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A review of mallet finger and jersey finger injuries in the athlete

Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine volume 10, pages 1–9 (2017)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose of review

The purposes of this review are to discuss the diagnosis and management of mallet and jersey finger injuries in athletes and to highlight how treatment impacts return to play.

Recent findings

Mallet finger: although numerous non-operative and operative techniques have been described, there continues to be little consensus regarding the optimal procedure. Jersey finger: ultrasound appears to be a cost-effective imaging modality that may be useful for preoperative planning. Wide-awake surgery offers optimal intraoperative assessment of the tendon repair. Tendon repair with volar plate augmentation has been shown to improve the strength of the repair in the laboratory, and early clinical results are encouraging.

Summary

Most mallet finger injuries will heal with non-operative treatment over a period of 8–12 weeks, even when treatment is delayed up to 3–4 months. An acute diagnosis of jersey finger requires surgical treatment and generally means 8–12 weeks of inability to compete in most contact sports.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Hamot, 201 State Street, Erie, PA, 16505, USA

    Abdo Bachoura, Alex J. Ferikes & John D. Lubahn

  2. Hand, Microsurgery and Reconstructive Orthopaedics, 300 State Street, Suite 205, Erie, PA, 16507, USA

    John D. Lubahn

Authors
  1. Abdo Bachoura
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  2. Alex J. Ferikes
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Correspondence to John D. Lubahn.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Hand and Wrist Sports Medicine

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Bachoura, A., Ferikes, A.J. & Lubahn, J.D. A review of mallet finger and jersey finger injuries in the athlete. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med 10, 1–9 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12178-017-9395-6

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Keywords

  • Athlete
  • Distal phalanx
  • Jersey finger
  • Mallet finger
  • Tendon avulsion