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Medical Author:

Justin Strittmatter, MD

Coauthor:

Charles Preston, MD

Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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If the patient elects to have surgery, then operative exploration and ligament repair using a "suture anchor" will most likely be performed. After the operation, the hand may be placed in a lightweight cast to hold the thumb still while the ligament heals. The patient will have to remain in this cast for some time based on the orthopedic surgeon's preferences, although some surgeons now advocate early gentle motion.

If the patient has an associated fracture with skier's thumb, then it may be treated with a modified cast. Surgical stabilization of the fracture might be needed if a piece of bone has broken off in an unacceptable place.

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