A wrist or finger that hurts, gives way and cannot grip securely

You fall onto your hand while skiing or cycling, and ever since, your wrist clicks with certain movements, as if something is shifting inside it.

Instability / ligament injuries of the wrist and fingers

Your thumb or another finger may have bent sideways when you fell onto your hand, and since then it has not gripped securely or causes pain when squeezed. This is not an ordinary ‘sprain that will go away on its own’. It is probably a ligament injury causing instability of the wrist or fingers.

What is actually happening?

Ligaments in the wrist and fingers act like cords tying neighboring bones together: they stop the bones from spreading apart or shifting, while leaving enough slack for the joint to move freely in the right direction. When such a ‘cord’ tears under sudden force, the bones it holds begin to shift or move more than they should. The joint loses precision and stability, and pain and an uncertain grip appear.

In the wrist, the ligament connecting the scaphoid and lunate bones tears most often. These two small bones are among the wrist’s most important, and the function of the entire wrist depends greatly on their stability and coordinated movement. In the thumb, the ligament on the side of the thumb web space is most often injured; it protects the joint from excessive sideways bending. This injury is commonly called skier’s thumb. Both injuries most often occur in a fall when the joint is suddenly bent beyond its normal range: while skiing, cycling or playing contact sports.

How can you recognize it?

  • pain and swelling at the injury site, worsening with movement,
  • a palpable snap or clicking in the wrist during certain hand movements,
  • an uncertain, weaker grip, for example difficulty holding a pen while writing,
  • with thumb injury: marked, excessive sideways deviation of the thumb.

Why you should not wait

A ligament that does not heal correctly leaves permanent looseness in the joint, predisposing it to pain, instability and reduced grip strength. The bones begin to shift with every movement and work outside their anatomical range, eventually damaging cartilage and causing premature degenerative changes.

Some injuries, especially a complete tear of the thumb ligament, have a short window for the best treatment outcome. Delaying the visit reduces the chance of simple suturing and increases the risk that complex reconstruction will be needed.

How we help

We begin with a consultation and X-ray, which shows the position of the wrist bones and rules out an associated fracture. If a ligament injury is suspected, we add ultrasound, which as a dynamic examination shows which ligament is injured and how severely. If the findings remain unclear, wrist arthroscopy provides final confirmation, allowing us to view the ligament directly from inside the joint.

For milder injuries, immobilization in an orthosis and rehabilitation to restore joint stability are sufficient.

We operate when the ligament is completely torn or conservative treatment does not improve the condition. Depending on the extent and location, we may use a minimally invasive arthroscopic technique or a small skin incision. We suture the ligament or reattach it to the bone with a miniature anchor; in longstanding cases, when the patient’s tissue is no longer suitable for repair, we reconstruct it with local tissue or a graft.

There is one goal: a joint that is stable again and does not fail during gripping.

Book a consultation

If you recognize these symptoms, do not wait, especially with a thumb injury, where timing matters. Book a consultation. We will check which ligament is injured and tell you whether immobilization is sufficient or surgery will be necessary.