A jersey finger is a rare hand injury that often affects athletes, especially those in sports that involve tackling. It is a challenging injury that often requires surgery, so it’s worth seeing a doctor very soon after the injury. In this video, I discuss the nature of the injury and its treatment.

What is a jersey finger?

A jersey finger is an injury to the flexor tendon that bends the finger. You injure the flexor tendon that attaches to the tip of the finger. When you suffer the injury, you can either pull the tendon off the bone or pull a small piece of bone off with the tendon.

How do you suffer a jersey finger injury?

An athlete can suffer this injury trying to tackle an opponent by grabbing his or her jersey. The athlete has the finger flexed to grasp the jersey and is firing the flexor tendon to pull the jersey toward him. The opponent runs away, pulling the finger open and ripping the tendon off the bone.

Grabbing a jersey is a common mechanism of injury with a jersey finger

What should you do if you suffer this type of finger injury?

It’s a good idea to see an orthopedic surgeon or hand surgeon right away. Often the tendon retracts down the finger or into the palm. It must be pulled back to the tip of the finger and reattached surgically. This surgery is best performed within the first few days after the injury occurs.

Also read:
Hand injury: Common injuries in exercise and sports
Skier’s thumb: Injury, diagnosis and treatment

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