If you’re an athlete, you may have heard of – or even experienced – Bennett’s fracture. This is a fracture near the base of the first metacarpal bone, which is the bone below the thumb and above the wrist in the palm of the hand. The metacarpal bones are the five bones inside the palm that support the fingers.
You might suffer a Bennett’s fracture when participating in many types of high-impact activities, including the following:
- Football
- Rugby
- Boxing
- Fistfights
- Martial arts
- Falling onto an outstretched hand
Let’s talk about how an orthopedic doctor treats this serious hand injury, and where you can go in Pembroke Pines and Lauderdale Lakes for outstanding orthopedic care.
What Happens in a Bennett’s Fracture?
Bennett’s fracture is an acute hand injury which, along with the bone fracture, usually involves a dislocation/deformity of the thumb. The fracture and dislocation combination can cause the patient to experience:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Thumb deformity in a bent position
- Little to no ability to pinch and grasp objects
The affected hand may be cold, numb, and weak. If it is left untreated, Bennett’s fracture can impact function and mobility in the thumb joint, and osteoarthritis (OA) may set in.
How Does Your Orthopedic Doctor Evaluate and Treat Bennett’s Fracture?
The doctor will thoroughly inspect the hand and order X-rays or a CT scan to confirm the diagnosis of Bennett’s fracture, and to plan specific treatment. Mild to moderate fractures may be manually realigned and then given a plaster cast or a splint to be worn for a period of four to six weeks.
Severe Bennett’s fractures require open reduction surgery and internal fixation to align the bone fragments and to install pins, screws, plates, or other hardware to stabilize the thumb bone as it heals. Having a plaster cast on the hand is routine after this surgery.
All Bennett’s fracture patients will benefit from resting the hand and receiving targeted physical therapy. Your physical therapist will focus on reducing inflammation in the hand, restoring normal appearance of the thumb, strength exercises, flexibility stretches, and restoring hand function.
It’s important to follow through with all aspects of your Bennett’s fracture treatment. This will help you to avoid joint stiffness, hand weakness, and the development of arthritis.
Orthopedic Treatment in Pembroke Pines and Lauderdale Lakes
Here at Total Orthopaedic Care, our board-certified orthopedic surgeons have extensive expertise in assessing and treating a wide array of musculoskeletal disorders, injuries, and diseases. We offer the latest in noninvasive and minimally invasive treatments, so you can get back to the lifestyle you enjoy as quickly as possible.
If you have sustained a hand injury, including Bennett’s fracture, we are here for you. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, contact our friendly staff today by calling us at (954) 735-3535 or by filling out our appointment request form online now. We offer same-day appointments for acute orthopedic injuries, and we look forward to serving you.
