How can you provide support for a patient’s injured thumb or finger without restricting the movement they need? Which thumb injuries can you safely tape, and which need urgent imaging to avoid long-term instability and pain? And how do you tape fingers when you want to limit either extension or flexion?
In this practical presentation, Zoe Russell (Specialist Sports and Exercise Physiotherapist and Clinical Edge educator) demonstrates five thumb and finger taping techniques to build your confidence and expand your treatment options.
With step-by-step demonstrations, you’ll learn how to:
- Recognise when taping needs further assessment first, including why significant thumb UCL instability must be identified before proceeding.
- Apply thumb UCL support and a thumb spica for CMC joint support, choosing tape width and positioning to suit your patient’s hand and functional needs.
- Buddy strap an injured finger, choosing the appropriate neighbouring “buddy” finger, positioning tape around the PIP joint and incorporating Coban for swelling control.
- Adapt finger taping to your treatment goal, changing the direction of the strips to limit extension while allowing flexion, or limit flexion when needed.
- Reassess your application, checking support, safety, movement and comfort after finger taping.
You’ll finish this presentation with practical thumb and finger taping techniques and reassessment tests you can confidently use with each patient’s thumb or finger injury.
Also in this series:
Click here for your access to the hand and finger taping presentation with a Clinical Edge membership, or watch it here if you're a Clinical Edge member.