A 16-year-old basketball player comes in after injuring his finger during a game. His left ring finger is angulated towards the little finger with notable swelling and deformity. He has pain and is unable to move it. What is the likely diagnosis and what is the next step?
This patient likely has a dislocated finger, more specifically a probable dislocation of the proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP) of the ring finger, which may occur in sports when a ball directly hits an extended finger. An X-ray should be obtained to confirm the dislocation and to rule out an associated fracture. If confirmed, the joint should be reduced, and then the hand should be immobilized with a splint.