usually all that is needed to relieve symptoms and promote healing.

Sudden (acute) injury

An acute injury may occur from a direct blow, a penetrating injury, or a fall, or from twisting, jerking, jamming, or bending a limb abnormally. Pain may be sudden and severe. Bruising and swelling may develop soon after the injury. Acute injuries include:

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• Bruises. After a wrist or hand injury, bruising may extend to the fingers from the effects of gravity.

• Injuries to ligaments, such as a skier's thumb injury.

• Injuries to tendons, such as mallet finger.

• Injuries to joints (sprains).

• Pulled muscles (strains).

• Broken bones (fractures), such as a wrist fracture.

• Dislocations.

• Crushing injury, which can lead to compartment syndrome.