What Sports Typically Cause Hand Injuries?
As an athlete, suffering from any form of injury can be an awful experience. While some can be played through, others will require taking time off to heal. In many cases, hand injuries fall into the latter category. Because of how essential the hands are to various sports, trying to play through an injury to this area will be a disservice to your team. Fortunately, here at MOTION, we’ll be there to help. If you’ve recently injured your hand, we’ll provide you with sessions of hand therapy that can help you make a full recovery and return to your sport as quickly as possible. To learn more about the sports that typically cause hand injuries, please continue reading.
Baseball
While baseball is a relatively contactless sport, it’s important to remember that the chances of suffering a hand injury when playing are always present. Nearly every aspect of the game requires the hands to be used, so suffering an injury to this area will most likely lead to you missing time to recover. Below are just some instances that can occur throughout a baseball game that will put athletes in need of hand therapy:
- Getting hit in the hand by a pitch while batting.
- Jamming your finger while sliding headfirst into a base.
- Having your hand stepped on as a base runner.
- Hurting your wrist while diving for a ball in the field.
- Spraining your fingers as a pitcher.
Basketball
Basketball is another sport that can lead to various hand injuries. While many people associate basketball injuries more commonly with the legs or ankles, that doesn’t mean hand injuries won’t occur. Getting a basketball passed to you at high speeds can cause severe damage to your hands. Trying to steal the ball from your opponent or getting blocked at the rim can also put you in need of hand therapy before you know it. Some of the most common hand injuries basketball players face include:
- Finger dislocations.
- Finger sprains.
- Wrist sprains.
- Broken fingers.
Football
With football being a massive contact sport, it’s no surprise that it can lead to athletes suffering a wide range of injuries. No matter what position you play, you’re almost guaranteed to contact at least one other person each time the ball is snapped. This provides the perfect formula to end up with an injury that requires hand therapy to correct. Receivers catching balls from the quarterback are always at risk of suffering from finger sprains and dislocations due to the balls’ velocity thrown at them. Offensive and defensive lineman also put their hands in danger each play, as they lead with this body part when trying to block or get past their opponent. Additionally, any player that gets tackled can land awkwardly on their hand, leading to an injury.
Lacrosse
One final sport our team at MOTION would like to call out that can lead to hand injuries is lacrosse. When trying to jar the ball from an opponent’s stick, you’ll often be swatting yours at them. If you misplace this swat, it can hit someone in the hand, leading to an injury. Even though protective gloves are required for this sport, getting hit in the hand can undoubtedly lead to medical problems, and in extreme cases, it will force you to miss a few weeks of games and practices.
Schedule An Appointment
No athlete ever wants to spend extended time away from their team while recovering from an injury. Our hand therapists at MOTION understand this, which is why we’ll do everything in our power to help heal the damage as quickly as possible. By administering sessions of hand therapy, you’ll return to competition without any lingering effects. When you become injured, don’t hesitate to contact our team so you can schedule your appointment.