Part UT Health San Antonio
UT Health San AntonioUT Health San Antonio

UTSA Part of UT Health San Antonio

Contact Us | 210-450-9000

Menu
  • Find a Provider
  • Services
  • Cancer Types
  • Locations
  • Patient Care
  • Cancer Center
  • MyChart
  • X
  • Conditions
  • Conditions In-depth
  • Procedures
  • Wellness Centers
  • Natural & Alternative
  • Drug Info
  • Procedure Animations
  • Wellness Videos
Symptom CheckerQuick Nav
 
Health Library Home>Disease, Condition, & Injury Fact Sheets>Article

Finger Flexor Tendon Injury

(Jersey Finger)

by Cynthia M. Johnson, MA
Definition
Causes
Risk Factors
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention

Definition

A finger flexor tendon injury is damage to the tissues that help the finger move. It can make it hard to bend the finger.

Healthy Flexor Tendons of the Hand
flexor tendon

Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.

Causes

This injury is often caused by a cut to the finger, hand, or arm. Other causes are:

  • A sports injury:
    • Stretching the tendon too far in sports that use hand strength, such as rock climbing
    • Catching the finger on another player’s shirt (Jersey finger)
  • Weak flexor tendons from health problems, such as rheumatoid arthritis

Risk Factors

Things that may raise your chance of this injury are:

  • Playing certain sports, such as:
    • Rugby
    • Football
    • Wrestling
  • Having health problems that weaken flexor tendons, such as rheumatoid arthritis

Symptoms

Symptoms may be:

  • A cut on the palm side of your hand
  • Pain
  • Swelling
  • Problems bending one or more joints of a finger
  • Loss of feeling in a finger

Diagnosis

The doctor will ask about your symptoms and health history. A physical exam will be done. The doctor will ask how the injury happened. The finger will be checked. A doctor who treats bones may need to look at it.

Treatment

A splint will be needed to protect the finger. Other options are:

Medications

Antibiotics may be needed to treat or prevent infection.

Surgery

Most people will need surgery to repair the tendon. Exercises will also be given to help with finger strength and motion.

Prevention

This injury happens due to accidents. There are no guidelines to prevent it.

RESOURCES:

American Society for Surgery of the Hand
http://www.assh.org

Ortho Info—American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

Canadian Orthopaedic Association
http://www.coa-aco.org

Trauma Association of Canada
http://www.traumacanada.org

REFERENCES:

Flexor tendon injuries. American Society for Surgery of the Hand website. Available at: http://www.assh.org/handcare/hand-arm-injuries/Flexor-Tendon. Published 2013. Accessed September 23, 2019.

Flexor tendon injuries. Ortho Info—American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website. Available at: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00015. Updated January 2011. Accessed September 23, 2019.

Jersey finger—emergency management. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:https://www.dynamed.com/management/jersey-finger-emergency-management. Accessed September 23, 2019.

Tuttle HG, Olvey SP, et al. Tendon avulsion injuries of the distal phalanx. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2006 Apr;445:157-168.

Last reviewed September 2019 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Teresa Briedwell, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS  Last Updated: 7/14/2020

EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

To send comments or feedback to our Editorial Team regarding the content please email us at healthlibrarysupport@ebsco.com. Our Health Library Support team will respond to your email request within 2 business days.

Copyright ©  EBSCO Information Services
All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy | Editorial Policy
Physicians and care providers of
UT Health San Antonio

8300 Floyd Curl Dr.

San Antonio, TX 78229

210-450-9000

Connect with us
  • Patient Rights and Responsibilities
  • Language Assistance
We make lives better ©

We're a part of UT Health San Antonio, provider of comprehensive health,  dental, &  cancer care,  advanced academics  and  life-saving research.

Web Privacy | Links from websites affiliated with The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio's website (uthscsa.edu) to other websites do not constitute or imply university endorsement of those sites, their content, or products and services associated with those sites. The content on this website is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Health information on this site is not meant to be used to diagnose or treat conditions. Consult a health care provider if you are in need of treatment.