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February 9, 2012
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Mallet Finger

Medical Author:
Sachin J Shah, MD
Coauthor:
Steven Nazario, MD
Medical Editor:
Scott H Plantz, MD, FAAEM
Medical Editor:
Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD
Medical Editor:
Richard Harrigan, MD

Mallet Finger Overview

Commonly an athletic injury, mallet finger occurs when the outermost joint of the finger is injured. Basketball and baseball players routinely experience jammed fingers, but the injury can occur because of a crushing accident on the job or even because of a cut finger while working in the kitchen.

With mallet finger, the tendon on the back of the finger (not the palm side) is separated from the muscles it connects.

Three types of injuries commonly occur:

  • The tendon is damaged, but no fractures (bone cracks or breaks) are present.

  • The tendon ruptures with a small fracture caused by the force of the injury.

  • The tendon ruptures with a large fracture.

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Mallet Finger Causes»
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Mallet Finger - Causes

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What was the cause of your mallet finger?

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Mallet Finger

Finger Injuries »

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...





Read the Finger Injuries article »


Read What Your Physician is Reading on Medscape

Mallet Finger »

Loss of extensor tendon continuity at the distal interphalangeal joint (DIPJ) causes the joint to rest in an abnormally flexed position.

Read More on Medscape Reference »

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