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3 Ways To Deal With Jammed Fingers

You don't have to spend much time on a mat before you will experience the inevitable jammed finger. A jammed finger can turn into a nagging injury that usually won't prevent you from training, but it can make it really uncomfortable and annoying when you do train. So next time you jam one of your fingers, use these methods to dramatically speed up your recovery time.

Use Ice and Heat Appropriately

Ice and heat are not new modalities for dealing with injury, but it helps to know how to use them properly and I have found many people are confused when to use each. Basically, ice restricts blood flow to an area and heat increases blood flow to an area.

Ice should be used immediately after the injury has occurred to reduce swelling, but after that heat will help the injury to heal faster since it increases blood flow to the affected area. When a joint is damaged, like a jammed finger, the body needs "supplies" in order to repair the damage and these "supplies" are brought in via blood. Heat will help the body bring in more oxygen and nutrients to the damaged tissues and help them heal faster.

CBD Creams

CBD oil is very popular right now and for good reason: it works really well at eliminating inflammation and leads to faster recovery. Though many people take CBD oil orally to affect the whole body, a great option is to get a CBD cream and rub it on the fingers and hands to help eliminate inflammation and pain. Using CBD cream on the hands can especially be beneficial if you have repeat injuries to your fingers like many of us do to help combat chronic finger inflammation.

Finger Traction

Traction is used regularly to treat many different types of joint injuries such as injuries to the spine or the shoulder. By placing your jammed finger under traction, you can help alleviate pain and decrease overall recovery time. This is done by grabbing the jammed finger above the injured knuckle and lightly pulling it for a minute or two at a time. This can be done multiple times throughout the day. Avoid trying to yank your finger quickly to get it to pop as this may cause further damage to the already damaged joint.




Happy Rolling,

Dr. Matt Palladino




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