How do you know if you have a flexor tendon injury?
Michael Henderson
Published Mar 14, 2026
How do you know if you have a flexor tendon injury?
A flexor tendon injury can cause any of the following symptoms: Painful and swollen finger joints. Difficulty bending your finger joints or inability to bend these joints. Numbness in your finger – if the nerves that are located very close to your flexor tendon are also injured.
How long does it take for a strained flexor tendon to heal?
Recovery. It can take up to 2 months before the repair heals and your hand is strong enough to use without protection. Another month or so may be needed before your hand can be used with any force.
How do you treat a flexor tendon injury?
The only effective treatment for a flexor tendon injury is to surgically repair the tendon(s) by sewing the cut ends together. Your hand surgeon will locate the ends of the tendon and stitch them back together. If the nerve has also been cut, it will be repaired at the same time.
How do you know if you have damaged a tendon in your hand?
If your extensor tendons are damaged, you’ll be unable to straighten 1 or more fingers. If your flexor tendons are damaged, you’ll be unable to bend 1 or more fingers. Tendon damage can also cause pain and swelling (inflammation) in your hand.
What does a torn hand tendon feel like?
Symptoms of traumatic tendon injuries include: Inability to bend finger joints. Numbness or tingling in fingertips. Pain when extending the fingers.
How serious is flexor tendonitis?
If a tendon becomes torn, any tension on it will create a rubber band effect and cause it to weaken. This makes the healing process slow. If a deep cut occurs, damage to nerves or blood vessels may occur. This is very serious and requires immediate surgery to remedy.
Can a finger tendon heal on its own?
While a cut or tear—whether it occurs in the forearm, wrist, palm, or finger—might seem minor, in reality, it can completely prevent fingers from bending. Because cuts or tears pull the ends of the flexor tendon apart, it’s impossible for a tendon to heal on its own.
How do I know if I tore a tendon?
Ruptured Tendon Symptoms
- A snap or pop you hear or feel.
- Severe pain.
- Rapid or immediate bruising.
- Marked weakness.
- Inability to use the affected arm or leg.
- Inability to move the area involved.
- Inability to bear weight.
- Deformity of the area.
How many flexor tendons are in the hand?
flexor tendons, nine long tendons which pass from the forearm through the carpal tunnel of the wrist. They diverge in the palm, where two go to each finger (one attaches at the DP and one at the MCP) and one goes to the thumb.
What is flexor tendonitis?
Flexor tendinitis is swelling in the tendons that help control hand movement. Tendons are bands of tissue connecting muscles to bones; the flexor tendons run from the forearm, through the wrist and across the palm, allowing the fingers to be bent.
Where is the right flexor?
In anatomy, flexor carpi radialis is a muscle of the human forearm that acts to flex and (radially) abduct the hand. The Latin carpus means wrist; hence flexor carpi is a flexor of the wrist….Flexor carpi radialis muscle.
| Flexor carpi. radialis muscle | |
|---|---|
| TA2 | 2481 |
| FMA | 38459 |
| Anatomical terms of muscle |
What does a torn ligament in hand feel like?
Symptoms vary depending on the severity of the injury, but commonly include pain on the thumb side of the wrist, swelling and/or bruising, loss of grip strength, and sometimes a snapping or popping in the wrist.
What are the symptoms of flexor tendon injuries?
Painful and swollen finger joints
How long does it take for a torn finger tendon to heal?
Healing can take up to 12 weeks. The injured tendon may need to be supported with a splint or cast to take tension off of the repaired tendon. Physical therapy or occupational therapy is usually necessary to return movement in a safe manner.
What is a ruptured flexor tendon?
What is Finger Flexor Tendon Rupture (Jersey Finger) One of the flexor tendons (FDP) bends the fingertip. This flexor tendon can rupture from its attachment to the fingertip when excessive stress is applied to it. Examples of chronic rupture and laceration of the flexor digitorum profundus tendon.
Where is your flexor tendon?
What are Flexor Tendon Injuries? The Flexor Tendons are located on the palm side of the hand. They are thick cord-like connective tissues that attach the finger bones to muscles in the forearm and allow the fingers to bend. Flexor tendons are quite prone to injury due to their location below the skin and lack of flesh in the hand.
