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[pie-man]

Hey Gents,
Wondered if anyone has experienced a similar injury, and if so how long you were out for...

On Saturday, in around the 8th over (new, hard ball!) I was at shortish midwicket when our opening bowler bowled a filthy half tracker.  The batsmen smoked it towards me and I dived to take the catch, which I didn't; in fact the ball went for 4 nearly taking my hand with it.  I dislocated and broke the last bone on my right hand ring finger and was taken straight to A&E (had no choice with the bone coming through the skin).

I bowl first change and bat lower order in this team, and I do both right handed.  I feel I can hold a ball in the bowling position but haven't got a hope in hell of catching one in the field nor picking up a bat.

Fracture clinic is booked for next Tuesday so until then I have no idea how long Im out for...  Any suggestions?!

Cheers

[RichW]

I recently had virtually the same injury. I didn't dislocate the finger but I did have some tendon problems.

If you look it up it's called a mallet finger injury.

I had to wear a plastic cast for 6 weeks after this period I did start to play again but because of wearing the cast It has taken a while to get full mobility back in the finger despite regular physio sessions.

From what they told me at the fracture clinic bones heal quite quickly but tendons take a long time so, lets hope it's just a bone injury!!

[GarrettJ]

I have had a few nasty thumb and finger injuries, my advice is to get it sorted properly and dont rush back for the say the final 4 weeks of cricket when its not 100%.

I'd say rest it until winter nets. Not what you want to hear but it will be better in the long run.

[Manormanic]

did the same finger last season quite badly, was playing again after a fortnight but it was just about okay to play with - admittedly in a finger splint, which would have precluded bowling if I were a bowler.

[pie-man]

I have had a few nasty thumb and finger injuries, my advice is to get it sorted properly and dont rush back for the say the final 4 weeks of cricket when its not 100%.

I'd say rest it until winter nets. Not what you want to hear but it will be better in the long run.

definitely not what I want to hear, but I fear you are right.  Pretty painful and restrictive just sat in the office!

[tim2000s]

While you might be able to hold a ball, consider what you are doing when you bowl. You will find it very painful going through the motion, and frankly there isn't a lot of point in trying to bowl if you can't take a return catch, field anywhere or bat at all. Typically, these injuries take 6-8 weeks to heal, and then another 4-6 to get motion back.

You would be best placed to take a step back and score or umpire for the rest of the season and as others have said, wait until winter nets as you don't want to exacerbate any damage that you have.

[AverageCricketer]

I fractured my second knuckle on my right. It happened in the nets as I got hit on the glove. I batted on for a while and it got worse. I could hold the ball in my hand and that was it. Got new gloves after that as soon as I could. For 2 weeks I couldn't even write, which was annoying. I ended up being out for about 3 weeks.

[GarrettJ]

it will get bet all of a sudden but it will take a while to get rid of the nagging little pain and get the movement fully back.

MY view is that i'd prefer to miss a few amatuer cricket matches and get my finger 100% than play when its not 100% and do some damage

Ive been told by the medical profession in 2008 (wrist surgery), 2011 (serious thumb injury) and 2013 (neck injury causing temporary paralysis in right arm) that i should never set foot on a cricket pitch again ........ but i just cant resist!

[pie-man]

Wish I hadn't asked now .  Jokes aside, cheers for the replies boys.  Absolutely gutted, its the first year my missus has been happy with just about a full season (understandably as Ive got 2 young boys who are now old enough to come along) and because of this I am playing regular ECB Premier League cricket.

We are also having a good show in the coloured t20 comp, which I always think is my type of cricket!  I guess the silver lining is that Im out during the all day, timed games!

[eukaryote76]

Hey Gents,
Wondered if anyone has experienced a similar injury, and if so how long you were out for...

On Saturday, in around the 8th over (new, hard ball!) I was at shortish midwicket when our opening bowler bowled a filthy half tracker.  The batsmen smoked it towards me and I dived to take the catch, which I didn't; in fact the ball went for 4 nearly taking my hand with it.  I dislocated and broke the last bone on my right hand ring finger and was taken straight to A&E (had no choice with the bone coming through the skin).

I bowl first change and bat lower order in this team, and I do both right handed.  I feel I can hold a ball in the bowling position but haven't got a hope in hell of catching one in the field nor picking up a bat.

Fracture clinic is booked for next Tuesday so until then I have no idea how long Im out for...  Any suggestions?!

Cheers

Wow, the bone coming through the skin - so an open fracture you say? Aka compound fracture. I hope you went to theatre and had a good scrub out of the bone and wound. Tim has the right idea I think with about 4 to 6 weeks bony healing time all being well, but it's really dependent on whether the fracture is stable (ie. The broken ends won't move), whether there is any angulation (ie. if the two broken ends make a straight line or not), whether there is any rotation (so look at your fingers end, like you are going to poke yourself in the eye, is the nail rotated compared to the others? If it is when you make a fist or grip tight your affected finger will ride over its neighbour), whether there is any bleeding in the joint, and/or whether there is tendon or ligament injury (the former being worse). If there is any of those things then you can start adding on the weeks, the possibility of a k-wire (Google it they are pretty cool things but you won't want to risk playing with it until fully healed), and hand physio or home exercises. Best thing is attend outpatient clinic, get a follow-up xray on arrival, trust in your ortho surgeon, prepare for the worst and hope for the best. You really can't tell until you've had further xrays and a definitive diagnosis. By the way, have you ever bruised your hand badly and then bowled with it? The blood flow is intense. The combo of gravity and centrifugal force really increases the swelling in a confined space, so keeping the arm elevated perhaps is the way to go... Umpiring maybe?

[pie-man]

No time in theatre.  I spent a few hours in A&E where they X-Rayed, popped it back and glued the open wound.  Was told to make and appointment at the fracture Clinic which is booked for next week.

Cheers

[WalkingWicket37]

I missed 4 weeks with a shattered finger last year. I came back earlier than advised as it was such of not playing. Halfway trough an over when the damaged are started to throb I regretted the decision!

On the bright side I learned to score with coloured pens and got to sit next to some Worldies all afternoon for a couple of weeks. Wasn't as good as playing but at least I was making a contribution of sorts (and got free beer!)

[pie-man]

Im sure no one is particularly interested in an update but I saw the Fracture Clinic yesterday and I have either just dislocated and cracked the finger, which is 4 weeks out, or I have (ultra-sound pending) torn the ligament to the bone.  If this is the case, I will need surgery to repair and probably no more cricket this season 

Of course I am hopeful its the former...