An injury resulting from the fingertip being jammed or struck by a thrown ball. Baseball finger, which is sometimes called “mallet finger,” causes pain and sometimes discoloration in the joint of the finger closest to the tip. The injury may make it difficult or impossible to fully straighten the finger. X rays are necessary for a diagnosis. Baseball finger is generally treated with a finger splint that must be worn continuously for 1 to 6 weeks, after which a follow-up of orthopedic care is recommended. If proper healing has not occurred, an additional 4 weeks of splinting may be needed. The doctor may suggest appropriate pain medication to relieve discomfort. If healing is not complete within that amount of time, surgical repair may become necessary.