Mallet finger happens when the extensor tendon at the tip of your finger is torn — either from a direct jam (catching a ball, jamming a finger against a hard surface) or from a small bone avulsion where the tendon pulls off with a fragment of bone. The result is a fingertip that droops and can't be actively straightened, even if you try.

What is mallet finger?

The good news about mallet finger is that most cases don't require surgery. If the injury is caught early — within a few weeks — and treated consistently with a DIP extension splint worn continuously for 6–8 weeks, the tendon has a strong chance of healing in the correct position. The tricky part is that 'continuously' really means continuously. The splint needs to stay on 24 hours a day, including during bathing, for the full duration — because any single moment of the fingertip drooping resets the healing clock.

Climber's chalked hand gripping a wall hold — the kind of high-load finger extension that can cause mallet finger

Close-up of a hand fitted with a wrist splint, similar to the protective splinting used in mallet finger care

Who gets mallet finger?

Mallet finger is common in ball sports — basketball, baseball, volleyball — where the fingertip takes a direct hit. But it also happens in everyday accidents: closing a drawer on a finger, fumbling a heavy object, or jamming a finger against something unexpectedly. It can happen at any age. The most important thing is catching it and starting the splinting protocol before the tendon retracts and healing becomes harder to achieve without surgery.

How do we treat it at Reach Beyond Therapy?

At Reach Beyond Therapy, every session is one-on-one — just you and your therapist, no aides, no rushing, no shortened sessions, and no shared appointments with other clients. We fabricate a custom DIP extension splint molded precisely to your finger — custom splints fit better and protect the joint position more reliably than off-the-shelf options. We monitor the skin carefully throughout the splinting period (skin maceration under a poorly fitting splint is a real issue), and we check the tendon's healing progress at each visit. Once the splinting protocol is complete, we guide you through a graduated return to full motion and activity. The details matter here — and we sweat the details.

Finger drooping and can't straighten the tip?

The sooner you start treatment for mallet finger, the better the outcome. Book a free discovery consult today.

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Mallet Finger Heals Best With Precise Early Care.

Reach Beyond Therapy proudly serves Redondo Beach, Torrance, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, El Segundo, and Palos Verdes with expert hand therapy, custom splinting, and post-operative rehabilitation by a Certified Hand Therapist with over 10 years of experience.

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