Finger Sprain (hand): How Long to Heal (+ What to Do)

How long does it take to recover from a sprained finger or thumb?

What to do?

My advice from a physiotherapist! If you have any questions, please feel free to comment on the site.

Summary : a finger sprain generally recovers more quickly than a thumb sprain. Count on a healing time of about 3/4 weeks for a finger, and rather 6/8 weeks for the thumb, although these durations fluctuate according to many parameters!

♻️ Last update: 6 October 2024.
👩‍⚖️ Declaration of financial interests: amazon affiliate links. My complete declaration of links of interest is in legal mentions.
Written by Nelly Darbois, physiotherapist and scientific editor

How can I be sure it’s a sprained finger and not a fracture?

It’s not uncommon to twist a finger, bump one or more of them, or have them crushed.

Or falling, having an accident and wondering if you’ve broken one or more fingers, or if it’s just a sprain.

Other common finger injuries

The symptoms of a broken (fractured toe in medical language) or sprained (sprained ligament in medical language) finger are similar to those of other traumas :

• dislocation of one or more fingers. This can usually be detected, as the deformity is visible to the naked eye. Often, the finger remains bent, and can no longer be stretched (or only with difficulty);
• a tear in one or more tendons;
• a simple contusion of one or more fingers.

So what are these common symptoms?

• swelling in the phalanges of one or more toes (edema). This swelling may also be more widespread in the hand or wrist;
• severe pain, often even at rest (without moving the fingers). Pulsating pain;
• skin that changes color, turning blue or purple (ecchymosis);
• difficulty moving the finger;
• difficulty using the hand concerned;
• a deformity of the finger visible to the naked eye.

Only some of these signs may be present. The duration of the symptoms, the fact that the finger has been turned over or the precise location of the pain are not good indicators of the diagnosis.

Even in the case of a mild sprain without a ruptured ligament or contusion, swelling can last for weeks.

Broken, sprained or sprained finger?

So how do you know if you have a phalanx fracture, a dislocation or, on the contrary, nothing broken or dislocated? Since these are often the same symptoms?

Only an X-ray (or possibly other imaging) can diagnose a fracture, and differentiate a fracture from a simple sprain or contusion.

Often, however, people don’t consult a doctor or the emergency room after twisting their finger. As a result, no X-ray is prescribed.

You’ve decided that your injury isn’t serious enough to need medical attention? That’s your right, even if as caregivers we often tend to encourage consultation.

In this case, you can’t know whether you have a fracture, sprain or contusion. And you may never know.

This isn’t a serious problem in itself, because most of the time, we recover well from these 3 problems. Whatever you do, whatever treatment (or lack of treatment) you put in place!

A finger that remains locked in the bent position, on the other hand, should raise the suspicion of a dislocation or rupture of the tendons or extensor muscles. In this case, you should seek medical advice, as these injuries require more attention and often specific treatment.

The different types of finger sprain

There are different types of sprain depending on their precise location (which finger and which part of the finger) or whether several ligaments are affected.

Depending on the tests you have or haven’t had (X-ray, MRI, ultrasound, etc.), you may or may not have a precise sprain name… or not. This doesn’t make much difference to the treatment, so don’t worry, it’s not a big deal if you don’t know what type of sprain you have.

Here’s a summary of the most common types of finger sprain.

1. Metacarpophalangeal joint (MCP) sprain: the joint at the base of the finger, where the finger connects to the hand.
2. Proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP) sprain: the joint in the middle of the finger, between the first phalanx (proximal phalanx) and the second phalanx (middle phalanx).
3. Distal interphalangeal joint (DIP) sprain: the joint at the tip of the finger, between the second phalanx (middle phalanx) and the third phalanx (distal phalanx).
4. Lateral ligament sprain: the fingers have lateral ligaments that help maintain their stability.
5. Trapeziometacarpal joint (TMC) sprain: the joint at the base of the thumb, where the thumb connects to the hand.
6. Z-sprain: sprain that may affect several joints of the finger.

These are sometimes referred to as mild, moderate or severe sprains.

How long does it take to heal a sprained finger?

First of all, I’m going to talk about healing time in general, whatever finger is affected (thumb, index, middle, little or ring finger). And whatever the joint (phalanx or metacarpophalangeal).

Here are some average times I’ve observed as a physiotherapist. I have not found more precise figures in the scientific literature.

Step	Delay
Less pain	A few days
Your finger is less swollen, less blue (hematoma, ecchymosis).	A few days to a few weeks
You can re-use your hand and finger for everyday activities	Immediately (to be adapted according to pain)
You can drive a car	Right away (unless you have a splint in the way)
You can remove the splint or bandage	A few days to a few weeks
You can resume all sports “without risk”, including those with a risk of twisting the finger, such as volleyball or basketball.	Ideally after 6/8 weeks, when the ligament is starting to heal properly, although many (with a protective splint) resume before that.

Is the healing time for a thumb sprain different?

The thumb is made up of joints that are more mobile and used than those of the other fingers. So, in general, it takes a little longer to recover from a thumb sprain than from one of the other fingers.

Especially if the sprain involves several ligaments and the tear is significant, or even associated with a bone tear. In this case, it can take several months to fully recover from a thumb sprain (3-6 months), often requiring rehabilitation.

Is the healing time for a finger sprain different?

We often speak of a finger sprain when we’ve twisted our finger, but don’t have a sprain. (Or when you don’t know whether you’ve sprained it or not).

So, yes, a sprained finger usually recovers more quickly. Because it’s likely that the lesion is less significant.

What can be done to speed up sprain healing?

When you twist your finger, you’re often in a hurry to recover. And we look for solutions to help the wound heal faster.

But there’s no miracle technique/treatment/recipe/solution to help a torn ligament heal faster. The main thing you can do is encourage it to heal naturally, by protecting it as little as possible so that it doesn’t twist again.

And keep moving all the same, because movement helps to activate blood circulation, which brings everything the injured area needs to heal properly.

Should the finger be immobilized (and how)?

Case 1: A doctor has diagnosed you with a sprain.

In this case, you should have received precise instructions.

In general, you’ll be prescribed a small splint (not custom-made) or a syndactyly, or a simple bandage to hold the sprained finger to another finger, in order to stabilize it.

Sometimes you’re not prescribed anything at all, but simply advised to be careful, so your finger doesn’t twist again.

Case 2: You haven’t had a medical diagnosis; you simply think you’ve sprained or strained your finger.

Most of the time, a torn or stretched finger ligament can heal without a splint. However, a splint can sometimes relieve pain in the damaged area.

To be less generous, you can make your own syndactyly, a kind of bandage that allows you to attach one finger to another. Or buy one.

How long can I keep the splint on for a sprained thumb or finger?

Again, there are two possible scenarios:

• you’ve been given a specific deadline. In this case, you can respect it, or discuss with the person who prescribed this deadline why, if this deadline seems too long to you;
• you have not been given a specific time to keep the splint on. In this case, go with your gut feeling, depending on the pain or your apprehension. In general, a few days or 2/3 week are sufficient for simple finger sprains. The thumb, on the other hand, often needs to be immobilized a little longer.

Are you allowed to use your fingers? Play sports?

Here’s what one publication has to say about finger sprains in athletes in a hurry to get back into the sport:

Provided the joint remains clinically stable, collateral ligament injuries can be treated non-operatively using a rigid protective splint worn permanently for 3 weeks.

Most athletes can continue to practice their sport during treatment, although glove wearing and grip strength may be compromised.

Carruthers 2016

So yes, with a sprained finger, you can resume your daily activities if the pain allows.

You don’t risk aggravating the sprain by using your hand to eat, wash, write, drive, etc.

For sprains involving the thumb, caution is sometimes more advisable, as the joint is more mobile.

Here’s what another research team has to say:

In general, the patient should wait at least six weeks before returning to work or sport. [Sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament of the thumb].

Mohseni 2023

Do you need physical therapy or rehabilitation?

It’s quite rare for physiotherapy sessions to be prescribed for a sprained finger (index, middle, ring or little finger). This is because the sprain usually recovers quickly and easily.

On the other hand, it’s more common to need rehabilitation after a thumb sprain. As it’s a more flexible and solicited joint, it may need a little more attention.

How do you know whether or not you need rehabilitation in your case?

You can discuss this with your GP, or another doctor to whom you have shown your injury.

You can make an appointment with a physiotherapist to get his or her opinion. (In some countries you can see some physiotherapists without a prescription, especially in big cities).

Ask yourself if there are things you can’t do since your sprain. If you feel that it’s not going to come back on its own, or you’d like to put things in place to maximize the chances of recovery, then consulting a physiotherapist is a good idea, I think.

See also here for exercises for hard-to-bend fingers and my guide to rehabilitating fingers after fractures.

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I hope I’ve answered your main questions! Any comments or questions? See you in comments !