Camptodactyly

Camptodactyly is a finger or toe that cannot flex or extend at one or more joints. The result is a flexed digit at the level of the affected joint. It can occur as a result of a number of abnormal structures in a child’s finger:

• tight skin
• contracted tendons and ligaments
• abnormal muscles
• irregularly shaped bones

Children are sometimes born with the condition. Hereditary reasons are also present on occasion. In these cases, more than one finger or toe may be affected.

Surgical correction can be difficult, and persistent stiffness is common. Therefore, treatment usually involves hand therapy to perform stretching, massaging, and serial casting to straighten the finger gradually.