Sprained Thumb? It Could Be Skier's Thumb.

A thumb forced sideways or bent back with enough force is a Skier's Thumb injury until proven otherwise. It's one of the most common thumb injuries we see in sport, and it needs proper assessment. Left untreated, an unstable thumb joint causes ongoing problems with grip and pinch that are hard to fix later.

What Is It?

Skier's Thumb is an injury to the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), a strong band of tissue on the inside of your thumb's main knuckle joint. Its job is to stabilise the joint when you're gripping, pinching, or carrying. When the thumb is forced backward or sideways with enough force, the ligament tears, partially or completely. In some cases a small fragment of bone is pulled away at the same time.

You may also hear it called Gamekeeper's Thumb, an older term for the same ligament injured through chronic repetitive strain rather than a single incident.

What Does It Feel Like?

Common signs include:

• Pain and swelling at the base of the thumb, on the inner side
• Bruising or tenderness along the inside of the thumb joint
• Difficulty or pain when pinching, turning a key, lifting, or writing
• Weakness or instability when gripping

What Causes It?

The injury usually happens when the thumb is forced sideways or backward:

• A fall onto an outstretched hand
• Rugby, basketball, or netball tackles and ball catches
• Skiing (thumb caught in a pole strap during a fall)
• Chronic repetitive stress over time

An X-ray is often needed to check for bone involvement.

How Can We Treat It?

Treatment depends on how severely the ligament is torn.

Partial tear or sprain

A splint or cast for up to six weeks protects the healing ligament. We guide you through exercises to keep the fingertip and other joints moving while the ligament repairs.

Complete tear

A fully torn ligament often needs surgery to restore joint stability. After surgery, rehab involves splinting for around six weeks followed by a graduated programme to restore strength, flexibility, and confidence in the thumb.

What If I'm Not Sure?

Don't wait. An unstable thumb that isn't treated properly can lead to long-term joint instability and arthritis. The earlier we assess it, the more options you have.

How We Can Help

At Hands On Rehabilitation, hand and upper limb injuries are what we do. Our therapists are the experts at managing these injuries and are used to being your first point of contact. You don't need a referral. We can:

• Assess your injury and confirm the diagnosis
• Refer you for X-rays, and ultrasound if needed
• Make a custom thumb splint or cast
• Guide you through a structured rehab programme
• Make an acute referral to a hand surgeon if we are concerned about a complete tear
• Liaise with our surgeons and coordinate your onward care
• Lodge your ACC claim

Come in as soon as you can. The earlier we see you, the more we can do.

See us first. Get sorted. Get back in the game.

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