: What is the best way to treat a jammed finger? I jammed my ring finger playing keeper in a soccer game last night and it's pretty swollen and discolored. It hurts but I'm pretty sure it's not broken. What is the best way

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When in doubt: ICE

I - Ice

C - Compression - wrapping (lightly) helps reduce swelling

E - Elevation - in this case restriction of movement (taping to the next strongest finger - middle)

(some people refer to it as RICE - where R stands for rest)

Don't ignore the injury and don't over tighten the wrap. The real answer depends on the severity of the injury, when in doubt see a Dr. DON'T pull the finger - this has a good potential of doing more damage. So, it's some combination of what you have above. For a female (yes, this is sexist) and especially for a woman's ring finger - see a Dr. if the swelling, bruising does not get better in a few days.

Here's a link to some more info:http://www.sports-injury-info.com/jammed-finger.html

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Listen to @MEade , don't pull it. I had someone pull on my jammed finger because it was crooked. It turned out to be a bad fracture. Hope that isn't your case. I don't know if the pulling on it caused it to heal with a rotational deformity or if it was from the initial jam. However, despite ultimately having surgery, my finger is crooked when I make a fist. See a hand doctor if you need to see a doctor.

In the meantime, yes follow RICE. Coban works nicely for a finger wrap because it sticks to itself and it is easy to wrap and re-wrap. I would first wrap the finger individually for the swelling and then wrap it to the adjacent finger for protection. (Not too tight - allow for swelling. Check the temp, sensation and color of your finger tip to make sure it is not too tight.)

As far as splinting, I found that it was more trouble than helpful, as it would bump things and cause more pain. Elevate your hand higher than your heart to stop the throbbing.

If you don't have a fracture you can start some gently motion as the swelling goes down. A contrast bath (alternating cold and warm water) is a nice way to do this. Good luck.