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Why should You not play Baseball with a broken Finger?

Baseball may look like a fun game, which it is most of the time, but ask someone who had a broken finger and you shall be getting a totally different perspective. Just like in any sport, you can have injuries while playing baseball. Injuries may happen:

a) If you are not wearing protective padding like gloves
b) Your playing techniques are horribly wrong

Injuries can happen at any time. It’s all part of sports. However, this brings us to a very interesting question.

Kansas city baseball player

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Should we play despite having injuries like a broken finger?

Having a broken finger is one of the most common injuries associated with the game. If you look at a baseball match, you shall see why. The balls are thrown around hard and fast, and players are expected to catch them in time and throw them back.

The balls are quite hard enough, and injuries happen even if you are wearing a protective glove. Your peer group may tell you to go on playing and ignore the injury. But here’s a truth about injuries: they get worse if you don’t treat them in time. If in doubt, ask your baseball coach or your parents, whether you should continue playing through the injury or not. In most cases, the answer shall be ‘No’.

Different Kinds of Injuries

There are several kinds of injuries which you can have while playing baseball, pertaining to your fingers. You can have:
a) Sprains- is when your ligaments, which are tissues connecting bones, are injured.

b) Strain- is when your tendons, which are tissues connecting muscles to bones, are injured.

c) Jammed finger- is when the tips of your fingers are bent painfully due to a flying ball or due to falling. Jammed finger injuries include

i) Dislocation- If any joint of your finger gets under too much pressure in a very short time, there can be a dislocation. This happens when one bone gets separated or broken off from the others.

ii) Broken fingers of fracture: can happen due to a blunt trauma to the bones by a fast moving ball. This is particularly painful and the sooner you show your injury to the doctor, the better chances of a recovery you have.

iii) Rupturing of tendons: may happen due to blunt trauma directly over a tendon, or indirectly.

Common Symptoms

Now that you know what the various kinds of injuries you are likely to face, you need to know their symptoms as well. Common symptoms of the above-given injuries include

a) swelling
b) being unable to move the part
c) pain
d) tenderness

How to know you have an injury?

Typically, an injured finger shall be swollen within minutes. It will turn black and blue, and shall pain considerably. What’s worse, the pain shall gradually become excruciating, numbing your finger until you get the injury treated.

You shall know that the injury is major if you cannot perform common tasks such as picking something up, holding something in your hand of driving.

What is R.I.C.E?

Injuries can be minor or major. If the injury is minor, it can be healed with RICE. RICE is an abbreviation for rest, ice, compression and elevation. You also require a range of motion exercises and over the counter medicines. However, if the pain is too much, then you may have a major injury.

What happens when injuries remain untreated?

In the case of serious trauma or major injuries, you need to go see a doctor immediately. Playing through any pain or injury shall only worsen the problem. In most such cases, physiotherapy helps a lot. Playing despite injuries can give rise to:

a) scar tissues to develop which in turn may lead to physical deformities. Physical deformities in children playing baseball are more common because their bones are still growing and not strong enough.

b) chronic pain and torn tendon. The only way to heal these injuries is through surgery.

Conclusion

It is understandable that you wish to dash off to play baseball with your pals. However, think on a long-term basis. A few practice sessions or even a few months of being unable to play is nothing compared to being able to play throughout your life. A lasting and untreated injury shall not just mar your game, but your personal and professional life as well! Prompt treatment is, therefore, essential.