In addition to ankle sprains, mallet finger is one of the most common injuries among basketball players. Minor injuries can cause swelling, while serious injuries can lead to long-term impairment of finger motion. The following guide will show you how to tape a mallet finger injury to keep the injured finger straight and encourage healing.
What is a mallet finger?
A mallet finger injury is caused by an object that strikes the tip of a finger. It most often occurs in ball sports such as basketball and volleyball when the ball accidentally hits the end of a finger.
When the finger is subjected to a strong impact, the tendons or ligaments may be damaged. This is often accompanied by a dislocated joint or fracture. The immediate symptoms include swelling, pain and an inability to straighten the injured finger. If left untreated, the finger joint may develop a swan neck deformity or finger motion may be impaired.
If the finger is swollen, apply an ice pack to relieve the swelling (RICE = Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation).
If the athlete needs to continue playing following the injury, you can use the "‘buddy tape"’ method to tape the injured finger to an adjacent finger with rigid tape. This will provide a temporary support until the end of the game.
Buddy taping is the practice of supporting an injured finger by taping it to an adjacent, uninjured finger.1. Cut a piece of tape in half lengthways so that each piece has a width of 0.5–1 inch.
2. Use an underwrap to separate the injured finger and adjacent healthy finger.
3. Use the pieces of tape to wrap the two fingers together above and below the injured joint.
4. If necessary, apply more tape to provide additional stability.
If the swelling persists, the finger may be fractured and the patient should visit a hospital for further checks.
Rigid support strap designed to strap joints or muscles which have been weakened during your workouts.
Adhesive, non-elasticated, 3.75 cm x 10 m white or black tape. Handy when strapping up joints and muscles for support and protection
