Many people enjoy swimming as a way to relax and get some physical activity. This form of exercise is easier on the joints than weight-bearing exercises such as running, although some people experience symptoms after a swim, such as finger pain. Most cases of finger pain after a swim result from an injury or a chronic health condition. This is preventable with changes in swimming routine and treatable with rest and medical care.
Symptoms
In addition to pain in your fingers after you swim, you might develop additional symptoms, including swelling and stiffness of your fingers, redness of your skin, itching, bleeding, deformation of your fingers or nail. You might have difficulty with certain motions while you swim, such as cupping your hands or grasping the ladder to climb out of the pool. Your pain might feel like a dull ache or an intense throbbing sensation and could last for minutes to days or longer, depending on the cause.
Causes
An injury to your hand, such as getting your finger crushed or smashed into the diving board or pool wall, could cause you to experience pain in your fingers. A fracture in one of your digital bones could occur as you push off the diving board or pool, resulting in pain. If you suffer from arthritis or tendinitis in your hand and fingers, these conditions can cause pain, especially if you swim in cold water. A sensitivity or allergic reaction to chemicals used to treat pool water or to microbes in open water could also cause you to experience pain in your fingers after a swim.
Treatments
Before you swim, taking an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as ibuprofen, can help treat or might even prevent pain from chronic conditions, such as arthritis. Stretches and hand exercises, such as squeezing a stress ball, might also help treat pain in your fingers after swimming. If you suffer a severe injury to your fingers while swimming, an emergency physician can perform urgent treatment to stop any bleeding and repair any tissue, nail or bone damage, notes the American Society for Surgery of the Hand website. You might require additional treatments, such as skin grafts or repairs to your nail bed, before you can return to swimming. Occupational therapy after surgery can help you regain full use of your fingers so that you can return to swimming at your peak performance.
Prevention
Use proper form when diving and only dive when someone is available to spot you and assist if you experience an injury. Check to make sure the pool you swim in has approved guards on all drains to help prevent injuries related to suction and crushing in pool drains. Check local beach forecasts for health alerts related to microbes and toxins in the water to avoid finger pain related to exposure to these organisms.
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