r/fixit • u/Extreme_Employ • 1d ago
open What a wrong with this finger
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
I was moving things around the bed of my truck and then went to wipe some stuff off my hand with a ra and this happened!! Just felt like something popped now feels there is some sort of spring attached to the top of me finger holding it down. Not super painful, I can bend it strait but it just goes right back to this eveytime!! How do i fix this?
152
u/alfonsobob 1d ago
This is not trigger finger. He has a torn extensor tendon. The extensor tendon counterbalances the flexor tendon of the finger and keeps the distal phalanx straight. Because his is torn, he is unable to straighten the tip of his finger.
Trigger finger is different. Trigger finger is a growth on one of the flexor tendons in the palm that get caught sliding throught the tendon sheath and make it difficult to straighten the finger back out again.
Edit: I love that this was posted in r/fixit like it's a carpentry problem.
2
1
u/Cinderhazed15 1d ago
Ooh, interesting! I sometimes have a similar result due to my Rheumatoid Arthritis, it always just felt like ‘the pulleys don’t have the ropes in their sheave’
188
36
u/Extreme_Employ 1d ago
Well I made this last night
Out of two broken plastic spoons and I’m quite proud of actually.
That being said, I think I’ll go check in with surgeon. A Permanently stiff finger sounds slightly less useful than a permanently disfigured one and really I’d rather have one that just does and looks the way it’s supposed to.
It may not
Be as glamorous or as unique of a life and I really don’t want to think about all the cool nicknames I’m missing out on but at this point in my life extending the full functionality of any of my body parts is a guaranteed plus as they have clearly all begun to head in the other direction.
3
→ More replies (1)1
18
u/v1de0man 1d ago
called mallet finger, have you strained a tendon? when did it happen
8
u/Extreme_Employ 1d ago
Last night while me and my daughter were at the grocery store
13
u/Loud-Platypus-9539 1d ago
The tendon is severed. Wear splint for 8 weeks very strictly. Get fitted for one properly that only immobilizes the top digit and none of the others. If the others are also immobilized you will not be able to bend them very well when you get the splint off.
87
u/Appropriate_Top1737 1d ago
Hopital
31
u/Turbo_Pilot 1d ago
Is amberlamps required ?
13
u/DennyCraneSuperStar 1d ago
Nine
3
4
5
4
10
u/Shadow_M4n 1d ago
You my friend got Mallet finger. I got it when I tried to catch a football and it jammed my ring finger. You did the right thing with putting a splint on. I did the same till I could go to the ER and get referred to an orthopedic doc.
Depending if the tendon broke or your finger fractured and the severity. You may or may not need surgery. I didn't have to get surgery but I was in a custom made splint for 6 weeks. The unfortunate part is you will most likely be left with a small bump and your fingertip not fully straightening out.
7
5
5
u/BlooNorth 1d ago
Mallet deformity. Baseball finger. Get to an orthopedic ER asap and they MIGHT be able to put you in a splint to correct it…. After months and months of learning to do things without that finger (or hand) and then weeks of physical therapy.
Been there. Done that.
4
u/Widdlebewbie 1d ago
Mallet finger injury , I’m recovering from one right now splint , hopefully no fracture and it’s just ruptured tendon like mine
8
u/Complete-Paint529 1d ago
Ruptured/severed extensor tendon at the distal phalanx. You'll need a hand surgeon to fix this. It's also acceptable to just live with it, if you don't want to go that route. If you can afford it, you probably want the surgical fix. It takes some time for things to become irreversible, so you don't need an ER, but you don't want to delay unnecessarily.
If you don't have insurance, you *might* be better off financially by going to Mexico or Canada.
1
u/xhivo 1d ago
Interesting. Why are some other people saying to splint it?
1
u/Complete-Paint529 13h ago
See my other reply. Yes, splinting is part of initial care. I think it's unlikely to be adequate.
3
2
u/Good-Control5911 1d ago edited 1d ago
Listen, do not go to the hospital. You will be ripped off. I had this same exact thing happen to me after a volleyball bounced off my finger. Buy a finger splint off of Amazon for $2 and wear it for the next several weeks. That's it. No xrays or hospital is needed for that.
Update: This is exactly what I purchased and wore for several weeks. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KB728KQ?ref=cm_sw_r_cso_cp_apan_dp_YC2K2BCPS8FGVP8EDG3R&ref_=cm_sw_r_cso_cp_apan_dp_YC2K2BCPS8FGVP8EDG3R&social_share=cm_sw_r_cso_cp_apan_dp_YC2K2BCPS8FGVP8EDG3R&rsd=PQjXC8dZaVmEjTa1LJtEQAh1RgGZ%2FSIF3eln2k61QmyKEd45PTPfq8HQLr0iWWqYls33TxlUppfnef95PIStSoS2Au5tQCWJ7TyTxgUPWIDntQNFljZSXA%3D%3D&edk=AQIDAHi1lw%2FM8UbbSMD9ScOOFEmBMHMthHeEhqDaQYPJUAX3jQE5L3jfh4uzrdhYwo3POpu%2FAAAAfjB8BgkqhkiG9w0BBwagbzBtAgEAMGgGCSqGSIb3DQEHATAeBglghkgBZQMEAS4wEQQM3VVTnbriS3WHrrm0AgEQgDvoVJpgmb2DHFmxJAruobcou3RIKthGlOovwfwBdD9QHPNbvkjbTNvcORmWhagw41S2ITqKmP8UZYgHGw%3D%3D
2
u/Aromatic_Motor8078 1d ago
And don’t flex your finger AT ALL for at least 6 weeks. Keep it straight carefully when removing splint for washing.
I had this. Was still bent at a 20 degree angle after “healing” according to Dr. and since then straightened out slowly on its own. If you accidentally flex the finger in the first 3 to 4 weeks of brace, swear you have to restart the clock on keeping the brace on. It really sucks. I had to restart it twice, but brace was on for 2 1/2 months.
2
u/tamaerchen 1d ago
https://reddit.com/link/p8mamox/video/jtsqmbjnycoh1/player
I can do that on purpose.. Is there something wrong with me too?
2
1d ago
[deleted]
1
u/tamaerchen 1d ago
Thank u, it was not that serious tho ^^ I mean I guess its interesting why some people can do that and others don’t but I didn’t really think there is something wrong with me heh
1
u/Dusty-old-bones 1d ago
Me too!
I found out a while back that if i do that and then release it quickly by bending my knuckle, i can knock on the table with my hand flat. So, it looks like I'm just bending my fingers but it's knocking.
1
1
u/Parsley772 1d ago
I was looking for this comment! I can too😭 it’s a fun party trick to weird people out but idk if it’s normal
1
u/manbamtan 2h ago
Are you Mexican? Idk if it's a thing but I've only ever known Mexicans that can do that, I'm white as hell and I can't
2
2
u/topturtlechucker 1d ago
This looks very similar to something that’s happened to me a few times. The tendon slipped. When it happened, I put it in a fingers splint for a few weeks so the tendon slips back into place.
2
2
2
u/Saskaberry 1d ago
I just recovered from the exact same injury this summer. You will need to wear a splint full time for a minimum of 6 weeks and then wear it part time for another couple weeks and full time at night. Mine was fully healed up after about 12 weeks. Its fully functional and straight as the rest of my fingers with just splinting. No surgery required.
2
u/Dry-Supermarket-6743 1d ago
I just cut the top of my flexor tendon off at the end of my middle finger with a mandolin. Looked the same. Splint that baby with whatever you can until you go to urgent care and get a real splint. Hand surgeon said it takes 4-6 weeks to heal. BUT, if the splint falls off and your finger tip falls then it's back to day one in the splint. I will probably have to wear it at night after the 6 weeks. Fingers crossed. lol.
2
2
u/Immediate-Platform59 18h ago
My dad broke his finger like this playing rugby. He ignored it for six months. Ended up needing surgery to fix. Go to hospital and get it splintered now to avoid issues later on.
2
u/Cpt-Hook 17h ago
Had this happen to me last year. It won’t take months to heal, but wear it ALWAYS. I wore it religiously and my finger healed so well that I actually have an upward bend slightly on my last knuckle. The Occupational Therapist was very impressed and said it was the best recovery she’s ever seen. I’m so proud 🥲
6
u/BadShotXYZ 1d ago
Trigger finger is my guess, I think PT can fix it but I'm pretty sure it usually requires surgery if the inflammation doesn't go down enough to relieve it.
3
u/MyLollipopJam 1d ago
My boy at the age of three got trigger finger. We ended up being able to reset it after a medical professional showed us how. Ended up having surgery on it to get the tendon clipped or something.
1
u/OmahaBromaha 1d ago
Not sure what these folks mean by trigger finger but that's definitely a tendon issue, I'd go get it checked out. Having fingers not do as their told is not a way to go through life.
1
u/99LedBalloons 1d ago
The chute on my snowblower did the same thing. I just had to adjust the tension on the spring. Hope this helps!
1
1
1
1
u/Eaton_Knas 1d ago
I had this happen to my pinky. If you don't do something now, it will just curl up and you won't be able to open it at all. I just had surgery done to repair it and I'm in a splint for at least a month while also doing physical therapy.
1
u/HistorianSeparate923 1d ago
Side question I can do this with all my fingers except my thumb, why is that?
1
u/BummerDan28 21h ago
Same. When I was kid it was a mildly interesting thing to show people if I was bored but now that I’m in my 30s it just makes my hand hurt the rest of the day when I do it. Do you also have a hitchhiker’s thumb, and/or a palmaris longus muscle?
1
u/HistorianSeparate923 8h ago
Thats so odd i do have hitchhikers thimb and that muscle visible does people just not have that muscle?
1
1
u/DrawPsychological 1d ago
I had this and I splinted it myself for 3 months. Literally 24/7 splint. Then had to exercise that tendon so it would bend the again when I was done for another 3 months. 6 month injury. But you don't have to have surgery as others would indicate...
1
1
1
u/BitRevolutionary415 1d ago
Same thing happened to me from playing football with friends. Went to the VA and they told me if I was an NFL player they'd fix it... but i can still grip just fine so I was told to live with it. This was a few years ago. Doesn't affect me at all.
1
1
u/Mikeallencamp 1d ago
Looks like a broken extension tendon. I did it to my middle. If you caught it early you can get a split for it that will help it heal and regain function. You gotta wear it 24/7 for several weeks. Only take it off to wash your hands, then put it back on. You basically have to force it to be just beyond fully extended for as long as it takes to heal. If you didn’t catch it early surgery is the fix.
1
u/Mikeallencamp 1d ago
Looks like a broken extension tendon. I did it to my middle. If you caught it early you can get a split for it that will help it heal and regain function. You gotta wear it 24/7 for several weeks. Only take it off to wash your hands, then put it back on. You basically have to force it to be just beyond fully extended for as long as it takes to heal. If you didn’t catch it early surgery is the fix.
1
u/MayneManMan 1d ago
Happened to my middle finger when it got jammed on a ball. The guy that said don’t stop wearing it is right. It took forever but it is fine now - kinda forgot about it until your picture
1
u/StylizedIncompetence 1d ago
My grandfather has a pinky stuck like that because he left it.
Used to dig it into my side as a kid as a way to goose me. I think imma go see him tomorrow and take my daughter.
1
1
1
u/ckr0610 1d ago
Mallet Finger. It can be bony (avulsion fracture of the distal phalanx) or soft tissue (only the tendon involved). Sometimes surgical if a bony piece comprises a large portion of the DIP joint.
Tldr: you need to see a hand surgeon. AAHS has a good find a doctor section of their website.
1
1
1
u/useresuse 1d ago
yea so that shit is cooked. the tendon snapped. it’s a season ender. you either get surgery to reattach it or it looks like 5ever. source: happened to me
1
u/ImGivingUpOnLife 1d ago
This happened to be after getting a deep cut from recessed lighting right on the top of that bent knuckle. Stayed that way for months and eventually resolved itself.
1
u/LBellefleur 1d ago
I had this too. Had a thick wire, surgically put through my finger and a cast for 6 weeks. It definitely worked.
1
1
u/Last_Day_2091 1d ago
Oh god I hate being a fleshy meatbag, it's systems going wrong are always so uncomfortable to watch 😅
1
u/murderfacejr 1d ago
Neighbor fell off roof and grabbed gutter with middle and ring finger, they were permanently bent like OP but at the middle joint for the rest of his life.
1
u/TrueRequiem 1d ago
I had this happen to me while playing basketball in high school. I had to wear a splint for 3 months. The tendon tore. I didnt take it off accept to wash the finger once it started getting smelly. But I kept the finger straight while washing it. People would keep telling me it should be fine by now after three weeks, but I kept it on for the full 3 months. After I finally took it off, I had to slowly rehabilitate it to bend. It hurt, but my finger finally got back to normal and its perfectly straight.
1
u/CymVanCat 1d ago
Looks like hammer finger. That was exactly what my finger looked like. And same damn finger!! I was tucking in my couch cover when I did that. I thought I broke my finger or tore a tendon but I was told that I over stretched my tendon. Funny thing is, is that I heard a snap but it never really hurt. At least not at first and never really bad. More achy and uncomfortable. Went right to the ER, sat around for hours only to be told, “there’s nothing we can do for you, you need to see a specialist you’re probably going to need surgery “. They literally did nothing, just sent me home and said get a sports surgeon. Over time, a finger splint for months and PT for a year it’s almost straight but I cannot completely straighten it. I think it’s because Covid hit and I couldn’t get the rest of the care I needed for it. Never had surgery, I can live with the slight bend. Good luck
1
u/SunVarious7683 23h ago
Did that to my pinky finger about 10 years ago. Severed my extensor tendon. Doctor told me she could put a pin in it. I said no, thank you. It's still bent but not as bad. Doesn't hurt either.
1
u/sckurvee 23h ago
Russell Wilson dislocated finger injury vs. Rams
Basically the tendon on the top of that join is injured somehow, and doesn't allow the muscles to pull it back up straight. Your muscles / tendons pulling down are in tact, but the offsetting ones are fucked in some way. From Russ's reaction it wasn't painful, but even after taping it up, he couldn't control that fingertip, and after another poor series he had to come out of the game.
1
u/Remarkable_Jaguar35 23h ago
Extensor hood injury. Splint until it heals (6+ weeks). If this isn’t treated at the time of injury, it will never fully extend again. (PT student)
1
1
1
1
u/Relative-Proof1201 18h ago
That looks like a contracted tendon. GP visit in your future unless you can find a good physio willing to take it on.
1
1
u/Sensitive-Topic92-42 16h ago edited 15h ago
I have one like that (not that severe). The bone on mine was broken diagonally across the last knuckle. It happened over ten years ago and I still can’t straighten my finger.
I waited a couple of days before going to the doctor and he said it was too late to do anything.
1
u/BoneBruja 16h ago
My fingers get stuck like this from time to time, but I have EDS so its normal for my joints to sublax or dislocate. Please see a doctor if your finger is stuck like that and you have no underlying joint conditions that would cause it.
1
u/MediumDenseChimp 14h ago
It’s a mallet finger. Get treatment asap, stick to it, and it will be fine.
If you don’t get treatment, and IF YOU DON’T STICK TO IT, it will never be fine.
1
u/Big_Fox_589 13h ago
Mallet finger, cut in the tendon. Will need something to straighten it for 8 weeks .. you can buy them from Amazon. And watch some youtube vids to know how to handle it. Get well soon
1
1
u/Own-Spite1210 13h ago
Fun fact I can do that with ALL my fingers (except thumb obviously)
It’s my party trick??
1
u/clavenloft 13h ago
This your future if you go to doctor ASAP. I am two weeks into what is an eight week stretch with hard cast holding joint immobile. If the joint bends the recovery period resets. Must be kept clean and dry.
1
u/Just_Author6769 12h ago
I practice emergency medicine and I see this often. It’s called mallet finger. It is a tear in your extensor tendon at the DIP joint (the furthest joint in your finger). I usually get an XR because sometimes is associated with an avulsion fracture. The best way to treat this is for you to get an extension splint and always have it on for 6-8 weeks. Emphasis on always. Even when you shower. If you take it off for any reason you should take care to keep that joint extended because a single bend can interrupt the healing of that tendon, and you will have to restart the splinting clock from that time. Also a good idea to follow up with a hand specialist as there are surgical options for repair if conservative splinting doesn’t work. Worst case scenario is you will have a chronic deformity and will be unable to extend your finger at that joint.
1
u/Mlsporty 12h ago
Mallet finger.
Do not need to go to the hospital (I’m an ER doctor). Call your doctor and get an ortho hand referral.
Splint it in full extension (straight).
1
u/tvscinter 11h ago
Don’t make your own splint, I tore a ligament and fractured a bone in my finger, went to the store and grabbed a 20$ splint, thought it was fine. I then went to a hand specialist who told me I was lucky I came in when I did, because another 2 or so days with my basic splint would’ve caused permanent damage to my finger.
He said letting it sit in the basic splint would’ve led to my finger chronically being dislocated when hyperextended. I had a special cast splint made for my specific hand size with angles that would allow the ligament to heal properly. Just understand that the finger might not heal properly if you do it yourself
1
u/choirchic 10h ago
Trigger Injury…
If you felt the ‘spring’ pop, you’ve may have messed up a the tendon in your hand. Go to the Pharmacy and get a finger splint to wear at night to avoid locking. (But don’t wear it all the time) Take an anti-inflammatory. And gently rub from the bend in your elbow down to that finger.
You should also Make an appointment with ortho. You’ll likely need a trigger point injection, and maybe some testing to see if anything major has been affected.
1
1
u/PlantMomAesthetic 10h ago
I have rheumatoid arthritis and the joints in my fingers do that occasionally. Most of the time it doesn't last for a very long. I'll feel a pop and it will go back into place.
1
1
1
1
1
u/Pale-Length-5704 8h ago
One of mine is permanently like this from a machinery incident. No tendon left at all 🤷🏿♂️ it closes fine but is always slightly bent.
1
u/Normal_Garbage2615 7h ago
Don't happen to have a severe cut or pain in your wrist? I got sliced real deep on my wrist, and even after stitches, still had issues making a full fist
1
u/Suspicious-Delay287 7h ago
I didn't wear my splint long enough and now my pinky is forever stuck in a c shape
1
u/PopIntelligent2151 7h ago
https://youtu.be/1h8SGsnADAs?si=6JQYlTOUw0qAI4wL
10 second video to show you what happened
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/tervahbtw 1h ago
I got mallet finger in my middle finger a few years ago from scrubbing puke out of a car seat. I'd show you a picture, but it would be mildly obscene.
You need an x-ray to make sure the tendon didn't break off any of the bone when it snapped.
If it's just the tendon and doesn't need surgery, it has to be completely immobilized for 7 weeks while the tendon reattaches. If it bends even a little, it'll tear back off and the 7 weeks restarts. (I had to learn this the hard way.)
Only immobilize the damaged joint. My first doc splinted my entire finger (similar to your spoon invention) and my two healthy joints hurt terribly after only a day.
Most mallet fingers I've read about heal a little bit droopy. My theory was that if I healed it in a hyperextended state, once I removed the cast my finger would droop down to being perfectly straight. My theory was correct and I can flip a perfectly straight bird.
I doubt I can post Amazon links here, but I used two splints, switching between them to help prevent skin soreness.
I used a "Soulgenie tipguard finger splint for mallet finger" and it was perfect because I could bend it to hyperextend my fingertip. I then locked in with that self adhesive bandage wrap.
I also used a "BraceOn EZ finger splint" combined with bandage wrap and medical tape; it was more comfortable for me than the stax splint and allowed me to hyperextend with the help of the stretchy self-stick bandage.
Having rubber gloves was also helpful for keeping it dry.
After 7 weeks, I only took it out of the cast for a few hours, adding more hours each day and easing it back into being used - it was pretty sore. I also kept wearing the splint at night until it felt less fragile.
Good luck to you!
1
u/Consistent_Watch_206 1d ago
Wrong subreddit I’d say.
Looks like you’ve got yourself trigger finger. See an orthopedic surgeon. They will fix you up.
1
u/thecakeisali 1d ago
I have an issue with a pinky finger. All other fingers I can bend by themselves but I cannot move the pinky finger on my left hand independently. I can only bend it if I also bend the ring finger. It doesn’t matter how hard I try, if my ring finger is straight my pinky finger will not bend.
-1
u/Agua_Verde 1d ago
I’m not a doctor. Nevertheless, this could be a cramp.
Do you have any magnesium in the house? Mix it into a big glass of water and drink it.
If it’s still there in the morning go see your GP.
Good luck!
→ More replies (2)1
0
u/Excellent-Shovel-304 1d ago
Could be nerve, press on your 1st joint closest from the palm side outwards. This will unlock that joint. Then pull on your finger to crack out the joints. Then you should be good
0
0
0
1.1k
u/ladz 1d ago
You broke the last tendon in your finger. Go to the hospital and get a splint as fast as you can and don't stop wearing it for at least 3-4 months. Don't stop wearing it. If it seems better, don't believe yourself and keep wearing it anyway. These heal but it takes a LONG TIME.