• Covid-19
  • Find A Provider
  • Patient Portal (eCare)
  • Careers
  • Make a Gift
  • (330) 263-8100

Just another iHealthSpot WP03 site

Wooster Community Hospital - Health System
MENUMENU
  • Home
  • Immediate Care
    • COVID-19
    • Emergency Care
    • Telehealth (WCH Virtual Visits)
    • Walk-In Care (Mt. Hope NowClinic)
    • Walk-In Care (NowClinic)
  • Patients & Visitors
    • Gift Shop
    • For Patients
      • Advance Directive
      • Estimate Cost of Care
      • Discrimination Policy
      • Financial Assistance
      • HCAP Care Assurance Application
      • Home Medical Equipment
      • Language Services
      • Medical Records
      • Pricing/Package Prices
      • Patient Care & Privacy
      • Patient Registration
      • Spiritual Care
    • For Visitors
      • Call a Patient
      • Dining Options
      • Inpatient Units
      • Visiting Hours
    • Recognize An Employee (STARS Program)
    • Send a Card
  • Services
        • Custom Services Menu Nov2021

          • View All Services
          • Drug/Alcohol Withdrawal Program
          • Emergency Care
          • Endocrinology
          • Gastroenterology
          • Health & Wellness – HealthPoint
          • Obstetrics
          • Pharmacy
          • Cancer Care Cancer Care
          • Rehabilitation Rehabilitation
          • Women's Health Women's Health
          • Behavioral Health Behavioral Health
          • Cardiovascular Care Cardiovascular Care
          • Surgery Surgery
  • Services
        • Behavioral Health Services
        • Bloomington Orthopedic Specialists
        • Cardiovascular Services – The Cardiovascular Institute
        • Cancer Care – Comprehensive Cancer Care
        • HealthPoint Chiropractic Services
        • Colonoscopy
        • Drug/Alcohol Withdrawal Program
        • Diagnostic Imaging
        • Emergency Care
        • Endocrinology
        • Endoscopy
        • ERcheckin
        • Gastroenterology
        • Health & Wellness – HealthPoint
        • Home Health Services
        • Home Helpers
        • Hospitalists
        • Internal Medicine
        • Intensive Care Unit - ICU
        • Inpatient Rehabilitation
        • Joint Center
        • Laboratory
        • Medical/Surgical Unit
        • Neurology
        • Nutrition & Diabetes
        • Obstetrics – Women’s Pavilion
        • Occupational Health/Corporate Care
        • Orthopedics
        • Outpatient Rehab – HealthPoint
        • Pain Management
        • Pharmacy
        • Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
        • Progressive Care Unit - PCU
        • Pulmonary Health
        • Skilled Nursing – Transitional Care Unit
        • Sleep Medicine
        • Speech Therapy
        • Spine Surgery
        • Stroke Center
        • Surgery
        • Vascular Lab & Blood Flow Screening
        • Women’s Health – Women’s Specialty Center
        • Wound Healing Center
        • NowClinic (Walk-In Care)
        • Vascular Surgery
  • Community
    • Amish Liaison
    • Annual Reports
    • CPR Courses
    • Community Care Network
    • Giving to WCH
    • Medical Alert Device
    • Senior Partners
    • Support Groups
    • Sustainability
    • Transportation Services
    • Volunteer Opportunities
      • Shop for a Gift
      • Volunteer Services
      • WCH Auxiliary
  • Health & Wellness
  • About Us
    • Awards
    • Blog
    • Careers
    • Job Shadowing
    • Contact Us
    • News
    • Our History
    • Our Mission & Vision
    • Providers – WCH Affiliated
    • Read Reviews
  • FIND A PROVIDER
  • PATIENT PORTAL
  • PAY BILL
  • MAKE A GIFT
Wooster Community Hospital - Health System
You are here: Home / Patient Education Article
  • Watch Video
  • Read Article

Mallet Finger Injury - Baseball Finger

Back to Patient Education

Click the white PLAY button to start video.

 

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. 

A mallet finger injury causes 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.

Read more about Mallet Finger Injury - Baseball Finger

  • Introduction
  • Anatomy
  • Causes
  • Symptoms
  • Diagnosis
  • Treatment
  • Surgery
  • Recovery
  • Prevention
  • Introduction
  • Anatomy
  • Causes
  • Symptoms
  • Diagnosis
  • Treatment
  • Surgery
  • Recovery
  • Prevention

Introduction

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. 

A mallet finger injury causes 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.

Back to top

Anatomy

Your fingers are made up of three bones called phalanges.  Two joints separate the phalanges.  The distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints are located near your fingertips.  The proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints are located in the middle of your fingers. 

Extensor tendons are attached to your phalanges . The extensor mechanism covers the entire finger.  The extensor tendons allow your fingers to extend (straighten).  
Back to top

Causes

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 distal phalanx.  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 where it attaches to the phalanx.  This is called an avulsion fracture.  A mallet finger can also occur if the extensor tendon is cut.
Back to top

Symptoms

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. 
Back to top

Diagnosis

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. 
Back to top

Treatment

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.
Back to top

Surgery

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.
Back to top

Recovery

Splinting and surgical treatments are usually followed by hand therapy rehabilitation.  A hand therapist will show you exercises to stretch and strengthen your joints.  The other joints in your fingers may become stiff and benefit from hand therapy exercises as well.  It can take a mallet finger injury several months to heal fully.  Healing is an individualized process.  Your doctor will let you know what to expect.
Back to top

Prevention

If you receive a mallet finger injury, you should elevate your hand above the level of your heart and apply ice intermittently until you can get to your doctor’s office.  You should receive medical attention if you experience bleeding beneath your fingernail.  Mallet finger injuries that receive prompt treatment tend to have better outcomes. 
Back to top

Copyright ©  - iHealthSpot Interactive - www.iHealthSpot.com

This information is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It should not be used in place of an individual consultation or examination or replace the advice of your health care professional and should not be relied upon to determine diagnosis or course of treatment.

The iHealthSpot patient education library was written collaboratively by the iHealthSpot editorial team which includes Senior Medical Authors Dr. Mary Car-Blanchard, OTD/OTR/L and Valerie K. Clark, and the following editorial advisors: Steve Meadows, MD, Ernie F. Soto, DDS, Ronald J. Glatzer, MD, Jonathan Rosenberg, MD, Christopher M. Nolte, MD, David Applebaum, MD, Jonathan M. Tarrash, MD, and Paula Soto, RN/BSN. This content complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information. The library commenced development on September 1, 2005 with the latest update/addition on February 16, 2022. For information on iHealthSpot’s other services including medical website design, visit www.iHealthSpot.com.

Footer

Patient Education

Learn about common medical conditions and treatments in our interactive patient education center.

Read More

Tell us what you think!

Tell us what you think!

We’d love to hear from you! Send us your feedback and read about the experiences others have had at Wooster Community Hospital.

Leave a Review Read Reviews
  • Patients & Visitors
  • Services
  • About Us
  • Community
  • Careers
  • Telehealth
  • Locations
  • Contact Us

1761 Beall Avenue, Wooster, Ohio 44691 | Phone: (330) 263-8100

Copyright © Wooster Community Hospital. All Rights Reserved.

  • Employees/Physicians
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Discrimination Policy
  • News
iHealthspot Medical Website Design and Medical Marketing by iHealthSpot.com

Wooster Community Hospital (WCH) Health System offers a comprehensive range of inpatient and outpatient services serving the residents of Wayne County, Ohio. Our health care services include urgent care, cardiac rehabilitation, diagnostic imaging, wound healing, behavioral health services, weight loss management, emergency care, cardiovascular services, outpatient rehabilitation services, inpatient withdrawal treatments, comprehensive cancer care, women's health care, diabetic services, robotic-assisted surgery, anesthesiology, chiropractic services, colonoscopy, endocrinology, endoscopy, internal medicine, pulmonary health services, pharmacy services, orthopedics, speech therapy, sleep medicine, and oncology and infusion services.

  • Home
  • Immediate Care
    • COVID-19
    • Emergency Care
    • Telehealth (WCH Virtual Visits)
    • Walk-In Care (Mt. Hope NowClinic)
    • Walk-In Care (NowClinic)
    • Back
  • Patients & Visitors
    • Gift Shop
    • For Patients
      • Advance Directive
      • Estimate Cost of Care
      • Discrimination Policy
      • Financial Assistance
      • HCAP Care Assurance Application
      • Home Medical Equipment
      • Language Services
      • Medical Records
      • Pricing/Package Prices
      • Patient Care & Privacy
      • Patient Registration
      • Spiritual Care
      • Back
    • For Visitors
      • Call a Patient
      • Dining Options
      • Inpatient Units
      • Visiting Hours
      • Back
    • Recognize An Employee (STARS Program)
    • Send a Card
    • Back
  • Services
  • Services
    • Behavioral Health Services
    • Bloomington Orthopedic Specialists
    • Cardiovascular Services – The Cardiovascular Institute
    • Cancer Care – Comprehensive Cancer Care
    • HealthPoint Chiropractic Services
    • Colonoscopy
    • Drug/Alcohol Withdrawal Program
    • Diagnostic Imaging
    • Emergency Care
    • Endocrinology
    • Endoscopy
    • ERcheckin
    • Gastroenterology
    • Health & Wellness – HealthPoint
    • Home Health Services
    • Home Helpers
    • Hospitalists
    • Internal Medicine
    • Intensive Care Unit – ICU
    • Inpatient Rehabilitation
    • Joint Center
    • Laboratory
    • Medical/Surgical Unit
    • NowClinic (Walk-In Care)
    • Neurology
    • Nutrition & Diabetes
    • Obstetrics – Women’s Pavilion
    • Occupational Health/Corporate Care
    • Orthopedics
    • Outpatient Rehab – HealthPoint
    • Pain Management
    • Pharmacy
    • Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
    • Progressive Care Unit – PCU
    • Pulmonary Health
    • Skilled Nursing – Transitional Care Unit
    • Sleep Medicine
    • Speech Therapy
    • Spine Surgery
    • Stroke Center
    • Surgery
    • Vascular Lab & Blood Flow Screening
    • Vascular Surgery
    • Women’s Health – Women’s Specialty Center
    • Wound Healing Center
    • Back
  • Community
    • Amish Liaison
    • Annual Reports
    • CPR Courses
    • Community Care Network
    • Giving to WCH
    • Medical Alert Device
    • Senior Partners
    • Support Groups
    • Sustainability
    • Transportation Services
    • Volunteer Opportunities
      • Shop for a Gift
      • Volunteer Services
      • WCH Auxiliary
      • Back
    • Back
  • Health & Wellness
  • About Us
    • Awards
    • Blog
    • Careers
    • Job Shadowing
    • Contact Us
    • News
    • Our History
    • Our Mission & Vision
    • Providers – WCH Affiliated
    • Read Reviews
    • Back
  • FIND A PROVIDER
  • PATIENT PORTAL
  • PAY BILL
  • MAKE A GIFT