What to Do If You Dislocate Your Thumb

A few weeks ago I dislocated my thumb. Lost my balance (I'm a klutz), went to reach out to grab hold of a table, and managed to slam my thumb down on the pad of my finger - and my finger kept going. In looking at it, my thumb was probably 20 degrees beyond where the range of motion should end. Ouch.

The one thing about dislocating your thumb is that most people instinctively seem to know what to do - try to put it back in place. A firm (and excruitiating) pull right above the joint to put it back in place. And while trying to yank it back into place seems like the only thing to do at such a time, it can also do damage to the ligaments, tendons, and the joint itself if you don't do it right. But when your hand is throbbing in pain and your finger looks disgusting, you may not exactly have a clear mind on how much pressure to yank with.

This wasn't the first time I dislocated my thumb - a few years ago I initially injured the joint (freak swing-dancing incident - like I said, I'm a klutz), which has left it vulnerable to further dislocations since. The trick is, in those initial moments after a thumb dislocation, is to be gentle. If you can (gently) pull the joint back into alignment with a firm but light amount of pressure, you'll feel a whole lot better fast. After that, you'll need to keep it in place. Tape works the best. This is just temporary, so whatever tape you have around - masking, surgical, even scotch tape - will work for the time being. The point is to find a tape that will keep the joint that you just put back into place from dislocating again until you can see your doctor. The best way to do this is by putting the tape on the pad of your thumb, wrapping it around your finger and taping it to your index finger. That will keep your thumb from moving. If you have anything around to immobilize both fingers - a straw, a pen, or ideally, a popsicle stick - place that next to your index finger before you wrap both fingers, and then your thumb will really stay put. All of this is a whole lot easier if you have someone to help you, but if you don't, just go slow - you don't want to hurt yourself again. Get some ice, put it in a bag, and ice your finger as you call your doctor to see what she/he wants you to do next.

If your thumb will not go back with light pressure, you need medical attention fast. The longer it stays dislocated, the greater chance there is for damage to the ligament, tendon, or joint. Plus, it really hurts, and you'll be desperate for someone to abate your pain! Make sure you don't hit your hand, and if possible, loosely splint your thumb as described above. Bring some ice - you may not be considered top of the waiting list if you have to go to the ER for this. In fact, an ER that you know to usually be slow, or better yet, a walk-in clinic may have shorter waiting times. They will numb up your joint before they (professionally) pull it back into place, so just look away and you won't feel a thing.

Dislocating your thumb really, really hurts, but in a few weeks, it should fine if you attend to it immediately. If you don't, you risk a lot of pain later on - so don't put off getting treatment. You'll be giving a thumbs up in no time!