How long can you wait to repair a finger tendon?

It’s often best to let the wound ‘settle down’ for a few days before reopening it surgically. Tendon lacerations are optimally repaired within 2 weeks, although due to people coming to the hand surgeon late they’re often repaired after that.

Can a torn tendon reattach itself?

If left unattended, the tendon will not heal on its own and you will have lasting repercussions. In such situations, a surgeon will access the injured tendon, perform repairs, and close the incision. This will be followed by several weeks of rest and physical therapy so you can heal and strengthen your body.

What happens if a torn tendon is not repaired?

If left untreated, eventually it can result in other foot and leg problems, such as inflammation and pain in the ligaments in the soles of your foot (plantar faciitis), tendinitis in other parts of your foot, shin splints, pain in your ankles, knees and hips and, in severe cases, arthritis in your foot.

How do you fix a torn tendon in your finger?

A splint or cast may be applied to the affected finger to hold it in position. If the injury is severe, surgery may be needed to reattach the torn ends of the tendon. In this case, a hand surgeon may be recommended for surgical evaluation and treatment. Hand exercises or physical therapy may also be recommended.

Can repaired tendons tear again?

Tendon injuries are relatively common and often require surgery to repair them. Tendon repair surgeries are usually straightforward but come with some minor risks. After the surgery, a person should slowly regain their range of motion. In some cases, however, the tendon can tear again.

How do they reconnect tendons?

To repair a torn tendon, the surgeon sews the ends of the tendon together with suture material. In some cases, if your tendon is severely damaged or diseased, your surgeon may remove the tendon and replace it with donor graft, often from your own body.

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 you reattach a tendon to the bone?

Generally, during tendon repair a surgeon will:

1. make one or more small incisions (cuts) in the skin over the damaged tendon.
2. sew the torn ends of the tendon together.
3. check the surrounding tissue to make sure no other injuries have occurred, such as injury to the blood vessels or nerves.
4. close the incision.

Can tendons be replaced?

After an injury, some of your muscles may not move correctly. A tendon transfer is a surgery that moves a working muscle and tendon to replace a non-working muscle and tendon. For example, after a broken wrist, the tendon to the thumb (EPL tendon) that allows you to make a “thumbs-up” can break.

How long does it take for tendon to reattach to bone?

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. Expect movement to return gradually, with some stiffness.

How long does it take for a tendon to reattach?

What happens if the tendons in my hand are damaged?

If any of the tendons in your hand are damaged, surgery may be needed to repair them and help restore movement in the affected fingers or thumb. What are tendons? Tendons are tough cords of tissue that connect muscles to bones.

Can a torn finger tendon heal on its own?

In this manner, can a torn finger tendon heal on its own? If a tendon is torn or cut, the ends of the tendon will pull far apart, making it impossible for the tendon to heal on its own. Occasionally, flexor tendons may be partially cut or torn. With a partial tendon tear, it may still be possible to bend your finger, but not completely.

What can go wrong after a flexor tendon repair?

After a flexor tendon repair, it’s quite common for some fingers to not regain full movement. However, the tendon repair will still give a better result than not having surgery. In some cases, complications develop after surgery, such as infection or the repaired tendon snapping or sticking to nearby tissue.

How do you repair a torn tendon in your wrist?

Tendon repair surgery. Tendon repair may involve the surgeon making a cut (incision) in your wrist, hand or finger so they can locate the ends of the divided tendon and stitch them together. Extensor tendons are easier to reach, so repairing them is relatively straightforward.