Finger Injuries

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Medical Author:

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, is a U.S. board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Cunha's educational background includes a BS in Biology from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and a DO from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, MO. He completed residency training in Emergency Medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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• Finger Injuries Overview
• Finger Injuries Causes
• Finger Injuries Symptoms
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Exams and Tests
• Finger Injuries Treatment
• Self-Care at Home
• Medical Treatment
• Next Steps
• Follow-up
• Prevention
• Outlook
• Multimedia
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors
• Read more on Finger Injuries from Healthwise
• Viewer Comments: Finger Injuries - Causes

Finger Injuries Overview

Finger injuries are common and range from minor cuts and scrapes to wounds with major damage to bone, tendons, and ligaments. If not treated properly, serious finger injuries can lead to permanent deformity and loss of function. Careful treatment will allow for a faster and more complete recovery. A number of different types of finger injuries are common:

• A laceration (cut) may only go through skin, or it may cut through blood vessels, nerves, and tendons that lie just under the skin.
  
  
• An avulsion occurs when part of the skin or soft tissue is torn off.
  
  
• With an amputation, tissue is completely cut or torn away from the finger.
  
  
• Fingernail injuries
  
  
  • The fingernail and the underlying nail bed are the most commonly injured part of the hand.
    
    
  • If a fingernail is injured by a direct blow, the underlying bone may also be broken.
  
  
• Fractures (broken bone)
  
  
  • Each finger (except the thumb) has three bones, or phalanges: the proximal (closest) phalanx, the middle phalanx, and the distal (furthest) phalanx.
    
    
  • A fracture of a phalanx may be an isolated injury, but it is often associated with injury to tendons, ligaments, fingernails, or other soft tissue.
  
  
• Dislocation
  
  
  • A dislocation is an injury to a joint that causes a bone to move out of its normal alignment with another bone.
    
    
  • Finger dislocations commonly happen as a result of a direct blow to the finger (like while playing ball sports).
    
    
  • Usually a dislocation causes damage to the surrounding ligaments (ligaments hold bone to bone), which are stretched and remain damaged even after the dislocation is reduced (put back in place).
  
  
• Ligament injuries (sprains)
  
  
  • Ligaments are the tough tissues holding two bones together at a joint.
    
    
  • A ligament may be torn by a forceful stretch or blow, leaving the joint unstable and prone to further injury.
  
  
• Tendon injuries
  
  
  • Tendons are the fibrous bands that attach muscles to bones and allow the flexible, precise movements of the joints.
    
    
  • Tendons lie just under the skin in the fingers and are covered by a protective sheath.
    
    
  • Both the tendon and its sheath can be damaged by a laceration (cut) or a crush injury.
    
    
  • A tendon can also be torn away from its bony attachment, which is called an avulsion fracture.
  
  
• Nerve injuries
  
  
  • Sensation to the finger is supplied by two nerves, one running along each side of the finger.
    
    
  • Damaging the nerve can cause numbness on the side of the finger supplied by the nerve.