হাতের মেটাকার্পাল হাড় ভাঙা

Doctors may call your injury a fracture, a break or a crack. These all mean the same thing.

With a fracture of the metacarpal bone in your hand, the bone isn't the only part that's hurt. Some of the soft tissues around it will also have been injured. Soft tissues include the:

• muscles
• ligaments
• tendons
• nerves

With a metacarpal fracture of the hand, most of the healing happens between 3 to 4 weeks. Some aches and discomfort after that are normal, and they often show up when you try activities you haven't done for a while. The area can also stay more sensitive for several months after the injury, and that is normal too.

Smoking affects all your tissues, and it slows the time a fracture takes to heal. In some people it can stop healing altogether.

If you stop smoking while your metacarpal fracture heals, you give yourself the best chance of a good recovery. Get help to stop smoking.

Some medical conditions, like diabetes, can slow down healing after a metacarpal fracture of the hand. Eating a healthy diet and staying active will help your recovery.

Some medicines can slow down the healing of a broken bone. If you're worried about any medicine you take, talk to a doctor or another health professional about it.

Anti-inflammatory medicines, such as Ibuprofen or Naproxen, have been shown to delay healing.

A metacarpal fracture of the hand is usually a minor fracture. Even so, it can leave you quite limited, because you can't use your hand normally while it heals.

It will be uncomfortable, but try to move your fingers early on. This helps the hand work better and helps your recovery.

Some discomfort around a metacarpal fracture is normal. It can show up in the soft tissues nearby, in the joints close to the break, and in any areas that have been immobilised:

• other soft tissues
• nearby joints
• areas that have been immobilised

Pain can change from one day to the next, and it doesn't always depend on what you're doing. Having pain even when your hand is resting is common.

You may still feel some pain after the fracture has healed, and that's normal too. Some people also notice discomfort at the fracture site in colder weather.

Your local pharmacy can give you advice on managing pain after a fracture.

Swelling is the first step of healing, so it's normal to have some near the fracture. Often it spreads down towards your fingers.

The swelling can change with:

• your position
• your activity
• the time of day

Some swelling can stay even after the fracture has healed, and this can last for several months.

You will usually have a bony lump at the fracture site. It may get slightly smaller with time.

You may also notice that your knuckle doesn't stand out as much as before. This is common, because the bone often becomes shorter as a result of this injury.

Swelling from a metacarpal fracture can get uncomfortable, and it can make it harder to move your hand. But there are a few things you can do to bring it down:

• raise your arm above your heart when you're resting (you can prop it up on pillows)
• keep the other joints in your arm and hand moving normally
• avoid too much rest or too much activity
• massage the swelling from the tips of the fingers towards the armpit

Bruising is normal with a metacarpal fracture of the hand. It can spread widely and may show up a long way from the break itself.

At first the bruise can look deep purple, and its colour may change as you recover. You'll usually see it between the web spaces of your fingers.

Don't rush your way back to normal life after a metacarpal fracture of the hand. Take it at your own pace, and only do the things you feel able to do.

When you can go back to work after a metacarpal fracture of the hand depends on the kind of work you do and on your employer. You may be able to talk with your employer about returning in stages, or about doing different duties for a while.

You don't need to see a doctor or any other health professional before you go back to work.

Carry on with any activities you can manage, as long as the pain allows. Then slowly do a little more as time goes on.

Your hand may feel stiffer and weaker at first, so some things will be harder to start with. This gets better as you build up gradually to all your usual activities.

It's normal to feel frustrated or low in mood after a metacarpal fracture of the hand. This usually gets better as you go back to your normal life. If it's becoming a major problem for you, talk to your doctor about it.

After a fracture, you may get a letter inviting you for a scan of your bone density. It's routine to be checked for any further risk of fracture, especially if you:

• are over the age of 50
• have increased risk factors for fracture

Your doctor may tape one of your fingers to the one next to it (this is called buddy taping). Even so, try to move the taped joints as far as you can.

In the first days after the injury, you should:

• manage your pain and swelling
• use your hand for light activities
• avoid heavy lifting
• avoid picking up hot items

Somewhere between 2 and 6 weeks after your injury, the buddy taping should come off. From this point, you should:

• keep building up the movement in your injured hand with your exercises
• try to move the 3 hinged joints in each finger every hour, but don't force the movement
• practise using the base of your thumb joint to roll and touch each of your fingers
• slowly use your hand more in normal daily activities

By 6 to 12 weeks after your injury, you should be back to full function and able to get on with your normal day to day activities.

If you're a boxer, check with your doctor before you start any boxing. It can take closer to 3 months before you're able to do any higher impact activity.

There are some exercises you can do for your injured hand. Try to do them regularly through the day, ideally every hour. You should start them 2 to 6 weeks after your fracture.

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Stop these exercises if they make your symptoms worse, or if they cause new pain.

If your wrist, hand or finger problem hasn't improved after 6 weeks of following this advice, it's a good idea to talk to a doctor about your symptoms.

Don't include personal information, such as your name, location or any personal health conditions.