Treating a Broken Thumb Following a Car Accident

Posted .

When involved in a car accident, it is not uncommon for one of the resulting injuries to be treating a broken thumb. This is particularly true if the thumb is positioned in such a way that it is damaged when the airbag is deployed from the steering wheel.

If your thumb is injured during a car accident, you will likely be able to determine whether or not it is broken fairly quickly. Some of the symptoms associated with a broken thumb include:

  • Swelling at the base of the thumb
  • Limited ability to move the thumb
  • Extreme tenderness, severe pain or a cold or numb feeling
  • Misshapen appearance

It should be noted that many of these symptoms are also associated with a severe sprain or ligament tear. Therefore, it is important to see your doctor to determine the exact nature of the injury.

Treating a Broken Thumb

Treatment for a broken thumb may be nonsurgical or surgical. Nonsurgical treatment may be the best option if the broken bone fragments have not moved too far out of place. In this case, the doctor can set the bones with a process known as closed reduction. The thumb will then be set in a spica cast for six weeks to hold it in place while it heals. 

Surgical treatment will be necessary if there is a lot of displacement of bone fragments or if the fracture reaches the CMC joint. The surgical process of resetting the bone is known as open reduction. The surgeon may need to insert a small plate, screws or wires through your skin to hold the bone pieces in place while the injury heals. 

If you have been involved in a car accident, contact Advanced Spine & Rehab to learn more about how we can help you heal.

Request Appointment