Dislocated finger

[Tinweasle]

I went mountain biking in the woods yesterday with my other half, it was an unplanned trip to an area we don't know so I didn't have any maps or GPS with me and while I could find the car again I could not have directed anyone to me (yes I know) everything was going well when I hear a crash behind me so I spin the bike around and head back to find Sarah struggling to remove her glove. When we got it off it was obvious that the middle joint of the middle finger was dislocated as the joint was twice as thick as it should be and the finger was shorter by half an inch or so, and the finger had also lost circulation to the tip.

So im in the situation where we cant ride back to the car, I have no idea where the nearest help is, I had left my phone in the car (again, yes I know), Sarah is crying and screaming in pain, we are 35 to 40 minutes from the car and a half hour drive at least from A&E and she is now going into shock, feeling faint and not looking as if she can get up! Now what I did was relocate the finger, this had the instant effect of stopping the pain and letting us get back to the car and on to hospital where after a check up everything is fine.

Now for my question what should I have done about the injury? I have been laying awake all night about not having some basic equipment with me and that won't happen again but how should I have dealt with the situation and what should I have done?

Cheers

Shaun

 

[Mesquite]

Looking at it from your description of the events you did what you had to do in the situation and getting her to hospital for a checkup to make sure it was all OK.

 

[John Fenna]

Sounds about the best you could to at the time in that place.

 

[Elen Sentier]

Sounds like you did it spot on right - the pain went, Sarah felt better, you got the the hospital and they said all was fine. Good job . Deal with the situation just like you did, don't need to change a thing . What basic equipment would you take that you didn't already have ??? At least for that situation. "Don't panic" is probably the best thing, it enables you to do the right thing.

 

[Goatboy]

I'd say you did OK. A small first aid kit would've been handy for pain relief though the hospital sometimes aren't happy if you turn up with pain relief allready in you. We got a bollocking after carrying a party off the hill dosed up after snapping her leg. But considering your circumstance I'd say you did right. I broke my thumb half way up a climping route and had to set it myself hanging from the rope. Words like Gosh and Goodness were said as it's very very sore. But I had to get into a condition that I could escape the face. So brownie points to you and your brave partner, maybe prep better next time and hope she feels better soon. Lots of tea and medals for you both.

 

[John Fenna]

Extra kit ?
Have you thought of stabiliser wheels for her bike - or would voicing that idea end up with you in A&E

 

[Biker]

I'd say you did exactly the right thing just as others before me have said. I also get the feeling you're beating yourself up for not being prepared. Don't. You handled it VERY well and no amount of First Aid kit would have made that much a difference.

:You_Rock_Mate, well done for keeping it together. :notworthy

 

[Tinweasle]

Extra kit ?
Have you thought of stabiliser wheels for her bike - or would voicing that idea end up with you in A&E

I have to make that suggestion after she starts being able to joke about it but before she can use both hands I think

Thanks for the kind words everyone, its put my mind at ease.

Its the what it's that run through my mind, as it was it was a finger and everything went well, the only kit extra I would have liked is the bits I have listed phone, maps GPS and had I been in the same situation but with a dislocated knee or had it been something else all of that kit (which I normally carry) would have come into play, and I did have a small FAK with me but I never carry painkillers but I was able to splint her fingers together

Thanks again everyone

Shaun

 

[Tat2trev]

me being an EFR emergency first responder, FAIR PLAY TO YOU well done on the joint relocation and not stressing over the situation. At the end of the day you found yourselves in a survival situation and you dealt with it, well done.It does not matter about all those gadgets and crap we buy its down to basics and at the end of the day without your quick and desisive actions things could of been a lot worse . YOU SHOULD BEPROUD OF YOURSELF.

 

[BoonDoc]

According to the skills taught on the Wilderness First Aid course you acted exactly as you should. Any decrease in circulation due to a finger dislocation is justification for reduction attempt. This is such an easy procedure that you sorted it out without any training.

Get a good Wilderness First Aid course that will teach these techniques and save you a lot of pain and suffering.

 

[9InchNinja]

Good work. Not much more you can do for a dislocation apart from pop it back in (if you can) and carry on. I've dislocated both of my shoulders more times than I care to remember, very painful whilst it's "out". Pop it back in though and you're good to go.

Maybe buy a £9 mobile from Tescos (other supermarkets are available) and stick it in the bike bag. Battery lasts for weeks if it's not turned on.

Had it been a knee that'd popped out then that phone would have been a handy addition to your kit

 

[Tinweasle]

again thanks for the comments, Sarah is recovering well and taking it easy. I will have to get myself a phone when I have a few pounds to spare, can anyone recommend a wilderness first aid course in the herts, beds, bucks area?

Cheers

Shaun

 

[Shewie]

Yup, well handled I'd say Shaun

Like the chaps have said, a FAK would have been useless apart from maybe some painkillers. I doubt having a phone would've made much difference either, would an ambulance come out for a dislocated finger, not sure tbh but I doubt it?

I know if the same happened to us I probably wouldn't know what to do for the best, I know if I started tugging on it she'd probably knock me senseless with the other hand

 

[Robbi]

did she hit you ?

 

[munkiboi182]

sounds like you handled it pretty well to me. just think, it wasnt all that long ago that we didnt carry mobiles or gps or even FAK's. we just dealt with it as best we could and survived.

 

[Graveworm]

You did the right thing as has been said, one word of warning about routine reduction even of finger joints in non remote situations without an Xray. I dislocated my ring finger joint and it was locked in the 90 degree bent position. I was away from home (Birmingham) and surrounded by medics but not in a wilderness setting so off we popped to A&E where the Doctor said the quickest easiest way was for him to quickly reduce it. I agreed and it was only as he was trying to straighten it that he realised it was also broken just distal to the joint at the point of attachment for the ligament .... it sounded horrible and did smart a bit, an operation followed the next day back in London, a lot of physio and I have a nice scar together with a finger that can still neither completely straighten or fully form a fist nearly 2 years on.

 

[stoo24]

I've dislocated two fingers in the past. Both were reset in hospital because I was only 10minutes away on both occasions and I couldn't get the blighters back in myself and nobody else fancied it either. Treatment at hospital is not magic, they basically have a quick bash at reseting it and if that doesn't work you get local anaesthetic and if that doesn't work you head for an operation. The first dislocation I had was my middle finger at the middle joint. It wouldn't go back in, no matter how hard the doc pulled and I had to go for an op. Fortunately as soon as I got the general anaesthetic, the muscles relaxed and they were able to reset the joint without any cutting. So in summary, you did the right thing. Get it back in as soon as possible, because delaying it only makes it worse with muscles in spasm and increased swelling. Treatment at hospital is hardly any less medieval!