UCL injury of the thumb: Mechanism of injury and treatment options

I created the Active Life Orthopedics Guides to help the people I can't see in my practice — practical guidance on recovering from orthopedic injuries and conditions — from a triple-board certified orthopedic surgeon — so you can get back to the active life you love. New titles releasing throughout 2026. 📚 Explore the series: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Dr.-Dav... A UCL injury of the thumb, also known as skier’s thumb or gamekeeper’s thumb, is a difficult injury for an athlete. In this video, I discuss how the injury occurs and what the treatment options are. http://challenge.drdavidgeier.com/ds/... I want to help you! Please click the link above and take a few seconds to share the biggest challenge or struggle you’re facing with your injury! https://www.drdavidgeier.com/ucl-inju... Click the link above for more information about UCL injury of the thumb and other resources for your sports or exercise injury. Get The Serious Injury Checklist FREE! How can you know if your injury should get better in a few days or if it's more serious? This checklist can help you plan your next step to recover quickly and safely. http://www.sportsmedicinesimplified.com Please note: I don't respond to questions and requests for specific medical advice left in the comments to my videos. I receive too many to keep up (several hundred per week), and legally I can't offer specific medical advice to people who aren't my patients (see below). If you want to ask a question about a specific injury you have, leave it in the comments below, and I might answer it in an upcoming Ask Dr. Geier video. If you need more detailed information on your injury, go to my Resources page: https://www.drdavidgeier.com/resources/ The content of this YouTube Channel,    / drdavidgeier   (“Channel”) is for INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. The Channel may offer health, fitness, nutritional and other such information, but such information is intended for educational and informational purposes only. This content should not be used to self-diagnose or self-treat any health, medical, or physical condition. The content does not and is not intended to convey medical advice and does not constitute the practice of medicine. YOU SHOULD NOT RELY ON THIS INFORMATION AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR, NOR DOES IT REPLACE, PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE, DIAGNOSIS, OR TREATMENT. You should consult with your healthcare professional before doing anything contained on this Channel. You agree that Dr. Geier is not responsible for any actions or inaction on your part based on the information that is presented on the Channel. Dr. David Geier Enterprises, LLC makes no representations about the accuracy or suitability of the content. USE OF THE CONTENT IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. WHAT IS A UCL INJURY OF THE THUMB? The UCL, or ulnar collateral ligament, is a small ligament at the base of the thumb that keeps the thumb from being pulled away from the rest of the hand. It’s located at the base of the thumb on the side closest to the index finger. HOW DOES A UCL INJURY OF THE THUMB OCCUR? An athlete injures this ligament when an object pulls the thumb away from the rest of the hand suddenly. A baseball player slides headfirst into a base, and the base pulls his thumb suddenly. A skier crashes while holding a pole in his or her hand. HOW IS THIS THUMB INJURY TREATED? Some UCL injuries can be treated without surgery. The doctor might put your hand and thumb in a cast or splint for a number of weeks to allow the ligament to heal. Other injuries require surgery to sew the torn ligament back together or reattach it to bone with stitches and/or anchors. Return to sports can take up to 6 to 8 weeks.