Objective To compare the anesthetic effects of traditional digital block with single-injection digital block in digital injury patients for subcutaneous digital blocks. Methods Patients with one or two digits injured were randomized to the traditional digital block group and single-injection digital block group. All of the blocks were conducted by one investigator. The patients and outcome assessor were blinded to the treatment allocation. Both of the per-protocol-population (PP) analysis and the intention-to-treatment (ITT) analysis were performed to compare the two block techniques in terms of the pain during infiltration, the onset time of anesthesia and the failure rate of anesthesia. Results A total of 93 patients (109 digits) were included with 51 (61 digits) in the traditional block group and 42 (48 digits) in the single-injection block group.Two patients (3 digits) dropped out. Both of the PP analysis and ITT analysis showed that no significant difference between the two groups were detected in terms of the pain during infiltration, the onset time of anesthesia and the failure rate of anesthesia (P﹥0.05). Conclusions The subcutaneous single-injection digital block is as effective as the traditional digital block, but is much easier to perform. This technique is indicated for the digital anesthesia of palmar aspect distal to the proximal digital crease and dorsal aspect of the distal and middle phalanxes.