A sprain can occur when a ligament in the thumb is injured or torn. Ligaments connect two bones, forming a joint. A sprain can be very painful and may be confused with a broken bone or a joint problem, such as arthritis. The hand is made up of a complex group of joints, including tendons, ligaments, and muscles.
Thumb Injuries | Your Complete Guide to Diagnosing Thumb Pain
A sprained thumb occurs when the ligaments that support the thumb stretch beyond their limits or tear. This usually happens when a strong force bends the thumb backwards, away from the palm of the hand. The most common way for this to occur is by falling onto an outstretched hand. A tear to this ligament can be painful and may make your thumb feel unstable.
Texting, typing, gaming … Such activities pervade our lives. More specifically these painful or irritating conditions are repetitive stress injuries that fall under the more scientific categories of tendinitis, tendinosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, osteoarthritis, carpometacarpal joint irritation, collateral ligament injury, etc. As I alluded to, we use our thumbs frequently throughout the day for technology use and otherwise. Indeed, many jobs require frequent use of the thumbs. For this reason, it is a relief to know that there are thumb stabilizers available that help the thumb to heal while at the same time allowing mobility and range of motion for your hand and thumb.
Thumb injuries are relatively rare in sports. Injuries to the thumb can involve the tendons which move our joints, the ligaments that hold the bones together, or a fracture of one of the bones of the thumb. Many fractures and ligament injuries around the thumb may require prompt attention and surgery.