Mallet injuries are common and often caused by a ball or blunt force hitting the end of the finger.  This results in damage to the tendon that straightens the ‘tip’ (or the distal interphalangeal joint) of the finger.  The injury is characterised by an inability to actively straighten the tip of the finger, which rests in a flexed position. 

Mallet injuries can be caused by injury to the tendon or bone.  Those affecting the tendon and treated early often respond successfully to splinting.  Those affecting the bone can require surgery. It is important that these injuries are diagnosed and treated early. 

Business Manager

Sabeeqa Khan

Sabeeqa has completed Bachelor’s in Public Health, followed by a master’s degree in biomedical sciences, providing her with a well-rounded understanding of both the macro and micro aspects of healthcare. With over a decade of experience, she has honed her management skills across various healthcare settings, including laboratories, general practitioner (GP) clinics, and specialist facilities. With her blend of academic achievement and practical experience, she stands as a capable leader poised to drive innovation and positive change in the healthcare industry.

Wrist + Hand Surgeon (Fellow)

Dr David Dyer

Dr David Dyer is an orthopaedic surgeon qualified through the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and the Australian Orthopaedic Association with subspecialty fellowship training in complex wrist and hand surgery. Dr Dyer has interests in acute wrist and hand trauma, arthroscopic and endoscopic wrist surgery, arthritis of the wrist and hand, and nerve compressions of the wrist and forearm (e.g. carpal tunnel).

Wrist + Hand Surgeon (Fellow)

Dr Eleanor Houghton

Dr Houghton has joined the Wrist + Hand Institute team in 2023 whilst completing her Post-Fellowship Education and Training (PFET) Programme through the Australian Hand Surgery Society with Mr Jeff Ecker.

Wrist + Hand Surgeon (Consultant)

Dr Humza Khan

Dr Humza Khan completed his medical training at the University of Western Australia and has spent ten years in the public health sector working in all the major hospitals across Western Australia.

Dr Khan completed his orthopaedic specialist training with the Royal Australian College of Surgeons and the Australian Orthopaedic Association. He completed further subspecialty training with the Jeff Ecker Hand and Wrist Fellowship Program. Dr Khan works with the Wrist + Hand Institute managing hand and wrist trauma and elective surgery.

Founder - Wrist + Hand Surgeon

Dr Jeff Ecker

Jeff Ecker is an expert hand and wrist surgeon who completed his orthopaedic fellowship in Australia and trained in microvascular and arthroscopic surgery at Oxford University in the United Kingdom, Duke University in North Carolina and the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

He is the Immediate Past President of the Australian Hand Surgery Society, the President Elect of the Asia Pacific Wrist Association and the Past President of the West Australian Hand Surgery Society. Jeff is an adjunct professor at Curtin University School of Medicine and the Director of the Hand and Upper Limb Centre in Western Australia.

Jeff's commitment to research is recognised internationally. His findings have been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Wrist Surgery, Hand Clinics and the European Journal of Hand Surgery. Jeff is regularly invited to present his research and teach at national and international scientific conferences. He has a special interest in complex wrist injuries, including triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) injuries, scaphoid fractures and non-union and perilunate ligament injuries.