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This article was co-written by Jonas DeMuro, MD. Dr. DeMuro is a licensed pediatric health surgeon in New York. He received his MD from Stony Brook University School of Medicine in 1996. He completed his study in Surgical Urgent Care at the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System and served as a member. from the American College of Surgeons (ACS).
There are 14 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 9,304 times.
When you break a knuckle, you can find it extremely painful. This condition can also disrupt your life if you have an occupation that requires the use of your hands. Sometimes it can be difficult to determine if your knuckle is really broken or just bruised. Knuckle fractures require medical attention, but bruises and even minor fractures can heal on their own. Learn how to identify a knuckle fracture and seek medical attention if necessary.
Steps
Situation Assessment
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There is an explosive feeling. People with broken knuckles often report having a popping or snapping sensation in their hand when the fracture occurs. The feeling of explosion is due to the fact that the bone is actually broken or the bone fragments are out of place. If you have this feeling, it is best to stop what you are doing and examine your hand. [1] X Research Source
- An explosive sensation does not always occur when the knuckle bone is broken. Whether you feel this or not depends on the severity of the fracture.
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Determine the cause of the injury. Knuckle fractures are often referred to as “boxer style breaks” because this injury usually occurs when the injured person punches a hard surface. Were you punching a wall or an immovable surface? Or maybe you get caught up in the fight with punches? If you punch a hard object, chances are you’ll break a knuckle. [2] X Research Source
- There are also other less common causes of knuckle fractures. Knuckles can break when you fall, operate machinery, or engage in activities that cause injury to your hand.
- Some doctors now refer to knuckle fractures as a “fightman break” rather than a “boxer break” because boxers often prevent fractures by wearing gloves. You’re more likely to break a knuckle if you punch a hard object with your bare fist.
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Feel the pain immediately. Knuckle fractures are accompanied by immediate and intense pain. Immediately after the injury, you will feel a sharp pain in your hand and then severe pain. Depending on your body’s pain threshold, this feeling can make you weak and force you to stop what you’re doing. [3] X Research Sources
- If your knuckle is only mildly broken, you may not feel severe pain. However, you should still stop your hand because you may end up hurting your finger further.
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Measure temperature at hand. When you break a knuckle, blood rushes to the fractured area and causes the hand to heat up. Check the temperature of the injured hand and also the other hand. If the injured hand is much warmer than the other, your knuckle is probably broken. [4] X Research Sources
Visually check knuckles
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Check for swelling. If broken, the knuckle will start to swell after about 10 minutes. The swelling will appear around the broken knuckle and can spread to the whole hand. Swelling in the knuckles can be very serious. You will find it difficult to move your hand if there is a lot of swelling. [5] X Research Sources
- When your knuckles start to swell, you may feel a prickling or numbing sensation.
- Take aspirin, ibuprofen, or other over-the-counter pain relievers to reduce swelling and deal with pain.
- Swollen hands will hinder the doctor’s examination. Applying ice to the wound early on can help reduce swelling. Wrap a bag of ice or frozen vegetables in a paper towel and place it on your finger. Apply for about 20 minutes each time to let the skin return to normal temperature before applying again. [6] X Trusted Source University of Rochester Medical Center Go to Source
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Observe for bruising. Bruising at a broken knuckle will happen faster than usual. As blood rushes to the fracture, the area will begin to change color within minutes. It will make the wound very painful, even just touching the broken knuckle.
- There are also cases of fractures without bruising, but very rarely.
- Elevate your hand to reduce bruising. Raising your hand above your heart will help blood flow out of the wound. [7] X Research Sources
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Look for knuckles that are sunken. A surefire way to tell if a knuckle is broken is to see it drop lower than the other knuckles. If possible, make a fist and observe the knuckles. The knuckles will normally protrude. If you can’t see a node, it’s definitely broken. [8] X Research Sources
- The fracture can affect the position or angle of the knuckle, causing it to drop.
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Locate the broken skin. If the bone protrudes from the skin, this is an open fracture and requires surgery to treat. You need to wash the skin with antibacterial soap. [9] X Research Sources Open wounds around broken bones are susceptible to infection and make treatment much more complicated.
- Washing a broken finger can be painful, but it’s very important.
- Make sure the wound is completely dry, as moisture will encourage bacteria to grow. You can also cover the wound with clean gauze to prevent infection.
- Remove any debris from the wound. If something goes through your knuckle, leave it to your doctor to remove.
Test your mobility
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Fold your finger. Try flexing the injured finger to check for a dislocated or rotated knuckle. If your knuckle is dislocated, you won’t be able to flex your finger at all because the bone will move in a way that makes it impossible for you to move your finger. If the bone is rotated, you can still flex your finger, but it will point towards the thumb. Rotation means that the bone is rotated causing the finger to bend in a different direction than before. [10] X Research Source
- If the bone is dislocated or rotated, you will need to be realigned by your doctor.
- Rotated or dislocated knuckles usually take longer to heal than a typical broken knuckle.
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Hold my hand. If your knuckles are broken, it will be difficult for you to make a fist. You can check the severity of the injury by trying to make a fist. If you have a knuckle fracture, your hand may be too swollen or too painful to move your fingers. You can also contract other fingers except the one with the broken knuckle. If your knuckle is broken but you can still make a fist, the injured finger may not align with the rest of the fingers. [11] X Research Source
- Don’t try too hard. If you use all your strength to push through the pain and make a fist, you may end up hurting more or dislocating your joint further.
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Grasp an object. A broken knuckle will greatly reduce the strength of the finger. The brain stops working the muscles around the wound to prevent further damage. If you find yourself unable to grip anything, it’s probably because your brain is trying to protect a broken knuckle. [12] X Research Source
- If you only have a slight fracture in your knuckles, you may still be able to hold a grip. However, if you suspect you have broken a bone, you should leave it alone. Gripping an object too tightly can make a fracture worse.
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Check the wrist. The knuckles are located on the bones of the hand. The end of the hand bone connects to the wrist bone. [13] X Source of Study These two bones are joined together, so a broken knuckle can affect wrist mobility. Try moving your wrist up and down and side to side. If you feel a sharp pain throughout your hand, you most likely have a serious knuckle fracture.
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Find treatment. If you suspect a broken knuckle, you need to see a doctor or go to the emergency room as soon as possible for treatment. You’ll probably need a splint for a few weeks until the knuckle heals. [14] X Source of Research A cast is not usually needed for fractures of the hand and fingers. [15] X Research Source
Advice
- To immobilize the knuckle, you should splint the injured finger to another finger.
- See a doctor as soon as you think your knuckle is broken. Your doctor may take X-rays to confirm your suspicions.
- Always cover open wounds to prevent bacteria from entering.
Warning
- Never try to use a broken finger; you can turn a minor crack into a more serious one.
- Avoid punching hard objects to prevent broken knuckles. If fighting or practicing martial arts, wear gloves to protect your hands.
- Some cases of knuckle fractures require surgery. If surgery is required, the recovery time may be longer.
- If you have a severe knuckle fracture that requires immobilization with a cast, it may take four to six weeks to recover. Be prepared to lose some work if your profession requires the use of hands.
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This article was co-written by Jonas DeMuro, MD. Dr. DeMuro is a licensed pediatric health surgeon in New York. He received his MD from Stony Brook University School of Medicine in 1996. He completed his study in Surgical Urgent Care at the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System and served as a member. from the American College of Surgeons (ACS).
There are 14 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 9,304 times.
When you break a knuckle, you can find it extremely painful. This condition can also disrupt your life if you have an occupation that requires the use of your hands. Sometimes it can be difficult to determine if your knuckle is really broken or just bruised. Knuckle fractures require medical attention, but bruises and even minor fractures can heal on their own. Learn how to identify a knuckle fracture and seek medical attention if necessary.
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