A mallet finger injury occurs when the tip of a finger or the thumb is forcefully flexed. The force injures the tendon that straightens the fingertip joint. A mallet finger injury is also referred to as a baseball finger injury because it commonly occurs during the sport of baseball. We have a full Mallet Finger Service
A mallet finger injury will cause pain and swelling at your DIP joint. You will not be able to straighten the end of your fingertip. The end of your finger will droop down. It can also cause loss of movement, pain, and swelling. The joint at the end of the finger is noted to droop. Most mallet finger injuries are treated with splinting. In cases of fracture or malalignment, surgery may be necessary to treat the condition.
A mallet finger injury occurs when the tip of a finger or the thumb is forcefully bent down (flexed). The force tears the extensor tendon that is attached to the tip of your finger or thumb. This can happen during sports, such as baseball. If the force is great enough, the tendon may remain intact, but a small piece of bone can be pulled away from where it attaches to the phalanx. This is called an avulsion fracture. A mallet finger can also occur if the extensor tendon is cut.
Your doctor can diagnose a mallet finger injury by examining your finger. You should tell your doctor about how you sustained your injury. X-rays will be used to identify an avulsion fracture, joint malalignment, or associated injuries.
The majority of mallet finger injuries are treated with splinting. You will wear a finger splint full time for about six weeks. It is important not to remove the finger splint at any time, even while you shower. If the finger splint is removed, even for the shortest amount of time, the treatment is disrupted, and the process must start all over. The full-time splint schedule is followed by a part time splint wearing schedule for another three or four weeks.
The splint should be removed, however, in a certain way, to allow observation and care of the skin. The finger must be kept in extension by resting it on a flat surface whenever the splint is removed.
Surgery may be necessary for mallet finger injuries with fractures and joint malalignment. Surgical hardware, such as pins, wires, and screws, are used to hold the bones in place while they heal. In rare cases, the extensor tendon may be tightened or repaired with a graft.
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