Metacarpophalangeal joint contracture

What it means

A chronic loss of joint motion in metacarpophalangeal joints due to structural changes in muscle, tendons, ligaments, or skin that prevents normal movement.

In the literature this has been called metacarpophalangeal camptodactyly, but the term camptodactyly should be reserved for a painless flexion contracture of the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint.

Rare diseases that can present with this4

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category

Also called: Metacarpal/phalangeal joint contractures