A female asked:
I fracture my metacarpal, index finger i went to the doctor they took x-ray they told me that they gave me medicine and told me i have to go with a specialist they put cast on one side and i was wondering do i have to go or could it heled itself?
2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in
Dr. Jeffrey Wintanswered
Hand Surgery 37 years experience
I : I assume you have a fracture or bad sprain and you are splinted
odds are it is not definitive treatment and you need to follow up in order to get adequate treatment
it's not enough to just heal you want to heal correctly
that is a very typical scenario.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. Monica Woodanswered
Hand Surgery 30 years experience
While : While fractures of the small finger metacarpal are quite common and only rarely cause problems, this does not apply to the index finger. We divide the hand into 2 segments--a mobile unit with the ring and small finger and a "fixed" unit with the index and middle fingers. There is less "play" in the joints to the index and middle fingers and therefore they tolerate less deformity. It also takes a lot more energy to break the index finger metacarpal than the other ones.
That said, you have a risk of healing in a shortened or rotated position that can affect grip strength or cause the fingers to overlap. A good hand surgeon will evaluate the clinical as well as radiographic deformity. That is--some deformity will not show up on the x-rays and may only show up by moving and examining the hand.
You should definitely see a specialist for this particular injury.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Zahid Niazi commented
Cosmetic Surgery 41 years experience
Agree with Dr Wood. Your PCP has started you on the interim treatment till your Hand specialist gets to evaluate and treat you definitively. See a Hand surgeon soon.
Nov 11, 2013
Last updated Jul 26, 2018
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