Duration
The injured finger remains in the splint for 6-8 weeks. It takes at least 12 weeks for the finger to heal completely. The duration of the sick leave cannot be generalized and depends on the extent of the injury, accompanying injuries and the chosen form of therapy.
In addition, the profession as an important factor must also be taken into account. If hands and fingers are heavily used in the activities to be performed, the duration of the sick leave will be extended. The decision on the length of the illness is therefore made individually for each patient by and in consultation with the attending physician.
Prognosis
Despite successful therapy of a tendon injury, minor movement deficits may remain. A deficit of up to 15° is considered normal for extensor tendon injuries. This means that the finger is still bent by 15° in relation to the normal axis and cannot be completely stretched to the vertical position.
If the deficit exceeds 30°, corrective surgery should be considered. In about 20% of flexor tendon injuries, the mobility of the affected finger is reduced after healing. Tendons heal very slowly because they have no blood supply of their own and are only supplied by the surrounding fluid.
For this reason, full resilience is only achieved after about 12 weeks. If left untreated, there is a risk that the tendons will heal in the deformed position, which would result in permanent movement restrictions. In this case, surgical correction is the last resort.
