Finger Injuries and Disorders

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Summary

You use your fingers and thumbs to do everything from grasping objects to playing musical instruments to typing. When there is something wrong with them, it can make life difficult. Common problems include:

Injuries that result in fractures (broken bones), ruptured ligaments and dislocations
Osteoarthritis - wear-and-tear arthritis. It can also cause deformity.
Tendinitis - irritation of the tendons
Dupuytren's contracture - a hereditary thickening of the tough tissue that lies just below the skin of your palm. It causes the fingers to stiffen and bend.
Trigger finger - an irritation of the sheath that surrounds the flexor tendons. It can cause the tendon to catch and release like a trigger.

Diagnosis and Tests

Bone X-Ray (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
Hand/Wrist/Arm Problems (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
X-Ray Exam: Finger (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

Replantation (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
Replantation of digits - series (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Living With

Exercising Your Finger after an Injury (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

What Is a Hand Surgeon? (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)

Specifics

Arthritis of the Thumb (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
Fingertip Injuries and Amputations (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
Flexor Tendon Injuries (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - PDF
Nerve Injuries in the Hand and Fingers (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
Sprained Thumb (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
Thumb Arthritis (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Trigger Finger (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) Also in Spanish
Trigger Finger (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish