The impact of compliance on the rehabilitation of patients with mallet finger injuries.

While patient compliance with hand therapy intuitively seems important to the outcome of treatment, no formal study has validated this assumption. The records of 44 patients who sustained mallet finger injuries were examined retrospectively. Compliance ratings were based on self-reports of performance with home programs and attendance at therapy appointments. Results of therapy were divided into excellent, good, or poor groups depending on the patient's final range of motion and final active extension lag at the distal interphalangeal joint. Statistical analysis reveals that compliant patients have excellent outcomes more often than do noncompliant patients (61.5% and 9.1%, respectively) in the treatment for mallet finger injuries. While increased age may negatively affect the final result of mallet finger injuries, an older individual can favorably influence his or her result by choosing to be compliant with treatment. Even patients who delay initiation of treatment can achieve favorable results.