You walk out of your house, trip on the sidewalk and attempt to break your fall with an outstretched arm. Immediately afterward, you notice pain, swelling and an inability to move your wrist. You have likely just sustained a broken wrist (or Colles’ fracture), one of the most common types of broken bones. Obviously, this […]
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) affects as many as one in 20 Americans. It occurs when the median nerve—the nerve that controls movement and sensation in the palm of the hand, thumb and fingers—is compressed as it travels through the carpal tunnel, a narrow passageway in the wrist formed by bones on the bottom and sides, […]
Many people have dislocated a finger at some point in their lives. While these minor injuries often occur while playing sports such as basketball, they can also be the result of falling onto an outstretched hand or catching your finger between two objects. Jammed fingers can be extremely painful and require immediate treatment to aid […]
Do you have a bump on the wrist your physician called a ganglion cyst? These soft-tissue fluid-filled lumps are usually harmless, generally painless and often go away on their own. Ganglions can occur in any joint and may result from arthritis or from injury due to repetitive stress activities. If the cyst is painful, interferes […]
Carpal tunnel syndrome, a painful condition that causes numbness or “pins and needles” in the fingers and wrist, typically results when the median nerve, running from the forearm through the narrow, rigid passageway of ligament and bones (the carpal tunnel) into the palm of the hand, becomes squeezed at the wrist. The prevalence of computer […]
de Quervain syndrome, also called de Quervain tenosynovitis (DQT), is a problem in people who make a repetitive motion with their hand, wrist and thumb. The motion can be involved with pursuits ranging from trimming bushes to factory work to typing to tennis. Fritz de Quervain, a Swiss surgeon, is credited with identifying the syndrome […]
Wrist pain can be a challenging problem to treat. This is especially true with regard to complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) of the wrist. It is a condition that remains poorly understood but has the hallmark symptom of pain. Wrist CRPS causes a persistent burning pain in the wrist—often following a minor injury or even […]
The lump on your wrist may look worrisome, but if your physician has diagnosed it as a ganglion cyst, there is no cause for alarm. Although they may grow larger, particularly after vigorous activity, these fluid-filled growths are not cancerous and will not spread. Frequently, ganglion cysts cause continuous aching pain that is worsened by […]
Jersey finger is a hand injury common among athletes who participate in tackle sports such as football and rugby. It occurs when a player grabs an opponent, entangling his or her finger in the jersey. As a result, the finger tip, or distal interphalangeal joint, is hyperextended, and the flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) tendon attaching […]
Most often occurring in men of Northern European descent older than 40 years of age, Dupuytren’s contracture results in the inability to bend the fingers, usually the ring and little fingers. Genetic factors are thought to play a role in Dupuytren’s disease; however, currently no link has been established. Risk factors may include manual labor […]
