This leaflet contains discharge advice following your attendance to the Accident & Emergency Department (A&E) or Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC).
What is a Mallet Finger injury?
A mallet finger is an injury to the end of the finger. The tendon connecting the muscle to your bone has snapped or stretched which means you will not be able to straighten the tip of your finger (see image below).
In some cases, the tendon can pull of a small fragment of bone. Your finger will also be painful and swollen.
Discharge advice
A splint will be applied and taped on and should be worn continuously, even at night to keep the finger straight, for 6 weeks if the tendon has been injured or 8 weeks if there is a small fracture – you will be advised of this at the time. At the end of this time the splint should be worn for the next month at night and whenever the finger might be at risk of injury.
It is very important that the end of your finger does not bend during the time it is splinted because it may slow healing and reduce the effectiveness of the overall treatment.
It is important to keep the finger straight even when taking the splint off to wash. This can be done by placing the hand flat on a table, removing the splint and cleaning the finger. Replace the splint without bending the finger. Try to limit washing the finger to reduce the chance of the finger bending.
It is important to keep the finger and splint dry to avoid skin irritation. Most injuries heal without any problems, however, it may take 12 weeks to regain full function.
It may take several months for your finger to become fully functional. Redness, swelling and tenderness of the skin around the end of the finger are common for 3 to 4 months after injury but usually settle eventually.
You may be left with a small bump on the top of the joint and be unable to fully straighten the finger. Your finger may not look exactly the same as it was before the injury but should not affect the function of your finger.
After the splint has stopped being used it is important to keep the finger moving and gradually resume daily activities. This will help improve any stiffness and ensure the safest return to normal function.
Should you have any worries or concerns following discharge from your local hospital, please contact:
Fracture Line - 8:30am - 5:30pm, Monday to Friday - 0161 778 5372
Emergency Departments (Out of hours):
Fairfield General Hospital - 0161 778 2600
Royal Oldham Hospital - 0161 627 8933
Rochdale Infirmary - 01706 517023
Date of Review: December 2023
Date of Next Review: December 2025
Ref No: PI_M_1234 (Oldham)