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AIBU?

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Original poster

To say dd cannot go swimming and need to go to A&E instead?

63 replies

Sarkyharky · 19/04/2018 17:36

She came home from school yesterday and said 'I've broken my finger!' she bent it backwards playing netball. It did look a bit swollen so I said lets go and get it x-rayed. She said oh no, I haven't really broken it, look, I can bend it.

Today it is still swollen and sore. She is desperate to go swimming tonight as she has a competition at the weekend and she is very dedicated.

Although I would rather not have to go to A and E in the early evening when it takes forever, I am beginning to think perhaps I should make her go and say no to swimming!

do they do anything for a broken finger anyway?

OP posts:
PerfectlySymmetricalButtocks · 19/04/2018 18:06

Get it x-rayed. DH didn't know he'd broken his finger, he still can't straighten it.

RamblingFar · 19/04/2018 18:11

I broke my finger last year. I could still bend and straighten it, so everyone had assumed it wasn't broken. However ended up in A+E (referred there not minor injuries) and the break was discovered when it was x-rayed that night, re-set and splinted. Was in a splint for 7 weeks.

Sometimes they do just splint to the next finger. However it probablly needs x-raying to check whether it is broken and whether the bone is in the correct location, or if it needs to be reset.

cornflakegirl · 19/04/2018 18:15

DS1 broke his finger by bending it too far back, and actually ended up with pins in it after a small operation. It didn't look particularly severe - no open wound or anything, I wasn't even certain that it was broken - just something in the way it broke that they spotted on the xray. So worth getting it properly checked.

Whitecurrants · 19/04/2018 18:16

If she's that determined I'd let her try swimming (maybe with tape), then take her to get it looked at ASAP afterwards (but maybe not A&E as it's not really an E after this long. Has she finished growing? DC broke a finger and the main concern was whether the growth plate had been damaged.

kattekitt · 19/04/2018 18:17

I broke fingers several times in my teens, playing netball, hockey & rounders. I never went for X-ray, just had them taped them up. We did have an army nurse in the family though. A few are still slightly curved though.

I’d tape them up (micropore) and let her swim, I would take her tomorrow to get it checked though. A small amount of padding can help (after swimming) will make it less painful, as you catch sore fingers more than you can imagine

motorpink · 19/04/2018 18:23

I would take her to A&E that's what it's there for

No. It’s really not.

The OPDD may need an X-ray. She needs to tape it up and call the GP in the morning. The GP will refer if they deem necessary.

A&E isn’t some sort of fast track to an X-ray.

flumpybear · 19/04/2018 18:23

Go to the doctors tomorrow unless you think blood is restricted or it's urgent. Ring 111 for advise

Ask at doctors if she can swim and what aids you could buy to support her finger if swimming is possible

EmeliSandpit · 19/04/2018 18:24

She probably won't be allowed to swim with micropore tape because of the risk of it coming off in the water. It would be a hazard to other swimmers.

Foreverlexicon · 19/04/2018 18:27

I broke my finger as a child and I had to have surgery on it. It has slipped off its growing pallete or something like that so I would get it checked.

I couldn’t bend mine. It was my middle finger and I was very embarrassed when the doctor told me to make a fist and as it wouldn’t bend I accidently swore at him Grin

GnotherGnu · 19/04/2018 18:37

They don't necessarily limit themselves to strapping a broken finger to the next one. When I broke mine, they immediately put a temporary splint on it, then I had to go to a hand clinic to have a specially moulded splint to which it had to be very firmly taped for, so far as I remember, around 6 weeks. It was emphasised that I had to keep it straight at all times, which meant having to hold it in place every time the strapping was changed. I think that was because I'd torn the ligament as well as breaking a bone.

Aridane · 19/04/2018 18:39

No swimming - don’t make it worse!

reallyanotherone · 19/04/2018 18:41

Get it x-rayed. DH didn't know he'd broken his finger, he still can't straighten it.

It isn’t the o/p’s decison whether it is x rayed.

The hcp will assess and decide based on clinical history and presentation.

Lovemusic33 · 19/04/2018 18:51

I would let her go swimming, if it is broken it will hurt whilst swimming, I have broke fingers before, last time it was agony and the pain was so bad I was almost sick. If she’s not in much pain then she’s probably fine.

Legallygrey · 19/04/2018 19:19

Ok so hand injuries generally always require an X-ray
Most GPs will not deal with minor injuries and can't order trauma xrays
Finger injuries can be significant, hyper extension injuries can cause a volar plate injury which requires assessment and the correct treatment.
If you have access to a minor injuries unit they will be able to sort you out but if not then ED is also appropriate, most departments have minor injuries streaming
Hope you get sorted!

GnotherGnu · 19/04/2018 19:45

If she’s not in much pain then she’s probably fine

Not necessarily. When I broke my finger I thought at worst I'd sprained something, as it didn't hurt unless I knocked it. I was seriously dozy, it wasn't until three days later that I realised that maybe it wasn't great that I still couldn't straighten it, and went to Minor Injuries the next day - fortunately our centre can do X rays and found the bone was broken and the ligament torn. They were seriously worried that, because I'd left it so long, the ligament wouldn't mend and I'd have a permanent mallet finger, but fortunately for me it was after a long time in splints and lots of physio.

penguinsandpanda · 19/04/2018 20:48

My DD wasn't in pain and it was broken.

GlitteryFluff · 19/04/2018 20:51

I'd take her to MI in the morning and let her swim if she feels like she wants to.

Original poster
Sarkyharky · 19/04/2018 21:07

It isn’t the o/p’s decison whether it is x rayed

Oh fgs.

Of course they would x ray it.

Noone can tell if its broken or not just by looking at it.

OP posts:
Original poster
Sarkyharky · 19/04/2018 21:08

She didn't swim and I'm taking her to MI in the am.

OP posts:
motorpink · 19/04/2018 21:23

Oh fgs.

Of course they would x ray it.

Actually, it's not a given. Not anywhere close to being guaranteed. Fingers and toes are quite regularly not given X-ray's when they have been hurt.

Eddierussett · 19/04/2018 21:36

I am always slightly Hmm at the insistence on minor injuries being able to refer for xrays. It depends on where you are! I diligently trundled off to minor injuries once after a fall the previous day had led to swelling. Waited an hour to be told that I might have a fracture but they can't xray so I would have to go to a&e where I then sat for an hour to get an xray. So really I should have just gone straight to a&e. Where I am now has no walk in centre or minor injuries. Either you go to your gp, go to the out of hours gp who can only be accessed via 111 or go to a&e.

Long story short - Google your local services!

Hope your daughter is able to get seen and is well enough for her competition Flowers

BackforGood · 19/04/2018 21:46

You don't need to go to A&E to get an X-ray.
A walk in centre or even a GP can refer you.

That depends on the walk in centre. Ours can't X-ray. They send you for some more queuing in A&E

reallyanotherone · 20/04/2018 00:28

Actually, it's not a given. Not anywhere close to being guaranteed. Fingers and toes are quite regularly not given X-ray's when they have been hurt

Exactly. They examine range of movement, pain, swelling, and then decide.

If a&e x-rayed everyone who walked through the door with a sore finger/toe/leg body part or those who simple asked for one x-ray would need to be open 30 hours a day.

If you’ve worked on a&e longer than i have (20+ years) then fair enough, although i’d be interested to know which one x-rays all fingers.

Clinicians don’t need to x-ray everything. They have a very good idea whether something is broken, and even if it is, whether an x-ray will make any difference to the course of treatment. As pointed out here, often fingers are simply buddy taped. You don’t need an x-ray for that.

Albertschair · 20/04/2018 07:23

Round here there's no minor injury, they've closed the wic and gps can't order injury x-rays

I went to my gp, head full of maryrdom "well my hand's not hanging off I'll wait to see my gp" . They were also horrendously busy. Whilst i was waiting there were 2 patient wheeled out by 999 ambulances. The doctor was understandably running behind so I waited. I'd been added on as an extra as i told reception i really couldn't wait for another day, phoned at 8 got seen after midday.

Only to be told yes I did need an x-ray but the gp can't see the pictures. The reports take 2 weeks to come back and if i needed a cast they didn't have anything they could give me.

So could I go to the place that is set up to manage injuries please?

chastened i went to ED. Was streamed tto minor injury. left with a cast within 4 hours.

The gp was clearly stressed with lots of very unwell people there too

Im not sure gps are best to triage who does or does not need an x-ray either.

As you have a minor injuries unit. Is reasonable to go there when it opens.

Original poster
Sarkyharky · 20/04/2018 07:54

I am willing to bet hard cash on the fact that if I turned up with a 12 year old with a painful swollen finger with bruising at the base that they would x-ray it. It's not just "sore".

OP posts:
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