What exercises for recently fractured thumb?

[physiofi]

Sounds like you're doing well! Just remember that finger/thumb fractures can sometimes be a bit more fiddly with regards to stiffness...give it a bit more time and keep going with gentle mobilising exercises, sounds like you're doing just fine - wishing you a speedy recovery!

[Davey101]

I was back at the fracture clinic today for the first time since the cast came off 3 weeks ago. It's 7 weeks since the injury.


I saw the doctor for less than 5 minutes and he tested my range of movement and did one test of my strength: he had me extend my thumb as far upwards as possible with my palm facing down. I was then to try to keep the thumb still while he pushed it downwards.


The diagnosis was that I was fine and could go. I asked about physio but he said I didn't need anything other than the movements he'd just asked me to do.


Thanks again for the help because I am only at this stage because of the exercises I have been doing by myself for the last 3 weeks. For the first two weeks I protected the hand and concentrated on range of movement and touching my thumb to each finger. For the last week I stopped protecting the hand, used it for all writing, used a gel therapy ball and increased my dumbbells to a modest 5.5kg (not that I have used them a huge amount).


I still have some pain and stiffness but I figure that will ease with time and use. The main problem areas are raising the thumb upwards (with the palm facing down) and moving my thumb towards my forefinger with the palm flat. The latter is also my main source of pain, although the pain comes from the muscle between thumb and forefinger, rather than the region of the fracture.