Recent NFL Football Hand Injuries
Unfortunately injuries are part of football – especially in the fierce and competitive arena of the NFL. While football may be more closely associated with injuries to the knee or ankle, football hand injuries are often as painful and uncomfortable, as well as devastating to a player’s career.
While an injured knee or ankle may appear swollen, rarely can an outside observer see just how difficult it is to bend the joint. With an injured hand, however, one can clearly see how difficult it is for the injured individual to operate.
In this article, we’ll take a look at a few incidents that sent NFL stars rushing to a specialized Hand Injury Doctor for their football injury.
Russell Wilson Football Hand Injury – 100% Recovery
Russell Carrington Wilson, quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL), played his first 10 seasons for the Seattle Seahawks.
Wilson fractured a finger on his right hand in Week 10 of the 2022 season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He missed the next four games. Wilson returned to action in Week 15 and played the remainder of the season. He is also expected to make a full recovery! This clearly demonstrates that with advanced medical care from a hand specialist, and expert physical therapy, a fractured finger can be healed relatively rapidly and with full function.
Christian McCaffrey Football Hand Injury – 100% Recovery
Christian McCaffrey played for the Carolina Panthers and was traded to the San Francisco 49ers in 2022 – where he became the first 49ers running back, and fourth player in NFL history, to record passing, rushing, and receiving touchdowns in the same game. However, he tore a ligament in his right thumb in Week 3 of the 2022 season against the New Orleans Saints.
McCaffrey underwent surgery to repair the injury and missed four games – but he returned to action in Week 7 and played the remainder of the season. He is also expected to make a full recovery from his hand injury – thanks to expert medical intervention and advanced rehabilitation methods.
Anthony Munoz Football Hand Injuries – What NOT to Do
Macomb County football fans will recognize Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz as one of the Cincinnati Bengals all-time greatest offensive lineman. During his NFL career, an accident out on the field left Munoz’s pinky bent at a 90 degree angle. But despite the severity of the injury, Munoz declined the care of a football hand injury doctor.
Concerned that treating the injury would negatively affect his ability to play golf, Munoz’s mangled pinky remains untreated to this day, constituently claiming “it doesn’t hurt.” It’s a shame, because if Munoz had visited an expert football hand injury doctor -like Dr. Rehman at Macomb County Hand Surgery- the offensive lineman’s little finger would not be left permanently, disturbingly dislocated.
Ronnie Lott Football Hand Injury – What NOT to Do
Perhaps no football hand injury story is worse than that of Ronnie Lott. In 1986, after breaking his pinky finger playing for the San Francisco 49ers, Lott notoriously chose to avoid the long recovery time of reconstructive surgery by taking drastic, immediate measures. Despite being universally discouraged from doing so, Lott requested his football hand injury doctor amputate his injured pinky. This was a foolish decision that he immediately regretted and admits he will continue to regret for the rest of his life.
“I was trying to laugh it off, but I felt sick” Lott said in an Associated Press interview shortly after the amputation. At Macomb County Hand Surgery, football hand injury doctor Uzma Rehman helps her patients avoid the same mistakes as Ronnie Lott; treating broken fingers through conventional methods that ensure rapid and tyically complete recovery and restoration of normal finger and hand function.
Football Hand Injuries in High School Sports
Even in High school football, studies reveal that there are 4.3 hand/wrist injuries per 10,000 athletic events. Studies also report that the prevalence of injuries related to high school athletics is increasing in severity. And, even with treatment available from a specialized football injury hand doctor like Macomb County Hand Surgery’s own Dr. Rehman, professionals agree that more must be done to prevent such injuries in the first place.
Football Hand Injury Doctor – Macomb County
Hand injuries are relatively common in high school, college and the NFL, as players often rely on their hands to catch the ball, tackle opponents, and block for their quarterback. The severity of hand injuries can vary widely, but today most players are able to make a full recovery with proper treatment from a specialized doctor and advanced rehabilitation and physical therapy.
If you are an athlete – or the parent of a student who has suffered a football injury or pain in their fingers, wrist, elbow or arm – contact board certified Macomb County hand doctor Uzma Rehman, MD as soon as possible for a comprehensive evaluation and consultation.
As with every type of hand or wrist injury, early detection, rapid intervention, and a state-of-the-art treatment or therapy plan is the most effective way to ensure that any athlete heals rapidly – with no long term adverse effects or complications.
