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Care for injuries affecting your fingers
Hand Flexor & Extensor Tendon Injuries
Hand flexor and extensor tendons allow your fingers to both flex and extend. Injuries to these tendons can mean your fingers don’t extend all the way or you have trouble flexing down to make a fist.
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Common Extensor and Flexor Injury Signs, Symptoms and Complaints
Flexor and extensor injuries are usually recognizable by fingers that can’t extend or flex as normal.
- Drooping fingertip (mallet finger)
- Inability to extend your fingers
- Inability to flex your fingers
What are Flexor & Extensor Tendon Injuries?
These are injuries to the tendons that extend and flex your fingers, and can be caused by deep cuts or forceful trauma to the fingers, such as jamming the finger on a ball or other object. These are common – but complex – injuries.
Extensors:
- Located on top or fingernail side of hands, just under the skin
- Extend fingers
- Stretching & pointing motions
Injuries:
- Inability to extend fingers
- Drooping “Mallet” Fingertips
Flexors:
- Located on palm side of hands
- Flex fingers
- Gripping, squeezing & pulling motions
Injuries:
- Inability to flex fingers
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How Dr. Abeye Treats Flexor & Extensor Tendon Injuries
Flexor & Extensor Tendon Injuries are Highly Treatable
At Dr. Abeye’s clinic, we always begin with the most conservative, non-surgical approaches, increasing intervention levels as necessary to achieve relief from pain, increased strength and range of motion. Treatment can be nonoperative or operative depending on the zone of injury.
Non-Operative Flexor & Extensor Tendon Injury Intervention: Splinting
For certain extensor tendon injuries, splinting can hold the tendon in place to allow it to heal.
Flexor and Extensor Surgery
Surgery may be necessary to repair the tendon or re-attach a cut tendon to the bone.
Physical Therapy
Whether surgical or non-surgical solutions are chosen, occupational therapy is useful in rehabilitating a flexor or extensor tendon injury.
What to Expect
When you schedule an appointment with Dr. Abeye to investigate possible flexor & extensor tendon injuries in our Oklahoma City clinic, you can expect a thorough examination of your hands and wrists, imaging (if necessary), a conversation about your symptoms and education about what is likely happening. You’ll receive a diagnosis, plan of action and any necessary braces or medications.
If you’re ready for relief, give us a call to schedule your appointment.
Are Your Symptoms Different?
If your symptoms differ from those discussed above, you may be suffering from a different disorder. Here are some other common conditions that may be a better match.
Dupuytren’s Disease
Hard nodules on the palm and inability to straighten your finger.
Mallet Fingers
Drooping fingertips that can’t be extended, usually after an injury.
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Hand, Wrist & Elbow Specialist
Hand, Wrist & Elbow Orthopedic Expertise
About Our Office
Dr. Abeye is an experienced orthopedic hand surgeon, dedicated to – and fascinated by – the intricacies of the fingers, hands, wrists and elbows.
Patient Info
Find information about splint and cast care, pain management and more on our patient resource page.
Reach Out
Our office staff is here to help with whatever you need. Please don’t hesitate to call with your questions, concerns, or just to schedule your next appointment!