Hand Doctors Tips
to Avoid Turkey Carving Hand Cuts

Halloween has come and gone, and Thanksgiving is just around the corner! But while Thanksgiving is a time for food, family, and fun, unsafe turkey carving practices can lead to serious injuries such as hand cuts.

Every Thanksgiving, Oakland County board certified hand surgeon Dr. Rehman sees at least one patient who come into our office with injuries to their hands or fingers sustained while cooking or carving the turkey. Using caution during the holiday turkey cooking season, and taking steps to prevent hand injuries when carving, can go a long way to keeping everyone safe.

To prevent hand injuries, Oakland County board certified hand surgeon Dr. Rehman suggests you adhere to the following turkey carving safety tips, to avoid hand cuts and injury.

Tips to Avoid Turkey Carving Hand Cuts & Injuries

Fortunately, by following these simple steps to avoid hand cuts and injuries, Oakland County turkey carvers won’t have to finish their pumpkin pie in the emergency room:

#1. Never carve the turkey towards yourself. To avoid hand cuts, the carver’s free hand should remain on the side opposite the one towards they are carving. And even when attempting to catch an escaping slice of meat, never place one’s hand underneath the blade. Failure to do so can result in hand cuts and other serious injuries.

#2. To avoid the dangerous slips that lead to hand cuts, both the cutting area and the handle of the knife should be kept dry. Oakland County thanksgiving hosts can also reduce the risk of hand cuts by carving the bird in a well-lit room.

#3. Only cut the turkey using sharp utensils. The sharper the knife, the less force will be required to perform the job. During the thanksgiving season, many of our Macomb County hand cut patients incurred their injury from trying to force a dull knife through a particularly tough piece of turkey. The best way to avoid hand cuts like these is through the use of an electric knife.

#4. The bones of the turkey can be just as dangerous as the knives used to cut them. When using the wrong tools to carve the turkey, sharp edges of broken bones can cause serious hand cuts. To avoid this, bone-cutting should only be performed using kitchen shears.

#5. Don’t let someone who has been drinking carve the turkey. It’s great fun to have a few beers while watching the big football game before dinner! But just like the other 364 days of the year, Thanksgiving is no time to give an intoxicated individual access to sharp, dangerous objects. Keep Turkey Day safe and fun for the whole family by keeping it free from injuries like hand cuts.

When to See a Doctor for a Turkey Carving Hand Cuts or Injury

In most cases of minor hand cuts, applying direct pressure with a clean cloth is usually sufficient to stop the bleeding. If bleeding persists after 15 minutes of continuous pressure, Oakland County hand cut patients should visit the emergency room. A visit to the emergency room may also be in order if the injured individual is unable to thoroughly cleanse the wound with mild soap and water, or if they are unsure of their tetanus immunization status.

If pain continues to persist for several days after the hand cut occurred, patients should visit board certified Oakland County hand surgeon Dr. Rehman. Patients should also visit Dr. Rehman if they notice persistent tingling or numbness to their fingertips, or if their hand cut has caused difficulty bending or moving their fingers.

Hand Cut Doctor – Oakland County

Hand cuts and injuries can interfere with every aspect of daily life, from writing, to eating, to using the phone or computer! In extreme cases, treatment for a severe hand cut or laceration from turkey carving or another knife injury can often run three to four months, from the time of surgery through rehabilitation. So when injury occurs it is important to see a specialized hand doctor as soon as possible.

Oakland County Hand Cut Doctor: 248.335.2638