Volar Plate injury

[TenTigers]

anyone know strengthening exercises for this to prevent reinjuring, maintaining normal rom, preventing hyperextension? I dislocated ring and pinky the other day. Joints were re-aligned, massage, jow, plaster,splint. Should take several weeks of splinting, and splint to limit rom during practice afterward (30deg. splint?) but what exercises will strengthen volar plate ligaments?

[Becca]

Some good info on this type of injury (http://www.aafp.org/afp/20060301/810.html)
And on rehabing finger/hand injuries (http://www.aafp.org/afp/20060301/839ph.html)

My accupucturist had me swirl marbles in a deep bowl of very warm water after the splint came off when I ruptured a joint capsule on my ring finger a year and a half ago. Start with a hand full of marbles at most. Submerge whole hand and use all digits as well as palm to roll them around. As it gets easier, add more marbles. The warm water is to encourage any frozen tendons and ligaments to break free with the movement.

[Becca]

This is what my finger is like all the time now, since the sports doc I initially went to mis diagnosed it as just jammed. I have good functional ROM and ok strenth in that finger now, but not 100% and I cant full straiten it.

[lhommedieu]

I found the following websites useful for understanding volar plate injuries:

http://www.aafp.org/afp/20060301/810.html

http://www.eorthopod.com/public/patient_education/6566/pip_joint_injuries_of_the_finger.html

I would continue to treat the injury as per the suggestions made on the Traditional Chinese Medicine forum, especially if you using a series of progressive splints as described in the article above.

I should think that the use of Bao Ding balls is benefical once injury has healed completely.

Best,

Steve Lamade