The Seattle Times wrote a great article regarding the hands of the Seattle Seahawks football players. According to the article, many players have a variety of reasons for taping their fingers, using gloves or just barehandling a football, and with the NFL Preseason underway, most of the players are honing their techniques and skill set for the big first game of the regular season. This means taking care of their hands to catch a hail Mary pass, tightening up on the football drop before a big punt, or keeping their hands safewhile being blocked by an opposing player.
Bruised, scraped and sometimes mangled, a football player’s hands goes through a lot on and off season. Dr. Ruhlman treats a variety of sports-related injuries to the hands. He notes that, “Although virtually any part of your body can be injured during sports, hands are injured more often than any other part when playing a sporting event.”
Wrist Sprains
A football player who falls onto an outstretched hand could suffer a wrist sprain. A sprained wrist involves an injured ligament, the fibrous tissue that holds bones together. Most wrist sprains can be treated with rest, ice, compression, and elevation.
Finger Fractures
Finger fractures are common among football players. The symptoms include pain, tenderness, swelling, decreased range of motion, and deformity. The orthopedic specialist will cast or splint the finger if the break is in alignment. It may be necessary for the doctor perform surgery to properly align the bones.
Wrist Tendonitis
Tendonitis of the wrist is swelling and irritation of the tissue which surrounds the tendons of the thumb and fingers. The most common symptom is pain in the front aspect of the wrist. Bruising and swelling are also likely. If treated soon and appropriately, these injuries improve without deformity or disability.