Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Advice on mallet fingers?

I was either born with or acquired very early in life a few mallet fingers, which I never cared much about until I started to play the piano several years ago. Now for the past few months, I've been dabbling with Fantaisie Impromptu, and the mallet on my left index finger is starting to create a fairly substantial problem; the finger locks up right from the outset with the stretch of the 5-3-2, and I lose a fair amount of control over the motion of the hand as a result.

I read a number of articles online about mallet fingers, but everything I've read addresses only mallets resulting from injury and suggest a corrective splint, whereas mine are already quite permanent and I don't think a splint will do anything. I've also read about surgical repair, but they warn that it's fairly risky in that said finger may lose some viability.

Has anyone by chance had an experience correcting a "permanent" mallet finger, and what would you advise? I wonder if just bending the tip of the finger back at the first joint with some kind of a nonobstructive device that I can wear playing might solve the problem; any such thing invented?

You should see a "hand surgeon," and if possible, one who works with pianists/musicians.

I'd have to see you play to see how much of a problem this represents. However, if it is really hampering your progress, I would look into surgery. You stand to gain the ability to progress further, and the risk is that you will not be able to play as well as you'd like, which is what the case is now, right? Sounds like you don't have anything to lose. Do get a couple of opinions from doctors and yes, definitely ask around for one who works with musicians.

Reading online about surgery is one thing. Finding a doctor is another thing. Finding a good doctor is another thing.

I don't know anything about your condition; this is the first time I've heard of it. But if it were me, I would get the best, most expert advice I could, maybe from more than one source.

I do know that doing any kind of procedure with the hand or fingers is risky; the size, the delicacy, the complexity, the problem of swelling impeding circulation after surgery. I also know that microsurgical techniques have improved greatly in recent years.

You can play, as things stand. So, you have some scope for action and room to improve without doing anything. Almost none of us can play everything, and almost all of us have to do some kind of workaround. So, that is hopeful.

A good doc will help you get the best result with the least-drastic treatment. Don't depend on web pages and online forums for something so important.