The dangers of door related finger injuries

09 Oct The dangers of door related finger injuries

Finger trapping incidents are unfortunately very common. While our door safety products have helped to lower the number of accidents significantly since their launch some 20 years ago, door-related finger injuries still happen and leave lasting marks on those affected.

In this blog post, we take a closer look at the short and long term physical and mental issues that are caused by door-related finger injuries to demonstrate just how important door safety guards really are.

Swelling and stiffness

Immediately after injury and during the first 72 hours, it is common to experience symptoms like pain, redness, bruising, swelling, stiffness and temporary loss of function. These symptoms occur with any soft tissue injury, with patients advised to use RICE principles to aid recovery as WebMD explains:

“If you’ve ever hurt your ankle or had another type of sprain or strain, chances are your doctor recommended rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE) as one of your first treatments. The RICE method is a simple self-care technique that aims to reduce swelling, ease pain, and speed up healing. Rest, ice, compression, and elevation of a sprain or strain are part of the RICE method to heal minor injuries.”

You can find further advice on relieving finger trapping symptoms here.

Decreased function

Beyond the cuts and bruises sustained via door-related finger injuries in the short term comes a whole heap of longer term issues.

Many people who trap or crush their fingers in doors experience decreased function and dexterity, with these impairments preventing them from performing the simplest tasks. Tying your shoe laces, typing, holding an item (like a pencil or mobile phone) and eating can all be made increasingly more difficult with reduced function in the hands and fingers.

Even if the door-related finger injury was sustained during childhood, lasting pain and discomfort could have a negative impact in later life, with people even prevented from pursuing certain career paths due to loss of hand strength.

Chronic pain

The initial aches and pains of finger trapping can go on for months or even years, and they aren’t just experienced at the site of injury either. It has been reported that people who have suffered door-related injuries have experienced elbow pain and even migraines due to the damage caused by finger trapping.

Amputation

While extreme, amputation is the reality for many individuals who have sustained door-related finger injuries.

According to this research, three out of four finger amputations in children aged 4 or under were caused by fingers becoming caught, jammed or crushed in doors. Advancements in plastic surgery are making amputations less frequent, with surgery and ongoing reconstructive procedures providing better outcomes.

Depression

Door-related finger injuries don’t just affect individuals physically. Incidents can have a long-lasting impact on mental health, with self-esteem and confidence both affected by finger entrapment. People who have trapped their fingers in self-shutting safety doors, car doors or hinges, and become disfigured as a result, are also prone to depression.

Prevention is certainly better than cure when it comes to finger trapping incidents. With this in mind, we’d always recommend fitting door safety guards to minimise trapping hazards and keep precious fingers out of hinge gap openings.

Browse our range of door finger protectors today to get started.