mallet finger... Say What!!!

garrett r wrote:

I spent months with a splint / doing PT (and not climbing) after getting mallet finger.  I did not have surgery and it wasn’t recommended, but I went to an ortho immediately after the injury and got it splinted.  My extensor never fully healed and I have a minor permanent droop (possibly because my finger wasn’t kept completely straight for 100% of the time it was supposed to be splinted).  That said, once healed it doesn’t affect finger strength thankfully because the issue is with the extensor instead of the flexor.

Good luck with recovery!  

Thanks for sharing. I'm glad that your finger strength returned to normal!! after reading your post distinguishing between the flexor and the extensor, I realized my mri said "jersey finger" instead of "mallet finger"

Just wait till you grow old. Left middle finger taking off socks.

Two weeks in splint, I took it off to wash, it gave away again and had to start 6 weeks over.

Okay since, 

bicep long head not so goody, (moving table)

I suffered a mallet finger injury to my left hand ring finger three weeks ago while catching a basketball. I had climbed hard the day before playing basketball so I believe climbing was a contributing factor. I have been in a splint for 3 week and will be in a splint 24/7 for at least 3 more weeks. Does anyone know if the doctor will MRI/X-Ray at the 6-8 week follow-up appointment to assess healing?

If you have a mallet finger injury:

1. DO NOT straighten your finger until 6-8 week of splinting 24/7 has passed. As others have said, keep your finger straight at all times, even while cleaning. Make sure you advocate for yourself at the doctor's office. My doctor was very nonchalant about keeping my finger straight during the examination until I asked them to be careful.

2. I found that the metal splint with foam inside did not keep the tip of my finger perfectly straight so I switched to a stack splint that seems to keep it straighter. And it is helps more to prevent skin maceration by allowing the finger to "breath" more.

Tim M wrote:

I suffered a mallet finger injury to my left hand ring finger three weeks ago while catching a basketball. I had climbed hard the day before playing basketball so I believe climbing was a contributing factor. I have been in a splint for 3 week and will be in a splint 24/7 for at least 3 more weeks. Does anyone know if the doctor will MRI/X-Ray at the 6-8 week follow-up appointment to assess healing?

If you have a mallet finger injury:

1. DO NOT straighten your finger until 6-8 week of splinting 24/7 has passed. As others have said, keep your finger straight at all times, even while cleaning. Make sure you advocate for yourself at the doctor's office. My doctor was very nonchalant about keeping my finger straight during the examination until I asked them to be careful.

2. I found that the metal splint with foam inside did not keep the tip of my finger perfectly straight so I switched to a stack splint that seems to keep it straighter. And it is helps more to prevent skin maceration by allowing the finger to "breath" more.

I was late in getting my finger checked out. So, I ended up receiving an MRI first (~5/6 weeks after) that revealed the jersey finger/avulsion fracture. Then, I received an x-ray (~9 weeks after) that showed the bone had healed! So, they will do an x-ray pretty far out. That said, I think what the ortho will do depends on the specificity of your PCP's referral, and IMO, having navigated a bunch of insurance obstacles, it seems like many doctors aren't inclined to x-ray after 6-8 weeks (or at least won't prioritize scheduling you) because they assume the fracture heals in that time. That was just my experience though. Good luck!!