Hand Tendon Injuries: Repair and Recovery

Tendons connect muscle to bone, and in the hand, they're what let you bend and straighten each finger and thumb. A cut, rupture, or severe injury to a hand tendon usually needs surgical repair to restore normal movement.

Flexor vs. Extensor Tendon Injuries

Flexor tendons (on the palm side) bend the fingers, while extensor tendons (on the back of the hand) straighten them. Flexor tendon injuries are generally considered more complex to repair and rehabilitate, given the tighter space they run through and higher risk of scarring restricting movement afterward.

What Repair Involves

Surgery reconnects the divided tendon ends with sutures, timed as soon as reasonably possible after injury for the best outcome. Even a small delay can make repair more difficult as tendon ends retract.

Recovery Is Largely About Hand Therapy

A carefully structured hand therapy program — often starting with protected, controlled movement rather than full rest — is central to recovery, since tendons that aren't moved at all risk becoming stuck to surrounding tissue as they heal. This balance between protecting the repair and encouraging movement is why specialist hand therapy matters so much after tendon surgery.

Learn more on the tendon repair procedure page.

A cut or injury near a joint that leaves you unable to fully bend or straighten a finger is one of the clearest signs of a tendon injury, even when the wound itself looks minor. Because delayed treatment allows tendon ends to retract and makes repair more difficult, any inability to move a finger normally after a cut, crush, or sports injury is worth having assessed promptly rather than waiting to see if movement returns on its own.

• Inability to bend or straighten a finger fully at one or more joints
• A deep cut on the palm side of the hand or wrist, even if bleeding is controlled
• Pain or weakness with gripping that developed suddenly after an injury

Learn more about repair options on the tendon repair procedure page.