Wrist & Hand
Tendon Injury
Evidence: suggestive
Sweater Finger Sign Special Test
Orthopedic Physical Examination & Clinical Assessment Guide
What is it used for?
- Diagnosing Flexor Digitorum Profundus (FDP) Rupture (Jersey Finger).
How to Perform
- Action: Ask the patient to make a fist.
Interpretation of Results
- Positive Test: The distal phalanx (fingertip) of the affected finger does not flex; it sticks out straight.
- Why: The FDP tendon is detached and retracted, so the DIP joint cannot flex.
Clinical Context & Limitations
The Sweater Finger Sign should be considered as one component of a comprehensive musculoskeletal assessment. No single special test has perfect diagnostic accuracy; thus, clinical decision-making should integrate test results with patient-reported symptoms, mechanism of injury, functional impairment, and relevant imaging.
Clinicians should be aware of potential false-positive results in patients with pain sensitisation, muscle guarding, or poor relaxation. For the Wrist & Hand region, combining the Sweater Finger Sign with complementary examination tests significantly improves overall diagnostic confidence.
References
- Magee, D. J. (2021). Orthopedic Physical Assessment.
