Orthopedic Hand Conditions

  • Arthritis: Base of the Thumb

    In osteoarthritis (OA, or “degenerative arthritis”) the cartilage layer wears out, resulting in direct contact between the bones and producing pain and deformity.

  • Steroid Injections

    Steroid injections are commonly used to treat a variety of inflammatory conditions of the upper extremity.

  • Thumb UCL Injury

    This injury was originally called “game keepers thumb”. It should be called skiers thumb because that is one of the most common mechanisms of injury. Any blow to the inside of the thumb can cause the ligament to tear.

  • Finger Arthritis

    Arthritis will first cause swelling and loss of motion. Pain can result in joint spaces become narrowed or irregular.

Nerve Conditions

These conditions are usually diagnosed through clinical in-office evaluation and with the help of a Nerve Conduction Study and EMG.

Tendon Injuries

  • Flexor Tendon Injuries

    Deep cuts on the palm side of the wrist, hand, or fingers can injure the flexor tendons and nearby nerves and blood vessels.

  • Extensor Tendon Injuries

    Extensor tendons are just under the skin, directly on the bone, on the back of the hands and fingers. Because of their location, even a minor cut can easily injure them.

  • Mallet Finger (Baseball Finger)

    A mallet finger is a deformity of a finger caused when a certain tendon (the extensor tendon) is damaged. When a ball or other object strikes the tip of the finger or thumb, the force damages the thin tendon that straightens the finger.

  • Boutonnière Injury

    Boutonnière injury is the result of an injury to the tendons that straightens the middle joint of your finger.

Fractures and Sprains

  • Finger Fractures

    Although the bones in the hand are small, a broken (fractured) finger is not a minor injury.

  • Hand Fractures

    Fractures of the hand can occur in either the small bones of the fingers (phalanges) or the long bones (metacarpals).

  • Thumb Fractures

    A broken thumb is a serious problem. It affects the ability to grasp items. A broken thumb can increase the risk of arthritis later in life.

  • Sprained Thumb

    A stable thumb is very important for pinch and grasp activities. A thumb sprain is an injury to the main ligament in the thumb.

Other Conditions and Injuries

  • Fingertip Injuries and Amputations

    Injuries to the fingertips are common in accidents at home, work, and play. They can occur when a fingertip slams in a car door, while chopping vegetables, or even when clearing debris from a lawnmower or snowblower.

  • Animal Bites and Crush Injuries

    Each year millions of people in the United States are bitten by animals. Most bites occur on the fingers of the dominant hand, but animal bites can also occur about the head and neck area.

  • Gout and Pseudogout

    Gout and pseudogout—calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPPD)—are two types of crystalline arthropathies which are disease processes that cause sore joints because salt crystals have formed in the joint.

  • Information About Hand Therapy

    Hand Therapy is a type of rehabilitation performed by an occupational or physical therapist on patients with conditions affecting the hands and upper extremities.