# Finger Jam

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finger-jam/9154>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 24, 2000, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finger-jam/9154 "2000-03-24T14:02:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Astro\_Hog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/0ea827/32.png) [@Astro\_Hog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astro_Hog)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2000, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finger-jam/9154/1 "2000-03-24T14:02:00Z")

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What happens when you jam a finger and why does it hurt for several days after it happens?

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2000, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finger-jam/9154/2 "2000-03-25T06:04:00Z")

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well normally, when you jam a finger, the finger becomes surrounded with a gelatinis goo that is usually spread over bread.

now as for the pain lasting for a few days… i don’t know how you’re jamming your finger, but when i do it, it is painless.

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**Author:** ![Lor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ea666f/32.png) [@Lor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lor)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2000, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finger-jam/9154/3 "2000-03-25T04:29:00Z")

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Ah yes, the finger jam. Many’s the time I’ve had that happen to me, usually while catching a softball. Sophomoric jokes aside, my guess would be that something forcibly pushing the joints in your finger together causes swelling, so you can’t bend it for a while. Probably breaks tiny blood vessels too, causing pain and bruising.

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**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2000, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finger-jam/9154/4 "2000-03-25T16:26:00Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Originally posted by Lor:  
> **Probably breaks tiny blood vessels too, causing pain and bruising.**

Not to mention bones. My right middle fingertip was turned to powder by a baseball.

It can also tear ligaments and cartilage, and those take longer to hear.

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**Author:** ![Jois](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ea666f/32.png) [@Jois](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jois)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2000, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finger-jam/9154/5 "2000-03-25T23:29:00Z")

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Yep, broken vessels and swelling from fluid pushed into spaces where they should not be. After a couple of days try a warm pack.

If you can’t remember to take care not to bang it into things while you are at home-gently wrap it to the finger next to it. Looks odd when you are not at home but if it hurts enough you can do the same for work, too.

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Are you driving with your eyes open or are you using The Force? - A. Foley