Distal phalanx, ring finger !
The distal phalanx of the ring finger is the bone of the fingertip; the deep flexor tendon tears off its base most often in this finger.
Official name: Distal phalanx of the ring finger
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What it is
The distal bone of the ring finger. It carries the nail and the fingertip pad.
What it does
One of the finger bones; the joints between them let the finger curl.
Key facts
- Joints with
- Middle phalanx (DIP)
- Landmarks
- Base (FDP/FPL insertion, terminal extensor), tuberosity under the nail
Relations
- Above
- Head of the middle phalanx at the DIP joint
- In front
- FDP tendon to the base
- Behind
- Terminal extensor tendon; nail bed and nail plate
How to find it
Under the tip and nail of the ring finger. In a jersey finger the fingertip stays straight when the person makes a fist, and a tender lump of retracted tendon may be felt along the finger or in the palm.
Examination
- FDP test: with the middle phalanx held, the person is asked to bend the fingertip; inability means the FDP is avulsed or cut
On imaging
A lateral view of the finger shows a bony fragment from the palmar base, which may be retracted up the finger with the tendon.
Clinical notes
- Jersey finger is classified by how far the FDP retracts (Leddy–Packer); retraction into the palm tears the vincula that feed the tendon, so early repair is favoured
- Crush injuries give tuft fractures with nail bed lacerations, as in the other fingertips
Development
Its primary centre appears at the tip early in fetal life and its single secondary centre at the base; the base growth plate stays open until adolescence.
Related conditions
Test yourself
Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.
What is jersey finger, and which finger does it usually affect?
Avulsion of the flexor digitorum profundus from the palmar base of the distal phalanx, usually of the ring finger, when a player grabs a jersey.
How is the flexor digitorum profundus to the ring finger tested?
With the middle phalanx held, the person bends the fingertip; inability means the tendon is avulsed or cut.
Which X-ray view shows a bony jersey finger fragment?
A lateral view of the finger, showing a fragment from the palmar base, which may be retracted up the finger.
Educational information, not medical advice. For any symptom, see a health professional.
Its names
- Official Latin (TA2)
- phalanx distalis manus TA2 1279
- Official Spanish (DeCS)
- Falange distal del anular
- English (TA2)
- Distal phalanx of the ring finger
Related
Sources: Terminologia Anatomica (TA2); Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Hand Bones; 8.5 Development of the Appendicular Skeleton (OpenStax (Rice University), 2022) · adapted, CC BY 4.0.
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Representative model, for educational purposes only.
