Finger Fractures: Overview

Phalangeal fractures are common causes of sports-related morbidity. Ball-handling sports, particularly football and basketball, pose the greatest risk. A study of all sports-related hand injuries showed that 71% were fractures and 4% were dislocations. In a recent U.K. study surveying hand fractures sustained during sport activities, 54.1% of fractures were to the phalanges, most commonly the fourth and fifth digits. Young athletes are particularly susceptible to these injuries, with 22.4% of all finger injuries being sports related. The 10- to 19-year-old age-group is ...