James C. Cassandra, DO
Orthopedic Hand & Elbow Surgeon
Mallet finger is a painful injury that can disrupt the function of your affected finger or thumb.
If you suspect you have a mallet finger, schedule an appointment with one of our board-certified specialists at OrthoNeuro today! We have many convenient locations throughout Greater Columbus. Our expert hand specialists are eager to help you.
Mallet finger is a term used to describe an injury to the extensor tendon that straightens the end joint of your finger or thumb. The extensor tendons straighten your fingers and thumb and are found on the top side of your hand.
The injury is also known as baseball finger because it is usually caused by a ball, or another unyielding object, striking the tip of your finger or thumb. The force causes the finger or thumb to bend, causing damage.
The injury may also be referred to as soft mallet finger or bony mallet finger. Soft mallet finger is when there is a rupture to the extensor tendon. Bony mallet finger refers to an avulsion or tearing away of the tendon from the distal phalanx, with a small fragment of bone still attached to the avulsed tendon.
A mallet finger injury usually occurs when an object hits your fingertip or thumb. The force of the blow pushes the finger forward, tearing the extensor tendon.
If something has struck your finger or thumb and you have the following symptoms, you may have a mallet finger:
You should seek immediate medical attention if there is blood beneath your injured nail or if your nail becomes detached. These may indicate that you have a cut in your nail bed, or perhaps your finger bone is broken, and you have an open wound. All these injuries put you at a high risk of infection.
Your doctor will begin by considering your medical history and symptoms. They will examine your injured finger and thumb using the mallet finger test. While holding your affected finger, they will ask you to straighten it.
You will also be sent for an X-ray. This will help identify whether a fragment of bone was separated from the distal phalanx or if your finger bone was fractured. An X-ray will also show if the finger joint was dislocated.
A mallet injury can be treated using a finger splint or a temporary pin, which can be surgically inserted across the fingertip joint to hold the finger straight while it heals.
Most mallet finger injuries can be treated with a splint. However, if there are bone fragments or fractures present, they may need fixing using pins. Some people may also prefer using the pin because of the splinting routine.
Surgical treatment may also include fixing the damaged tendon. Usually, a tendon graft is taken from another part of your body to repair the injured tendon. In some cases, your surgeon may need to fuse the finger joint straight. If treatment is delayed, it could result in deformity at the tip of the finger.
Recovery will depend on what treatment you use to treat the mallet finger.
A splint holds the fingertip straight until it heals. The splint must be used at all times for a total of 6-8 weeks, including while you are bathing. You will need to change the dressing after you have bathed.
As the splinted finger dries, it must be kept straight. If the fingertip droops for just a moment, the healing process can be disrupted, and your healing time will take longer.
Wearing a splint for an extended period of time can irritate your skin. Your doctor will want to check your affected finger from time to time for any skin problems that might be developing.
After 3 to 4 weeks, you will gradually wear the splint less often. For example, you may only need to use the splint at night.
If your orthopedic surgeon decides to use a pin to hold the finger in place, you do not need to do much during recovery. After about 8 weeks, the pin will be removed.
With both methods, you are likely to regain both acceptable function and appearance in your affected finger. However, many patients are not able to regain full finger extension.
If you have been experiencing the symptoms of mallet finger, schedule an appointment with one of our specialists today! We have many locations in the Columbus, OH area. Contact us today to get the relief you’re looking for!
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