Mallet finger
Mallet finger (also called baseball finger or drop finger) is a bent fingertip that cannot be straightened. It is caused by a ruptured tendon at the base of the finger joint near the fingertip that occurs when a finger is bent with force, such as when trying to catch a ball and the fingertip is struck by the ball.
Symptoms of mallet finger include a:
- Bent fingertip that cannot be straightened.
- Painful and swollen fingertip.
Treatment includes splinting the injured finger in a straight position for several weeks.
| Author | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Editor | Alison Allen |
| Editor | Sydney Youngerman-Cole, RN, BSN, RNC |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine |
| Last Updated | January 12, 2007 |
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Last Updated:
January 12, 2007
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