Mallet Finger

Cork Emergency Departments

You have torn the tendon that straightens the end joint of your finger, so now your fingertip droops and you cannot straighten it properly. To treat this you should not let your finger tip droop at any time for the next six to eight weeks.

If you do, it won’t be able to heal and will droop forever, so we have given you a splint to keep the joint straight while you are using your hand.

Please see your GP in the next week to make sure that everything is all right.

You should

• Keep your hand raised and try to exercise all the joints except the one in the splint
• Wear the splint all the time
• Check that you have been booked to see your GP

You should not

• Bend the end joint of your finger at all
• Wear any rings on your hand until the finger has healed so that you do not get problems with your circulation

Cleaning your finger and the splint

• If the splint gets wet or you need to wash your finger you can take if off, but you MUST keep your finger straight. You can do this by resting it on the edge of a table

Doctor’s name from this consultation: