Thumb injuries and discomfort can affect anyone at any age. Your thumb can be injured during activities like sports, household chores, or even tasks like writing or typing. The pain you feel may be triggered by overuse of the thumb. This overuse occurs when your thumb is continuously exposed to movements.
It could be from carrying heavy objects, grabbing things, and twisting objects. Thumb discomfort could also be a result of a sudden accident. Let’s say you’re walking and you slip; you then try to balance yourself and end up landing your hand on the ground. During landing, your thumb may be twisted, sprained, and at times fractured.
This is when you can use a thumb support. It can be used as an aid to prevent injury and to recover from one. However, several people do not realize that just wearing them is not enough. You should be fully aware of the dos and don'ts of how to use them.
Mistakes When Using a Thumb Support and Their Fixes
1. Not Consulting a Healthcare Expert
When you feel any kind of thumb pain sensations, it is wise to visit a doctor. It doesn’t matter if the pain is mild or severe. A doctor's or healthcare expert’s judgment helps to determine if you should wear a thumb support or not.
It also helps to get effective advice on which type of thumb support you should use. In simpler terms, it helps you to take effective recovery measures based on the severity of your pain or injury. It protects your thumb from delayed recovery, worsened pain, and further injury.
Fix:
- Do not guess the type of your injury, the severity of your discomfort, or the type of support you should use.
- Look for professional advice as soon as an injury happens or as soon as you feel pain.
2. Wearing a Thumb Support for Severe Pain Only
It is wrong to wait for thumb pain to become severe before wearing a thumb support. This mistake usually happens when you ignore the necessity of consulting a healthcare professional. No matter how much you think the pain is minor, it’s not a good call to ignore it. This can only worsen it or even further injure you. Those who wear a thumb support only when the pain has become severe tend to face challenges. It limits your day-to-day performance and also delays your recovery duration.
Fix:
- Get help from healthcare professionals as soon as possible. Do this even when the pain or injury is minor.
3. Using the Wrong Type of Thumb Support for the Injury
Some people think that they can use any type of support for all thumb concerns. However, this is a mistake. Thumb supports vary from regular ones, compression sleeves, wrapping bandages, and thumb spica splints. This means that some are soft and some are rigid.
Fix:
- Use soft thumb supports for minor discomfort or injuries, i.e., sprains, strains, and swelling.
- You should use a rigid thumb for post-surgery recovery, severe fractures, and thumb weakness/instability.
- Cross-check before deciding on which support to take. You can get help from the pharmacists or any expert nearby.
4. Not Knowing When To Wear the Thumb Support
It is necessary to be aware of when you can wear a thumb support and when you should not. Without this knowledge, some people end up wearing it for short or prolonged durations as required. This may be risky in multiple ways. It might cause your recovery process to be delayed. At times, the recovery can be completely hindered.
Fix:
- Wear the Leeford Ortho Thumb Spica Splint regularly to support the thumb and relieve pain.
- Be alert to when to remove the support and the exact duration of removing it.
5. Not Pairing a Thumb Support with Exercises
Thumb movement is necessary, although your thumb pain is minor or severe. Holding the thumb in a single position without any movement poses complications. It may result in stiffness, tingling sensations, and delayed healing. At times, the thumb may heal, but its usual strength may be affected.
Fix:
- Practice doing regular thumb exercises and stretches to enhance thumb engagement and strength.
- Even when wearing a thumb support, do activities like cooking, combing your hair, tidying your house, etc. This helps to boost blood circulation, which is necessary for quicker recovery.
6. Using the Wrong Size of a Thumb Support
Not all thumb supports are made with a universal size. Therefore, choosing the wrong size can hinder the effectiveness of the thumb support. Using a thumb support that is too loose means that it is continuously going to fall off. You also face the challenges of repeatedly fixing it to be in place. On that same note, wearing a thumb support that is too tight can worsen your discomfort.
Fix:
- Verify whether your thumb support is designed to fit all sizes.
- If not, measure according to the instructions given to get the correct size.
7. Not Cleaning a Thumb Support
It is quite obvious that your thumb support will get dirt, sweat, and moisture during use. Leaving this dirt can cause skin irritation, rashes, and unpleasant smells.
Fix:
- Wash the thumb support when you start to notice dirt and moisture on it.
Wrapping Up
Some individuals think that wearing a thumb support requires some special skills or knowledge. However, the remedies are quite simple. You should just know what to do and what to avoid when using a Leeford Ortho Thumb Spica Splint. What you shouldn’t do is ignore pain for the long term. Make decisions on what type of support you use, when to use it, and when not to use it. You shouldn’t stop doing tasks even when wearing a thumb support.
As a way to fix all these concerns, all you should do is get help from a healthcare expert. Be mindful to follow all their advice on how you can best use a thumb support. This is the safest way to recover effectively and comfortably without triggering further complications.
