MEDICAL MOMENT: SKIER’S THUMB? AVOID IT!

01 Mar MEDICAL MOMENT: SKIER’S THUMB? AVOID IT!

Telluride Inside… and Out is proud to feature the Telluride Medical Center’s MEDICAL MOMENT, a weekly column that answers common medical questions in pop culture. Have a question for the doctors? Click here to send.

Dr. Dan Hehir, Chief of Medical Staff, Board Certified in Emergency Medicine

This week, Dr. Dan Hehir answers this week’s question: What is Skier’s Thumb? And, how do I avoid it?

Skier’s thumb is a very common ski injury we see frequently at the Telluride Medical Center. It is a tearing of the ulna collateral ligament of the thumb (see figure 1).

It is usually caused by falling with a ski pole in the palm of the hand. When this happens it can tear the ligament which can be a minor inconvenience, tear a chunk of bone off with it, known as an avulsion fracture (see Figure 2) and even require surgery.

Many of these injuries are caused by using an improper grip on the ski pole. When I see a patient in the Emergency Room who has skier’s thumb, I usually grab a ski pole and have the patient show me how they hold their poles. Nearly every time they have an improper grip. A little patient education can go a long way in preventing a patient from repeating this injury.

The proper way to hold a ski pole is to put your hand up through the strap and then down onto the pole grip (see figure 3). Then, when the pole is dropped while falling, the pole will release from the hand and not trap the thumb onto the pole.

Figure 4 demonstrates the improper technique for holding the pole. In this case the skier starts by putting the thumb down through the strap and then grabs the pole. When the skier falls, the pole is trapped against the palm and the thumb can drag along the ground potentially causing skier’s thumb.

I really discourage the use of fixed plastic grips as they cause the pole to stay in the hand when the skier falls and contributes to a higher incidence of skier’s thumb.

Another option is to use no straps at all but the skier must remember to drop the pole when falling and not let it stay in his or her hand.

Hopefully more and more of us will start using the proper technique for holding our ski poles and this common but sometimes debilitating injury can be decreased.

Editor’s note: The Telluride Medical Center is the only 24-hour emergency facility within 65 miles. You can choose your own medical provider visit with a specialist or take advantage of their Mountain Skin Care services. As a mountain town in a challenging, remote environment, a thriving medical center is vital to our community’s health. For more Medical Moments on TIO, Click Here.