What are Common Hand and Wrist Injuries?
Our experienced NYC orthopedic hand surgeons explain what you need to know
Serious hand and wrist injuries can be painful, uncomfortable and affect every aspect of your life. Writing or holding a glass of water can suddenly become impossible things to do because of a serious wrist or hand injury. That’s why it’s important that you have as much information as possible about your injury. That way, you can make informed decisions about what to do next.
Our board-certified, New York orthopedic hand surgeons at Island Musculoskeletal Care (IMC Bone Doc) know all about different hand and wrist injuries. That’s because our doctors have more than 100 years of combined medical experience. We know how to identify different injuries and we know how to treat them.
We also understand the urgency of your situation. Most likely, you are in a lot of pain. You want answers and you want relief. That’s why many of our doctors offer immediate appointments on the same day. In addition, all seven of our offices have state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment, including an MRI machine in each office.
If your injury requires additional medical treatments, we will do our best to schedule all your medical care at one convenient location. This includes physical therapy. That’s because all seven of our offices has a licensed physical therapist on staff. We have all your bases covered at IMC Bone Doc.
What type of hand or wrist injury do you have?
There many different types of hand and wrist injuries. Some of the most common – and most serious – hand and wrist injuries we have experience dealing with at IMC Bone Doc include:
- What is arthritis of the hand and wrist?
- What is arthritis of the thumb?
- What is a wrist fracture?
- What is a fracture of the hand and fingers?
- What is a wrist sprain?
- What is a flexor tendon injury?
- What is a mallet finger?
- What is a finger and thumb sprain?
- What is a thumb fracture?
- What is a scaphoid fracture?
- What is a finger dislocation in children?
Get the relief you need and deserve. Have one of our orthopedic surgeons examine you. If we believe you need surgery, we will be up front with you. Our goal is simply to help you fully recover and get back to living a pain-free life.
Take your hand or wrist injury seriously. Schedule an appointment with us.
Put your trust in a New York orthopedic hand surgeon who puts your needs first. Contact IMC Bone Doc and schedule an appointment with us. You can make an appointment online or call us right now. Our medical practice is in-network. That means we accept most major medical insurance providers. If you have any questions, simply talk to one of our staff members at IMC Bone Doc. We’re here to help you.
What is arthritis of the hand and wrist?
Arthritis is a medical term used to describe inflammation of the joints. This common medical condition often affects older adults. If you have arthritis in the hand or wrist, you may feel stiffness in your wrist, fingers or other parts of your hand. Arthritis often develops due to wear and tear with age. There are many treatments available for arthritis of the hand and wrist, including surgical procedures which often relieve the chronic joint pain associated with arthritis.
What is arthritis of the thumb?
Arthritis (inflammation of the joints) in the thumb can affect any of the joints found in this finger. Normal wear and tear with age is the most common cause of arthritis in the thumb, which can be very painful. An X-ray of the thumb can often confirm the severity of the arthritis. Steroid injections and pain medications are common non-surgical treatments for arthritis of the thumb. Surgery is also another common approach. One of our experienced, New York orthopedic thumb surgeons can discuss all the options available with you.
There are two, primary bones in the wrist – the ulna and the radius. The wrist also contains eight, smaller bones in the palm area of the wrist. These bones are called carpal bones. If any of these bones fracture (break), the pain and discomfort will likely be noticeable right away. Wearing a cast or splint to hold the wrist in place may be enough to promote healing in the bone. Wrist surgery may be necessary, if the break is severe and does not heal naturally on its own. Wrist fractures are common among football players, snowboarders and soccer players.
What is a fracture of the hand and fingers?
There are many small, delicate bones located in the hands and fingers. That’s why fractures (breaks) sometimes occur, often due to falling and fracturing one of these bones. Immobilizing the broken bone and keeping it in place with a cast or splint is a common way to treat fractures in the fingers or hands. If the break is too severe, hand surgery may be necessary. One of our experienced orthopedic hand surgeons can discuss all the options available to you.
A wrist sprain occurs when the ligaments (thick, cord-like fibers) are torn or stretched too far. Many wrist sprains are mild and can be treated with a combination of rest and icing the injured wrist. Some wrist sprains can be more severe and may require more aggressive treatment methods. One of our orthopedic wrist surgeons can examine your injured wrist and determine the severity of your injury.
What is a flexor tendon injury?
Flexor tendons are the thick, fiber-like tissues which connect bones to muscles in the fingers. When a flexor tendon is injured (either due to arthritis, overstretching the tendon or damage related to a sports injury), you will likely feel severe pain in the injured finger, observe swelling and likely not be able to bend the finger. An X-ray may be ordered to assess the severity of your flexor tendon injury. If the tendon was completely ripped away from the bone or muscles, flexor tendon surgery will likely be necessary to re-attach the tendon.
Mallet finger is a medical term used to describe a condition in which the end of the finger will not straighten out and instead bends downward. Mallet finger injuries are often due to damage to the tendon on the back side of the finger. Contact sports are common cause of mallet finger injuries. Wearing a splint for one to two months and immobilizing the finger is one of the most common methods for treating mallet finger. Surgery may be necessary if the tendon is severely damaged.
What is a finger and thumb sprain?
The ligaments (thick, rubber-like bands) in your fingers and thumb can sometimes tear or be stretched too far. When this happens, that is known as finger or thumb sprain. Pain and swelling in your fingers are common symptoms of a sprain. Having difficulty holding an object is another common warning sign of a thumb or finger sprain. Resting the injured fingers for several days and then performing strengthening exercises is common treatment approach. Surgery may be necessary if the ligament is completely torn.
Broken bones (or fractures) affecting the thumb often occur as a result of a direct blow to the thumb. That’s why sports injuries sometimes involve thumb fractures, including injuries sustained during football, skiing or hockey. Thumb fractures can be very painful. Swelling near the area of the fracture is also common. Wearing a cast or splint is a common treatment method for thumb fractures, but surgery may be necessary if the fracture is severe.
The scaphoid bone is located in the wrist on the palm side of the hand. This small, boat-shaped bone is often broken due to a traumatic event, including car accidents and athletic injuries. Wearing a cast is a common way to treat a scaphoid fracture by holding the wrist in place and promoting bone growth. Surgery may be necessary if the scaphoid fracture is severe or if other bones in the wrist were also broken.
What is a finger dislocation in children?
When the bones in the finger are moved out of their normal position, that is known as a finger dislocation. These types of injuries are common in children and often occur as a result of a child jamming or overextending their finger when the fall and hit the ground with their outstretched hand. An X-ray may be necessary to determine the severity of the injury. A splint to immobilize the finger is often enough to heal a dislocated finger. It is always a good idea to have an orthopedic hand surgeon examine your child’s finger to determine the severity of the injury.
