The Most Common Finger Injury: Mallet Finger
Posted on Tue, Jul 14, 2009 @ 09:38 AM
Anyone who has hit their fingertip against a door or wall or closed a drawer on their finger is lucky if they did not sustain what is commonly known as a Mallet Finger. Named for the position the end of the finger assumes, a Mallet Finger occurs when the tendon that straightens the DIP joint (the small joint near the fingernail) is torn or broken from its attachment.
A Mallet Finger, sometimes called a baseball finger, is a condition in which the end joint of a finger bends but will not straighten. The finger can be pushed straight but will not stay straight without support.
The standard treatment for a Mallet Finger is to hold it in a straight position full time for 4 to 6 weeks to allow the end of the tendon to heal back in place. Typically the doctor may use a wooden stick, aluminum strip or plastic tube splint to hold the finger straight. While these treatments are reasonably successful if followed for the full 4-6 weeks, they are inconvenient and often cause skin problems due to the tape necessary to hold them in place and the lack of air that gets to the fingertip.
There are some newer options on the market. Some are strips that fit on the top of the finger so the fingertip is free. The Oval-8 Finger Splint is an open design plastic splint that leaves the fingertip free and allows the skin to breath. The Oval-8 allows function and does not impede hand washing. Oval-8 splints must be fit to the finger so it is best to ask your health care provider about this splint as an option to treat a Mallet finger.
Author: Julie Belkin