Medical Disclaimer
The information on this page is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
🚨Emergency? If you have severe symptoms, difficulty breathing, or think it's an emergency, call 000 immediately.
Extensor Tendon Injuries (Hand & Finger)
Extensor tendon injuries occur when the tendons on the back of your hand or fingers that straighten your fingers are cut or torn—commonly from lacerations, crush injuries, or jamming injuries—causing inability to straighten the affected finger. Treatment depends on location: simple cuts over knuckles can be splinted for 6 weeks with 90% success, but injuries at the fingertip (mallet finger) or middle joint (boutonniere) often leave permanent stiffness even with treatment, and deep cuts usually require surgical repair followed by 8-12 weeks of hand therapy.
📖What is Extensor Tendon Injuries (Hand & Finger)?
Extensor tendon injuries occur when the tendons on the back of your hand or fingers that straighten your fingers are cut or torn—commonly from lacerations, crush injuries, or jamming injuries—causing inability to straighten the affected finger. Treatment depends on location: simple cuts over knuckles can be splinted for 6 weeks with 90% success, but injuries at the fingertip (mallet finger) or middle joint (boutonniere) often leave permanent stiffness even with treatment, and deep cuts usually require surgical repair followed by 8-12 weeks of hand therapy.
🔬What Causes It?
- Laceration from knife, glass, or sharp object cutting tendon
- Crush injury damaging tendon
- Forceful jamming injury (ball hitting fingertip causing mallet finger)
- Rheumatoid arthritis causing spontaneous tendon rupture
- Human or animal bite over knuckle area
⚠️Risk Factors
You may be at higher risk if:
- Occupations with cutting tools (kitchen work, manual labor)
- Contact sports (basketball, volleyball, cricket)
- Rheumatoid arthritis (tendon rupture risk)
- Previous hand surgery or tendon injuries
🛡️Prevention
- ✓Use protective gloves when handling sharp objects or tools
- ✓Proper technique when catching balls in sports
- ✓Immediate wound care for hand lacerations
- ✓Don't delay seeking treatment for hand injuries