What is jersey finger?

Also known as: rugby finger, sweater finger, zone 1 flexor tendon injury, flexor tendon avulsion.

The term jersey finger refers to an injury in which the flexor tendon tears from forceful extension of the finger while it is being flexed. The term is derived from rugby players who sometimes suffer from this injury while tackling players by the “jersey”. Other injury mechanisms are sometimes seen, including catching the finger on the edge of a basketball rim while dunking.

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Reviewed by: Aaron J Berger, MD

This page was last updated on: 1/29/2019 3:21:13 PM