A guard for protecting a finger without interfering with athletic performance, having a rigid core that protects the finger from hyperextension and impact injuries. The guard has a proximal segment and a distal segment, each having a top surface, and a hinge assembly attached and extending above the top surfaces of the distal segment and proximal segment. The hinge assembly allows the distal segment to vary in position between a minimum position and a maximum position while remaining out of the way of adjacent fingers. The guard securely engages the finger by a distal strap that secures to a distal part of the finger, and a proximal strap that secures to a proximal part of the finger. The proximal part has sides that extend alongside the finger, and the distal segment only extends along the superior surface of the finger toward but not reaching the fingertip.
