Thumb Ligament Injuries in the Athlete.

Abstract

Hand injuries account for up to 15% of sports injuries and are common in contact sports and in sports with a high risk of falling. Appropriate management requires knowledge of the type of injury, demands of the sport and position, competitive level of the athlete, future athletic demands and expectations, and the role of rehabilitation and protective splints for return to play. Management of the athlete requires aggressive and expedient diagnostic intervention and treatment. This article describes ligamentous injuries to the thumb, including thumb carpometacarpal dislocations, thumb metacarpophalangeal dislocations, collateral ligament injuries and interphalangeal dislocations, their evaluation, treatment and outcomes.