Hand and finger fractures cause pain, stiffness, and loss of movement. Some fractures will cause an obvious deformity but many do not. An open fracture occurs when a bone fragment breaks through the skin. Since open fractures carry a higher risk of infection, they need to be evaluated immediately.
Tendon, Muscle & Nerve Lacerations
Tendons are located just under the skin, directly on the bone, on the back of the hands and fingers and deep on the palm side of the wrist, hand, or fingers. A tendon that has not been cut completely through may still allow the fingers to bend, but can cause pain or catching. When a tendon is completely cut through, the finger joints cannot bend on their own.
Direct muscle trauma is a common and disabling problem that is difficult to treat. Most of muscle injuries can be treated non-surgically while severe muscle injury need surgical repair. In the fingers and thumb, nerves provide only sensory (feel) function. Nerves at the wrist and hand level provide both sensory and motor (movement) functions. Symptoms after nerve laceration may include loss of sensation, loss of movement, and pain. Treatment involves surgical repair via microsurgical techniques to optimize the repair and minimize scar formation.
Fingertip and Nail Bed Injuries
Mallet Finger
Hand and Finger Crush Injuries
Crush injuries occur when the hands or fingers are subjected to compression, which causes shearing, contusion, stretching, and pressure on the muscles, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, and nerves. Often, crush injuries involves fractures and dislocated bones, lacerations, fragments of objects or dirt embedded in the tissue, and the buildup of blood and serum in the tissue resulting in compartment syndrome.
Tenosynovitis
Tenosynovitis is inflammation of the inner lining of the tendon sheath that covers the tendons, most commonly in the hands and wrists. It is worsened by repetitive hand and wrist motions. Symptoms include pain, weakness, swelling, burning sensation, or dull ache over the affected area. Treatments for tenosynovitis depend on the severity of the inflammation, and location includes non-surgical and surgical treatment options.
Tendonitis
Tendonitis is inflammation of a tendon with symptoms varying from pain, joint stiffness, and swelling to redness and burning surrounding the whole joint and the inflamed tendon. The pain is usually worse during and after activity. Treatment for tendonitis is mainly conservative.
Thumb Sprain
Jammed Finger
Writer's Cramp
Writer’s Cramp is usually caused by over-use of the hand, poor writing posture, or poor pen holding.