Finger Dislocation: Why It's Still Swollen Weeks Later
Mia Malan Mia Malan

Finger Dislocation: Why It's Still Swollen Weeks Later

Have you or someone you know jarred a finger, assumed it would settle, and found yourself weeks later still dealing with swelling, stiffness, or a knuckle that just won't straighten? You're not alone. Here's what's really going on inside that stubborn joint — and why seeing a hand therapist sooner rather than later changes everything.

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Mallet Finger: What That Drooping Fingertip Is Telling You
Mia Malan Mia Malan

Mallet Finger: What That Drooping Fingertip Is Telling You

It happens in an instant. A ball hits the end of your finger. You jam it catching a door. You pull back the fitted sheet. And suddenly, your fingertip won't straighten — it just hangs there, drooping, no matter how hard you will it to move.

That's mallet finger. And in my experience as a hand therapist, it's one of the most underestimated injuries I see.

People walk in days — sometimes weeks — after the initial injury, having convinced themselves it was "just a jam." By the time they arrive, the window for the smoothest possible recovery is already narrowing. So let me tell you what I wish every patient knew from day one.

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How to Cut an Avocado Safely (And Avoid Hand Surgery)
Mia Malan Mia Malan

How to Cut an Avocado Safely (And Avoid Hand Surgery)

For more than a decade as a specialist in post-surgical rehabilitation of the hand, wrist and elbow, I've seen a wide variety of injuries—and a very colourful array of how these injuries happen. One of the most frequent culprits? The humble avocado.

I know what you're thinking: how on earth does an avocado cause serious hand injuries requiring surgery?

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