Injuries to the hand occur very often in volleyball, especially when blocking a spiked ball. The thumb is especially susceptible to injury because it takes the brunt of the force from the ball, leading to sprains and strains… and in some cases even fractures. The most common of these thumb injuries is a thumb sprain.
Thumb sprains occur when the ligaments in the joint are stretched beyond their natural range of motion or during impact to the hand. This can lead to pain when moving the thumb, as well as swelling and a “loose” feeling in the joint. The best thing to do to help the thumb rehabilitate is to allow it to rest. This may mean up to 4 to 6 weeks away from the volleyball court. Your doctor may recommend a thumb support. These thumb supports help immobilize the thumb to give the ligaments time to heal.
Your doctor may also recommend cold therapy and compression on the thumb area. In some cases, rehabilitation with thumb strengthening exercises could also be used. It’s important to treat the injury so that your thumb restores stability and has less chance of being injured again during a future volleyball match
If you’ve injured your thumb during volleyball or any other activity, and are looking for extra support, check out our thumb braces today!