Finger supports and gloves incorporating the same

A finger brace configured for disposition about and along a lengthwise portion of a human finger including an outer side, an inner side, a PIP joint, and a fingertip bearing a finger nail, the finger brace, when properly situated on the finger, comprising:

• a brace proximal end configured to be situated at least partially about the finger at a location behind the PIP joint and on the outer side of the finger;
• a brace distal end configured to extend forwardly of the brace proximal end toward the fingertip;
• a PIP-joint support extending between and connecting the brace proximal end and brace distal end, and configured to at least partially encircle and support the PIP joint while allowing the PIP joint to bend;
• and
• a unitary and continuous elongated shank configured to coextend along a lengthwise portion of the outer side of the finger between the PIP joint and the finger nail, the elongated shank having a shank outside surface and a shank inside surface opposite the shank outside surface and configured to be more proximate the outer side of the finger than the shank outside surface, wherein
• (a) the elongated shank is articulated such that the shank outside surface is defined by a plurality of mutually adjacent armor segments separated by grooves, each armor segment including an outwardly-facing segment top surface and segment front and rear surfaces, each of which segment front and rear surfaces defines a portion of one of the grooves separating an armor segment of which it forms a part from an adjacent armor segment;
• and
• (b) the armor segments and grooves are collectively configured and mutually situated such that the finger supported by the elongated shank can bend forward toward the palm but is prevented from bending backward beyond a predetermined extent by action of a mutual contacting engagement of the segment front and rear surfaces of neighboring armor segments.