Volar Plate Injuries Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment What To Expect

A volar plate injury is commonly called a jammed or sprained finger. It happens when the finger is bent back or to the side too far (hyperextended).

The middle joint in a finger has 3 ligaments that wrap around it to move and support it. Ligaments are tissues that connect 2 bones together. They let a finger bend, straighten, and stop from bending too far back or sideways.

Volar plate – A thick ligament on the underside of the middle finger joint. It keeps the finger from hyperextending back. Collateral ligaments – 2 ligaments, 1 on each side of the joint, that control how the finger bends and straightens. They prevent the finger from hyperextending sideways. When a finger bends back or sideways too far, the volar plate and one or both of the collateral ligaments can be torn. Sometimes, the injury may break off a small piece of bone. This type of broken bone is called an avulsion fracture (Picture 1).

Signs and Symptoms With a volar plate injury, the joint will have:

Pain right away and with slight movement Bruising Swelling

Diagnosis To know if your child has a sprain or an avulsion fracture, the doctor or health care provider will order an X-ray of the finger. Treatment

For the first few days, the injured joint should rest. Rest and reduced joint movement will help the ligaments heal and the swelling go down.

To control how much the joint moves, your child may get a splint. After a few days to 1 week of splinting, 2 of your child’s fingers will be taped together. This is called buddy taping.

Buddy taping is the most common treatment for volar plate avulsion fractures.

The finger that is not hurt acts like a splint for the sprained finger. The injured finger can move safely. Buddy taping stops the injured finger from moving hyperextending or side-to-side. Being able to move the injured finger early on can help prevent stiffness.

For pain and swelling:

Give your child ibuprofen (Motrin® or Advil®) or acetaminophen (Tylenol®). Read the label to know the right dose for your child. Do not give your child aspirin. The joint pain should go away in a few days. If there is still joint pain and stiffness at 3 to 4 weeks, call your child’s doctor or health care provider.

Your child may start to exercise the finger a few days to 1 week after the injury. The finger may still be buddy-taped.

They should begin by gently bending the finger. Gradually increase the amount and strength of the exercises until the finger is back to normal.

What to Expect

The volar plate ligament should heal in a few weeks, but the joint may stay swollen longer. If the collateral ligaments are also stretched or torn, the bulge or swelling at the joint can last a very long time. It may never completely go away. However, this will not keep the finger from bending normally after healing. It may take a few weeks for your child to fully bend their finger. It will get better with time. Your child may need to limit sports activities for 1 to 2 weeks, or until they get back full motion. This will depend on how bad the injury was.

A volar plate injury is commonly called a jammed or sprained finger. It happens when the finger is bent back or to the side too far (hyperextended).

Signs and Symptoms With a volar plate injury, the joint will have:

Pain right away and with slight movement Bruising Swelling

Diagnosis To know if your child has a sprain or an avulsion fracture, the doctor or health care provider will order an X-ray of the finger. Treatment

For the first few days, the injured joint should rest. Rest and reduced joint movement will help the ligaments heal and the swelling go down.

To control how much the joint moves, your child may get a splint. After a few days to 1 week of splinting, 2 of your child’s fingers will be taped together. This is called buddy taping.

Buddy taping is the most common treatment for volar plate avulsion fractures.

For pain and swelling:

Your child may start to exercise the finger a few days to 1 week after the injury. The finger may still be buddy-taped.

They should begin by gently bending the finger. Gradually increase the amount and strength of the exercises until the finger is back to normal.

What to Expect

A volar plate injury is commonly called a jammed or sprained finger. It happens when the finger is bent back or to the side too far (hyperextended).

Signs and Symptoms With a volar plate injury, the joint will have:

Pain right away and with slight movement Bruising Swelling

Diagnosis To know if your child has a sprain or an avulsion fracture, the doctor or health care provider will order an X-ray of the finger. Treatment

For the first few days, the injured joint should rest. Rest and reduced joint movement will help the ligaments heal and the swelling go down.

To control how much the joint moves, your child may get a splint. After a few days to 1 week of splinting, 2 of your child’s fingers will be taped together. This is called buddy taping.

Buddy taping is the most common treatment for volar plate avulsion fractures.

For pain and swelling:

Your child may start to exercise the finger a few days to 1 week after the injury. The finger may still be buddy-taped.

They should begin by gently bending the finger. Gradually increase the amount and strength of the exercises until the finger is back to normal.

What to Expect

Signs and Symptoms With a volar plate injury, the joint will have:

Pain right away and with slight movement Bruising Swelling

Diagnosis To know if your child has a sprain or an avulsion fracture, the doctor or health care provider will order an X-ray of the finger. Treatment

For the first few days, the injured joint should rest. Rest and reduced joint movement will help the ligaments heal and the swelling go down.

To control how much the joint moves, your child may get a splint. After a few days to 1 week of splinting, 2 of your child’s fingers will be taped together. This is called buddy taping.

Buddy taping is the most common treatment for volar plate avulsion fractures.

For pain and swelling:

Your child may start to exercise the finger a few days to 1 week after the injury. The finger may still be buddy-taped.

They should begin by gently bending the finger. Gradually increase the amount and strength of the exercises until the finger is back to normal.

What to Expect

Volar plate – A thick ligament on the underside of the middle finger joint. It keeps the finger from hyperextending back.
Collateral ligaments – 2 ligaments, 1 on each side of the joint, that control how the finger bends and straightens. They prevent the finger from hyperextending sideways.
When a finger bends back or sideways too far, the volar plate and one or both of the collateral ligaments can be torn. Sometimes, the injury may break off a small piece of bone. This type of broken bone is called an avulsion fracture (Picture 1).

Signs and Symptoms

With a volar plate injury, the joint will have:

Pain right away and with slight movement
Bruising
Swelling

Diagnosis

To know if your child has a sprain or an avulsion fracture, the doctor or health care provider will order an X-ray of the finger.

Treatment

For the first few days, the injured joint should rest. Rest and reduced joint movement will help the ligaments heal and the swelling go down.
To control how much the joint moves, your child may get a splint.
After a few days to 1 week of splinting, 2 of your child’s fingers will be taped together. This is called buddy taping.
Buddy taping is the most common treatment for volar plate avulsion fractures.
The finger that is not hurt acts like a splint for the sprained finger.
The injured finger can move safely. Buddy taping stops the injured finger from moving hyperextending or side-to-side.
Being able to move the injured finger early on can help prevent stiffness.
For pain and swelling:
Give your child ibuprofen (Motrin® or Advil®) or acetaminophen (Tylenol®). Read the label to know the right dose for your child.
Do not give your child aspirin.
The joint pain should go away in a few days. If there is still joint pain and stiffness at 3 to 4 weeks, call your child’s doctor or health care provider.
Your child may start to exercise the finger a few days to 1 week after the injury. The finger may still be buddy-taped.
They should begin by gently bending the finger.
Gradually increase the amount and strength of the exercises until the finger is back to normal.

What to Expect

The volar plate ligament should heal in a few weeks, but the joint may stay swollen longer. If the collateral ligaments are also stretched or torn, the bulge or swelling at the joint can last a very long time. It may never completely go away. However, this will not keep the finger from bending normally after healing.
It may take a few weeks for your child to fully bend their finger. It will get better with time.
Your child may need to limit sports activities for 1 to 2 weeks, or until they get back full motion. This will depend on how bad the injury was.

A child will with a volar plate injury will not usually need any therapy.

To control how much the joint moves, your child may get a splint.
After a few days to 1 week of splinting, 2 of your child’s fingers will be taped together. This is called buddy taping.
The finger that is not hurt acts like a splint for the sprained finger.
The injured finger can move safely. Buddy taping stops the injured finger from moving hyperextending or side-to-side.
Being able to move the injured finger early on can help prevent stiffness.
Give your child ibuprofen (Motrin® or Advil®) or acetaminophen (Tylenol®). Read the label to know the right dose for your child.
Do not give your child aspirin.
The joint pain should go away in a few days. If there is still joint pain and stiffness at 3 to 4 weeks, call your child’s doctor or health care provider.
They should begin by gently bending the finger.
Gradually increase the amount and strength of the exercises until the finger is back to normal.

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What to Expect#

Signs and Symptoms

Diagnosis

Treatment

What to Expect