Mallet finger injuries: the signs, symptoms, diagnosis and management
Intended for healthcare professionals
CPD    

Mallet finger injuries: the signs, symptoms, diagnosis and management

Stephen McGhee Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs/Associate Professor of Clinical, School of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, United States
Juan Gonzalez Assistant Professor, School of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, United States
Catherine Nadeau Clinical Instructor, School of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, United States
Johis Ortega Associate Dean, global and hemispheric programs, School of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, United States

Why you should read this article:
  • To enhance your knowledge of the signs and symptoms of mallet finger injuries, including common presentations and the mechanism of injury

  • To understand how to assess a patient with a suspected mallet finger injury, and the options for management

  • To count towards revalidation as part of your 35 hours of continuing professional development (CPD), or you may wish to write a reflective account (UK readers)

  • To contribute towards your professional development and local registration renewal requirements (non-UK readers)

Patients commonly present to UK emergency departments with injuries to the tips of their fingers. Mallet finger is one of the most common injuries, resulting from an injury to the extensor tendon over the dorsal surface of the distal phalanges of the hand. Timely recognition, diagnosis and management are required to prevent complications. This article provides an overview of the pathophysiology, signs, symptoms, diagnosis and management of mallet finger injuries.

Emergency Nurse. doi: 10.7748/en.2020.e1996

Peer review

This article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and has been checked for plagiarism using automated software

@stephen37929091

Correspondence

stephenmcghee@miami.edu

Conflict of interest

None declared

McGhee S, Gonzalez J, Nadeau C et al (2020) Mallet finger injuries: the signs, symptoms, diagnosis and management. Emergency Nurse. doi: 10.7748/en.2020.e1996

Published online: 10 March 2020

Want to read more?

RCNi-Plus
Already have access? Log in

or

3-month trial offer for £5.25/month

Subscribe today and save 50% on your first three months
RCNi Plus users have full access to the following benefits:
  • Unlimited access to all 10 RCNi Journals
  • RCNi Learning featuring over 175 modules to easily earn CPD time
  • NMC-compliant RCNi Revalidation Portfolio to stay on track with your progress
  • Personalised newsletters tailored to your interests
  • A customisable dashboard with over 200 topics
Subscribe

Alternatively, you can purchase access to this article for the next seven days. Buy now


Are you a student? Our student subscription has content especially for you.
Find out more