Question

A 25-year-old lawyer comes to the office because of a 1-year history of limited ability to extend the right long finger at the proximal interphalangeal joint with no limitation of flexion following a jammed finger after playing basketball. X-ray study shows a normal articular surface and no evidence of fracture or foreign body. Which of the following is the most likely cause of this patient's condition?

A) Dorsal collateral ligament contracture
B) Dorsal edema
C) Dupuytren contracture
D) Extensor adhesions
E) Flexor adhesions

Answer 1

The patient's limited ability to extend the right long finger at the proximal interphalangeal joint is most likely caused by extensor adhesions, resulting from scarring and restriction in the extensor tendons after the injury.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most likely cause of the 25-year-old lawyer's inability to extend the right long finger at the proximal interphalangeal joint following a jammed finger after playing basketball, considering X-ray showed a normal articular surface with no fracture or foreign object, is extensor adhesions. Extensor adhesions can occur due to injury or inflammation leading to scarring and restriction in the movement of the tendons responsible for finger extension. Since the patient's flexion is not limited, this suggests that the issue is with the extensor mechanism rather than the flexors.