Dustin Pedroia is back in the Red Sox lineup after suffering his second thumb injury of the season. This got me thinking about what you can do to avoid chronic thumb injuries.
What are chronic thumb injuries
Chronic injuries of any kind are ones that happen over and over or are conditions that never seem to resolve. This is an important part of understanding how quickly you can come back from an injury.
In terms of the thumb, a chronic injury can manifest itself in three primary ways:
- Inflammation
- Loss of strength
- Pain
Regardless of the injury, broken, strained, torn, if you continue to have the above symptoms you might suffer from a chronic thumb injury. Only a doctor can help you determine if you have a chronic injury, but it is good to know the following before you go to see them:
- Complete history – When did the injuries occur? What treatment was used?
- Rehab schedule – What did you do to rehab the thumb injury?
- Symptom inventory – You need to be specific about the symptoms and when they occur.
How can you prevent chronic thumb injuries
There are three main ways to prevent chronic thumb injuries:
- Complete rehab – Medical professionals know what they are talking about, so if you’re prescribed physical therapy, complete it. Do the exercises at home and don’t slack.
- Consider a brace – A Thumb Stabilizer
is a device that holds your thumb in a rigid, structured position.
- Strength exercises – Build up your thumb’s strength through preventative exercises. It sounds silly, but the tendons in your thumb can be built up.
Will Dustin Pedroia stay injury free
No. I am convinced he has a chronic thumb injury and he’ll be back on the disabled list by the end of the 2012 season. In the off-season he can do the proper rehab and come back.