I managed to dislocate my finger last night playing football.
The doc who plays with us ‘popped’ it back so it’s in the right place again.

It is now pretty swollen with limited movement and nowhere near being able to grip anything.
I have it strapped up and given it a dose of ice last night it is not particularly painful, but how long will it take to get back to normal usage?
Anyone with any experience of dislocated fingers?

I did my pinky coming off around CyB. Popped it straight back in, and then drove to Manchester. Probably two weeks or so before it started to get strong again. Strapping it up is fine i think, but start moving it ( bending it back ) as soon as you can to avoid ending up with wonky finger ( check that with medic, but I am sure i was told that ). Mine looks pretty good now..

Cheers Jerome,
I’m tentatively moving it and it appears to be back where it was originally.
I’m hoping once the swelling has subsided it should be OK, but I doubt I could hold on to the bars and use a brake effectively for a while…

Dislocated left index finger 3 months ago riding (broke metacarpal as well). Finger knuckle still massive, about 50% bend and weaker. Been told 12 months for full functionality. Bit of a pisser trying to 1 finger brake.

Buddy tape it to the one next to it and keep moving it within the limits of pain. Once the swelling goes down your joint will be stiff and have reduced range of movement. Once the pain goes from any movement just try gently bouncing it off the end of the range of movement and you’ll gradually get it all back.

That’s what I did, and it’s as good as new now. Takes a while for the stiffness to go though.

get it moving asap, and if it isn’t properly functional get it seen to.

I did plenty thru many years of playing in goal and keeping wicket. Most went back in with no issues but i have one that is **** up where as well as a dislocation, it actually broke / chipped in the joint and the bone regrowth is now fouling the hinge so it won’t bend beyond about 45 degrees.

[Oh, and MTFU too. The bent one as above was done one week and i was keeping wicket again the week after – would have lost place in team if I hadn’t, it was quite serious then. It was OK as long as the ball went nicely into the palms, but for a few weeks after every one that hit the fingers caused a ngggh! moment]

Wow! 12 months for a complete recovery!
Have you been advised on any exercises to aid recovery or is it just a case of it will return to normal in it’s own time?

I dislocated a finger (wrapping an elastic band around an inner tube 😳 ) and it took a good few weeks until it was back to normal. Just protect it a bit for the first few days strapping it to the finger next to it and then slowly start to get it moving again.

You’re guaranteed to keep catching it on stuff for days, and it hurts 🙁

Mine took years to recover after dislocating it on a dry ski slope. Only recently been able to get my wedding ring off!

Cheers for all the replies.

A good dose of MTFU required and get on with it then.

I do exercises to gain flexibilty but the joint is massive and still sore.don’t get me wrong, still cycling but get cramp in hand/finger and just expect to recover with time. Got a hand exerciser as well which has helped.

I did mine in Chamonix, I thought my glove looked a bit odd with the little finger sticking off to one side. Turned out it had my finger in it still !

I got some movement back after a couple of days, it’s still swollen but I have most of the range back after 6 weeks. I’ve not done anything special but I do make sure I flex it regularly.

Dislocated my thumb in Grizedale last July and it took the best part of a year to fully get strength back in it. Apparently the problem is that it stretches the tendons which just take a long long time to heal as the blood supply isn’t huge. I’d get to a hand therapist at your surgery/hospital and they will probably give you some medical grade silly putty and exercises to do with it which should get it going quicker.

Popped the end joint of my little finger playing basketball in Strensall in 2009. Still not got full movement in it, but it’s stopped being painful. It still looks a bit swollen, but that’s just callus on the bone I think.

I did mine on 11th Oct last year, so by strange coincidence, a year to the day. Forefinger on left hand, ditched bike to the left and the brake lever popped it out (pushing it towards my middle finger at the middle knuckle).

Took months before I had even 50% movement back, and even now I can only screw it up to about 90% of what it should do. I still have a noticeable bulge on the outside.

It aches a bit the morning after cold rides.

Did my left thumb and index finger (technically not the thumb but i knackered it during the fall) a few years back. Stupid bloody football too. As others have said, took ages to get back to working strength. I remember nearly fainting as one nurse held my elbow for traction while the doctor tried relocating it. FOR THE THIRD TIME!!! And it still wouldn’t go back in.

Great for drinking tea.

Mine’s similar to Margin Walker – on 22nd Dec last year I came off (puddle on a corner, both wheels went, I landed in the next puddle) broke my 5th metacarpal & also sprained 4th finger on my right hand. I still can’t get close to making a fist – finally got referred to a hand speciailist who said expect 18 months recovery. Got all sorts of splints to bend it & straighten it, but it’s awful slow.

I was back riding relatively quickly but it’s still odd riding with a 2 finger grip on the bars.

The wife dislocated hers wearing my shoes to go into the Garage.
Two months to start gripping ok, now six months on she still goes to finger physio and wears a splint at night.
Try not to knock it initially (critical stage)
I reckon 12 months seems about right!