Finger Injuries and Disorders

Summary

You use your fingers and thumbs to do everything from grasping objects to playing musical instruments to typing. When there is something wrong with them, it can make life difficult. Common problems include:

• Injuries that result in fractures (broken bones), ruptured ligaments and dislocations
• Osteoarthritis – wear-and-tear arthritis. It can also cause deformity.
• Tendinitis – irritation of the tendons
• Dupuytren’s contracture – a hereditary thickening of the tough tissue that lies just below the skin of your palm. It causes the fingers to stiffen and bend.
• Trigger finger – an irritation of the sheath that surrounds the flexor tendons. It can cause the tendon to catch and release like a trigger.

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Find an Expert

• American Society for Surgery of the Hand American Society for Surgery of the Hand
• Find a Hand Surgeon American Society for Surgery of the Hand
• National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Encyclopedia

• Arachnodactyly Medical Encyclopedia
• Fingers that change color Medical Encyclopedia
• Repair of webbed fingers or toes Medical Encyclopedia
• Replantation of digits Medical Encyclopedia
• Skier’s thumb – aftercare Medical Encyclopedia
• Webbing of the fingers or toes Medical Encyclopedia

Treatments and Therapies

• Arm, Hand, and Finger Replantation American Society for Surgery of the Hand
• Knuckle, Wrist, and Finger Joint Replacement American Society for Surgery of the Hand
• Replantation of digits – series — Normal anatomy Medical Encyclopedia
• Tendon Transfer Surgery American Society for Surgery of the Hand

Specifics

• Arthritis of the Thumb American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
• Extensor Tendon Injury American Society for Surgery of the Hand
• Flexor Tendon Injury American Society for Surgery of the Hand
• Sprained Thumb American Society for Surgery of the Hand
• Thumb Arthritis Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Thumb Arthritis American Society for Surgery of the Hand
• Trigger Finger Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Trigger Finger (Stenosing Tenosynovitis) American Society for Surgery of the Hand

Diagnosis and Tests

• Bone X-Ray (Radiography) Radiological Society of North America
• Hand/Wrist/Arm Problems American Academy of Family Physicians
• Stiff Hands American Society for Surgery of the Hand
• X-Ray Exam: Finger Nemours Foundation

Start Here

• Broken Finger Tip American Society for Surgery of the Hand

Patient Handouts

• Claw hand Medical Encyclopedia
• Clubbing of the fingers or toes Medical Encyclopedia
• Finger pain Medical Encyclopedia
• Mallet finger – aftercare Medical Encyclopedia
• Polydactyly Medical Encyclopedia
• Smashed fingers Medical Encyclopedia
• Trigger finger Medical Encyclopedia

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Dupuytren Contracture National Institutes of Health
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Thumb National Institutes of Health

Genetics

• Dupuytren contracture: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Poland syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine

Living With

• Exercising Your Finger after an Injury American Academy of Family Physicians

Reference Desk

• Hand Anatomy American Society for Surgery of the Hand

Images

• Herpetic Whitlow VisualDX
• Myxoid Cyst VisualDX

Related Issues

• How to Get a Ring Off American Society for Surgery of the Hand

Journal Articles

• Finger Injuries and Disorders

Children

• Repair of webbed fingers – series — Normal anatomy Medical Encyclopedia