Mallet Finger

Overview :

Tendons are the strong "cables" between muscles and bones that help control movements of the body. They consist of white, glistening, fibrous cords, of various length and thickness, either round or flattened, and lacking in elasticity. In mallet finger, which often occurs as a sports-related injury, the tendon on the back of the finger becomes damaged or torn near the outermost joint. Without the support provided by the tendon, the short bone at the tip of the finger drops downward at an awkward angle. This bone, referred to as the "distal phalanx" of a finger, is the one furthest from the palm. In addition to tendon damage, mallet finger may involve a fracture of the distal phalanx. Mallet finger is sometimes called baseball finger.