The sprained finger that isn't.

Six athletic injuries commonly misdiagnosed as a sprained finger are three types of closed tendon injuries, two types of intra-articular fractures involving the middle joint and a volar plate avulsion of the middle joint. The proper diagnosis can usually be made with a good history, a thorough examination and anteroposterior, lateral and oblique x-rays of the finger. Reconstructive procedures can be performed for missed injuries, but the results are inferior to those obtained with early treatment.