A drooping fingertip that won't straighten up needs the right splinting and therapy to heal properly.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The sooner you start treatment for mallet finger, the better the outcome. Book a free discovery consult today.
Work With UsI want to share my positive experience working with Jade, my awesome hand therapist, over the past few months. I met Jade two years ago at a hand care session for climbers. Fast forward to last year, I hurt my finger and Jade happened to be hosting another hand care session which I decided to attend again. And I am glad I connected with her! Jade has been incredibly friendly and helpful throughout my recovery process. I especially appreciate how she went above and beyond to accommodate my schedule, which was a huge help since I live quite far away. She was always very responsive and provided many excellent recommendations for various exercises that have been instrumental in my progress. I highly recommend her services to anyone in need of a dedicated and professional therapist!
After rupturing a tendon in my finger (Mallet Finger) my hand Doctor recommended I go to a "big box" Physical Therapy outfit in the South Bay. It was a huge facility and typically there were 3-4 people sitting at the hand therapy desk, all being worked on at once. Thankfully I discovered Jade Wong at Reach Beyond. She operates in a quiet office and the treatment/therapy is one-on-one. This makes for a relaxed environment and you can really learn how to make the most of her advice, when you're at home between PT sessions. Jade is extremely knowledgable, patient and gentle (unlike big box PT outfits). She helped my improve my mobility and ease the discomfort. I would highly recommend Jade, 100 percent!
Working with Jade has transformed my recovery experience. Losing functionality and strength in my hand after an injury was scary and felt overwhelming, but her guidance has made the process manageable and approachable. She is professional, knowledgeable, and encouraging — making each session not only productive, but genuinely engaging and even enjoyable. I always feel supported, appropriately challenged, and confident that I'm making meaningful progress. I'm incredibly grateful for her care and expertise!
Reach Beyond Therapy is a 10+. I brought my 92 year old mother to Jade and her team and the results have been remarkable after three sessions. She and her team are thorough, professional, and incredibly caring and I can't recommend her business enough. Jade is an amazing communicator, patient, and made us feel comfortable, respected, and created a positive and motivating environment.
I've been working with Jade at Reach Beyond Therapy for 10+ sessions now and honestly… I'm really glad I found her. She's super engaged every time — not just going through the motions, but actually paying attention and adjusting things based on how I'm doing that day. You can tell she really knows her stuff. She has a ton of knowledge and experience, but what makes a big difference is how she explains things in a way that actually clicks. What I appreciate most is her persistence. She doesn't just settle for "okay, that's good enough," she keeps working with you until there's real progress. At the same time, she's got a great attitude, easygoing, and just makes sessions feel comfortable. Also, she's been really flexible with scheduling, which has honestly made it much easier to stay consistent. Overall, Jade is super thorough, really knowledgeable, and clearly cares about what she's doing. I'd give her six stars if I could.
One of my children needs support with their functional grip. They are always 100 percent willing to go as Jade is creative in her approach, which makes the session fun and engaging. It's clear that she takes great care in planning the sessions. We saw her before the holidays and she had therapy items prepared with a holiday theme. My youngest also attends the session as a side kick. They "plan" on doing OT when they get older. I highly recommend Jade's practice for her creativity and care.
I'm so grateful for Jade! As a hairdresser, my hands are everything, and after overworking I was in so much pain and couldn't move my hand forward. She helped me regain movement and taught me the tools and exercises I needed to keep working pain-free. She really understood the demands of my career. I can't recommend her enough!
I really enjoyed the whole experience. I honestly feel like she listens to you and doesn't make you feel dumb when you ask questions. I was pleasantly surprised that it was 1 on 1 with no front office or being passed to another person. She helped me take some home exercises as well, and I did them which helped. Overall great doctor and person. I am going back and recommending to anyone who needs OT.
Reach Beyond Therapy is a dream! Jade has excellent knowledge and excellent bedside manner. Aside from the therapy being 10/10, she was able to see me in 24 hours — and make a custom splint for my finger. I could not recommend Reach Beyond enough! Worth the drive, even if you're far away.
I started coming to therapy with Jade because she was recommended by my PT when my hand was hurting. I recommend her to everybody who needs help with their hands because she helped me a lot to get out of pain so I could resume my normal life! She was also really easy to schedule and reschedule with when I had to shift things around. So flexible, which I am so grateful for. I also saw Angela who was caring and thorough! Thank you Reach Beyond Therapy!
Jade has been absolutely wonderful to work with! She has helped me tremendously with both pregnancy-related carpal tunnel and postpartum “mommy wrist.” She is incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and attentive, and she takes the time to really understand what I'm experiencing and tailor the therapy to my specific needs. I've seen a noticeable improvement in my symptoms and feel so much better equipped to manage the demands of motherhood without being held back by pain. Jade is warm, encouraging, and genuinely invested in her patients' recovery. I highly recommend her to anyone dealing with hand or wrist pain!
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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