0000028533 00000 n When youre injured you should immediately: Long-term treatment involves putting your fingertip into a splint and keeping it there for a minimum of six weeks while your tendon heals. After the pain of the initial injury you may experience: No. For that to happen, you must keep your fingertip immobilized every hour of every day. Mallet Finger Hand Injury Treatment in Raleigh NC >> DO NOT let your finger go unsupported! /F3 5 0 R In a mallet injury, when an object hits the tip of the finger or thumb, the force of the blow tears the extensor tendon. Mallet Finger: Symptoms & Treatment | The Hand Society But it can also occur when performing household activities if you strike the tip of a finger on an immoveable object such as a door or wall. X The process of healing will take some time. Specifically, the extensor tendon is injured, resulting in the inability to actively extend the finger at the distal interphalangeal joint (DIP). And to make sure you dont actually have a swan neck deformity. During this time, the splint may be carefully removed to allow for cleansing of both the splint and the finger, but you should avoid strenuous activities and sports to prevent recurrent injury. In children, the fracture may happen in the growth plate of the distal phalanx. . A common fingertip injury occurs when something hits the end of a straight finger forcing it to bend. 0000005843 00000 n Splints may include your entire finger or your joint specifically, such as with a ring splint. 11 0 obj Excellent article and its translation. endobj Approximately ten days after surgery you will meet back up with your doctor to remove the sutures and monitor the progress of the healing. Youll be able to go home once youre stable and shouldnt need to stay overnight in the hospital. You should also ice your splinted finger for 10-20 minutes three to four times per day. In children, the fracture may be in the growth part of the bone. Splint Weaning Program for Mallet Finger Deformity After you have worn the mallet splint all the time for the recommended period, usually eight (8) weeks or longer, depending on what you were instructed, you should follow the weaning schedule below. Mallet finger most often occurs when something hits the tip of your straightened finger and bends it down with force. There really isnt any other way to put it. However, some slight droop, bumpiness, or contour difference in this finger can be permanent. Thats why its so important to make sure you know which type of mallet finger you have. This is a figure-eight splint that you wear around the PIP joint all the time for several. Your primary healthcare provider may be able to treat your mallet finger. Skin problems are common with prolonged splinting. But these injuries are common accidents that arent always preventable. /Type /Page xq5csOmv8L"8z&gj\03TnxO_~2/;]~~Z3}sn>?_M?T[>/ FM_~%H$U vHPZ&Ud%C{?'~/f6KUnj{lnl_~Fg2-6jvNV_R)?-2?UkGv.qx[VD3lg90?/_y4 g) endstream endobj 173 0 obj <>/Metadata 10 0 R/Pages 9 0 R/StructTreeRoot 12 0 R/Type/Catalog/ViewerPreferences<>>> endobj 174 0 obj >/PageTransformationMatrixList<0[1.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 -396.0]>>/PageUIDList<0 204>>/PageWidthList<0 612.0>>>>>>/Resources<>/ExtGState<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageC/ImageI]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/TrimBox[0.0 0.0 612.0 792.0]/Type/Page>> endobj 175 0 obj <> endobj 176 0 obj <> endobj 177 0 obj [/Indexed/DeviceRGB 0 195 0 R] endobj 178 0 obj <> endobj 179 0 obj [200 0 R] endobj 180 0 obj <>stream Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. How to Apply and Remove a Mallet Finger Splint The typical treatment involves splinting and ice. If you wait to start treatment or do not wear the splint as you are told, you may have to wear it longer. /.notdef/exclamdown/cent/sterling/currency/yen/brokenbar/section A mallet finger is a deformity of the finger typically caused by injury. The first type is an injury to the extensor tendon itself called a rupture. Mallet finger injuries occur when a forceful blow is delivered to the tip of a finger while the finger is flexed. /XObject 18 0 R 0000028806 00000 n Dr. Catania is a board certified Family Medicine Physician in Pennsylvania. /Encoding 16 0 R <]/Prev 537238/XRefStm 1352>> >> Thanks a lot. And I wish I would have come across your screen sooner to save you time and worry. A mallet finger that is up to three months old may require splinting in full extension for eight to 12 weeks. 172 0 obj <> endobj 13 0 obj Surgical treatment of the damaged tendon usually requires a tendon graft tendon tissue that is taken (harvested) from another part of your body or even fusing the joint straight. If your finger bends at all, it can set back the healing process. Even with a tendinous mallet, you still have to let the tendon scar and heal to the bone. Mallet finger most often occurs when something hits the tip of your straightened finger and bends it down with force. /Subtype /Type1 It can be especially tempting to remove your splint while showering. /Subtype /Type1 ]V!N&tMBtrl5_z[!%@ Take a popsicle stick and place it along the underside of your finger. The hand can be elevated (fingers toward the ceiling). Now another reason why I find that your mallet finger may not be healed is because it isnt a mallet finger. >> 10 0 obj <> endobj Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Medical attention should be sought within the first few days after the injury, especially if there is blood beneath the nail or if the nail is detached at the base. So dont delay, if youve got any of the above symptoms takes steps towards your recovery and book in with an accredited hand therapist today! endstream endobj 181 0 obj <> endobj 182 0 obj <>stream A drooping finger is more commonly known as a Mallet finger injury. A mallet finger injury requires medical treatment to ensure the finger regains as much function as possible. Reviewed by: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA. 0000004669 00000 n Once the mallet finger has healed, your surgeon or hand therapist will teach you exercises for the small end joint as it becomes very stiff from the splinting. Because wearing a splint for a long period of time can irritate the skin, your doctor may talk with you about how to carefully check your skin for problems. An open mallet finger starts with a sharp cut or laceration, which goes through the tendon and down to the bone, over the last joint of the finger. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. The finger may be painful, swollen and bruised, especially if there is an associated fracture, but often the only finding is the inability to straighten the tip. 14 0 obj Tendons attach your bones to your muscles, providing stability and motion. Remember to take your pain medications as prescribed, wear your splint for a minimum of six weeks as instructed by your provider, and do your finger exercises. A trained professional should make your splint to make sure it fits correctly and your finger is in the right position for healing. Keep your finger straight the whole time the splint is off. /egrave/eacute/ecircumflex/edieresis/igrave/iacute/icircumflex/idieresis Any straight, solid item will work as a splint so long as it is strong enough to hold the finger in place. To remove a mallet finger splint, slowly slide the splint off, while placing your thumb tip to tip with your mallet finger. endstream endobj 208 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/Index[12 160]/Length 27/Size 172/Type/XRef/W[1 1 1]>>stream /Type /Font 16 0 obj Using the uninjured hand, straighten the fingers of the injured hand. This can delay the healing process and you might need to wear a splint for a longer period of time. To relieve pain and reduce swelling, apply ice to your finger immediately and keep your hand elevated above your heart. /Subtype /Type1 /Subtype /Type1 This is called an avulsion injury. endobj Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. /Differences [ 128/.notdef/quoteleft/quoteright/quotedblleft/quotedblright/emdash/bullet/.notdef Lets talk about reason number three why your mallet finger may not be healed. /BaseFont /Courier-Oblique A bump may appear just below the nail on the back of the finger. /F6 8 0 R Removing your splint even once, without support, can undo all that healing goodness. But it should not be so tight that it cuts off blood flow. The wean should occur over a 1-month period. After the fingertip gets jammed, the end (smallest) joint of the finger just before the fingernail droops and looks crooked. There are two types of mallet finger. Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 09/23/2021. Secondary Outcome Measures : DASH score [ Time Frame: 4 months ] Secondary Study Questions: hb`````d IY8a3/&i "R&/urk~FMS9m`-6@ %%EOF $.' 17 0 obj 5 0 obj You may need to wear a splint for different lengths of time. >> You will also be given gentle exercises for the middle finger joint to prevent it from getting stiff. This content is written, edited and updated by hand surgeon members of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Find a hand surgeon near you.