Busted Thumb?

[Struggling_Mudansha]

After sparring a couple months ago in Jiyu Kumite, I hurt my right thumb. The big joint that attaches the thumb to the hand was really swollen and it hurt to hyper extend or curl.

There's no more swelling now, but I still feel soreness to move it in extreme directions. It also hurts a little bit to press on the joint that was injured.

Considering this happened months ago, I'm really starting to worry I've caused permanent damage. Did I break my thumb unknowingly, or did I bust the ever loving crud out of the nerves and tendons?

Is it just taking a really long time to heal?

[sensei8]

To know for certain if whether your thumbs broken or not, my initial advice is that you visit your doctor asap, then follow the advice from your doctor. In meanwhile, I'd ice it, and I'd immobilize it as best as I can in order to hopefully limit any further aggravation/injury until I got to my doctor.

We, whomever, tend to be our own doctor, and I believe that that might be the most frugal thing to, as well as self-diagnosing at the time, but that mindset can cause additional grieve in the long run.

Hang in there, and I hope you feel better, sooner than later!!

[Nidan Melbourne]

Best advice i can give is see a physician and get scans on your thumb. So i can't give a diagnosis for that, but a physician can because they can palpate (feel) your thumb and do a range of tests + order scans.

I'd say don't leave this for much longer because if there is damage to nerves or blood vessels you don't want there to be further damage. Hopefully it is just structural and no other damage.

[JR 137]

Hands take quite some time to heal due to lower blood supply compared to the rest of the body, and the constant fine use of them (hands require so much more fine motor control than any other part of the body).

I know this is only the Internet, I have little information to go with, and I haven't physically seen your hand, but I initially thought game keeper's thumb. There's a ligament on the inside of your thumb the connects the base of your thumb to the base of your hand; it's like the MCL of the knee. If you grab your thumb knuckle (where it attaches to your hand) the inside part is where the ligament is. Technically it's the UCL of the thumb.

If completely torn, it requires surgery to fix. The longer you wait, the more complicated it is to fix. Get to a physician asap to make sure it's not that. If it is game keeper's thumb, it won't go away nor really heal. It'll feel better until you twist the wrong way.

[Nidan Melbourne]

Hands take quite some time to heal due to lower blood supply compared to the rest of the body, and the constant fine use of them (hands require so much more fine motor control than any other part of the body).

I know this is only the Internet, I have little information to go with, and I haven't physically seen your hand, but I initially thought game keeper's thumb. There's a ligament on the inside of your thumb the connects the base of your thumb to the base of your hand; it's like the MCL of the knee. If you grab your thumb knuckle (where it attaches to your hand) the inside part is where the ligament is. Technically it's the UCL of the thumb.

If completely torn, it requires surgery to fix. The longer you wait, the more complicated it is to fix. Get to a physician asap to make sure it's not that. If it is game keeper's thumb, it won't go away nor really heal. It'll feel better until you twist the wrong way.

That is true, ligaments and tendons absolutely suck if damaged in any shape or form.

Hopefully it isn't that severe, and a brace is all that is required!

[Spartacus Maximus]

This exact injury happened to myself a year or so ago. No broken bones or tearing. Just a nasty sprain that took nearly three months to completely heal and the soreness/discomfort to disappear.