That Annoying Pinky Pain
So yeah, last Tuesday I totally smashed my little finger. Stupid door handle hooked it just right – instant sharp pain! I swear, the joint swelled up like a little angry sausage almost right away. Not a fun time. Knew I needed to do something, but wasn’t sure if it was broken or just badly bruised.
My Crappy First Try with the Splint
Dug out this old finger splint I’d bought ages ago for my index finger. Figured, “Hey, a splint’s a splint, right?” Big mistake. Slapped it on the pinky, wrapped it kinda tight with some bandage tape to hold it in place. Went about my day trying not to bump it. Woke up the next morning and wow, it felt worse! The splint felt wrong – too big, clumsy, and it was rubbing the skin raw where it didn’t fit right. Plus, my pinky felt kinda cold and numb. Definitely not helping.
The Lightbulb Moment & Getting Schooled
Okay, time for Google. Searched like crazy: “pinky splint wrong,” “finger feels worse after splinting,” “how to know if it’s broken.” Duh, discovered pinkies are tricky little guys! They need specific little splints, not those bigger ones. Learned some key things the hard way:
- Wrong Size = Big Trouble: My big splint didn’t hold the pinky straight or support the joint properly. Just made things jam up and swell.
- Too Tight is Scary: That numbness? Probably cutting off blood flow. Yikes.
- When It’s Probably Broken: Crazy swelling, major pain when trying to move it, bent look? Doctor time, stat!
- When It Might Just Be Sprained/Bruised: Pain but less swelling, maybe movement is stiff but possible? Maybe careful splinting helps if done right.
Operation: Fix My Pinky (Take Two!)
Armed with new knowledge, I hunted down a real pinky splint online. It looked tiny, perfect. Got it quick. Here’s how I did it right this time:
- First, clean finger, dry skin. No fancy wraps underneath this time.
- Carefully slid the splint on from the fingertip down. It actually fit snugly along only the pinky’s length.
- Made sure the joint was straight and felt supported, not forced.
- Wrapped loosely with gauze or a soft bandage just to hold the splint in place, NOT tight.
- Checked for warmth, color, and feeling. All good – no numbness!
Started wearing it mostly when moving around or sleeping. During quiet desk work, I’d sometimes gently take it off to let the skin breathe and carefully wiggle the finger just a tiny bit to keep stiffness at bay. Listened to my finger – if it hurt, splint went back on. The difference was night and day!
What Actually Worked (For Me)
- Right Tool for the Job: Dedicated pinky splint is worth its weight in gold.
- Comfort is King: No tight wraps! Just light, breathable hold.
- Not a 24/7 Prison: Gave the finger breaks when it was safe and quiet.
- Ice & Elevation: While resting, propped my hand up and used ice packs wrapped in a towel (10-15 mins on/off) to tackle swelling.
Why I Bothered Sharing This Mess
Seriously, smashing your pinky sucks. But messing up the splint makes it suck way worse. I learned the hard way that using the wrong splint or using it wrong can slow healing or even cause more damage. Getting the tiny details right – like having the proper small splint and not strapping it on like a mummy – made a huge difference in my comfort and how fast the pain started easing up. If your finger looks like a deformed sausage or you have doubts, go see a doc! But if you’re trying a splint at home like I did, hope my clumsy mistakes and later fixes save you some hassle.
