The Wrist

Splints and casts are supports that are used to protect injured bones and soft tissues. An arm cast completely encircles the limb with a hard, rigid outer shell. A splint provides rigid support along just a portion of the limb, with soft or open areas in between.

A carpal boss is also known as a bossing. It is a bony overgrowth or lump on the back of the wrist at the base of the index (pointer finger) or long (middle finger) metacarpal bones where they join the carpal bones.

Extensor tendons are just under the skin. They lie next to the bone on the back of the hands and fingers and straighten the wrist, fingers and thumb. They can be injured by a minor cut or jamming a finger, which may cause the thin tendons to rip from their attachment to bone. If not treated, an extensor tendon injury may make it hard to straighten one or more joints.

Fibromyalgia is a condition that typically involves widespread pain. This diagnosis can have many different manifestations. The condition is generally considered to be centered around a heightened sensitivity of the nervous system, especially in the brain.

Movement in the hand and fingers is controlled by a system of muscles and tendons located in the forearm, wrist and hand. Tendons connect muscles to bone. When a muscle contracts, or tightens, the muscles power the tendons to move our bones. The ability to bend our fingers to make a fist is controlled by the flexor tendon.

Among the most common injuries to the hand and wrist in children are broken bones, also known as fractures. Children are not just small adults. Their bones have a different consistency and quality, like soft, fresh wood, as compared to when we age, our bones become more dried-out and brittle. Because children are still growing, their injuries need different evaluation, and sometimes different treatment.

A ganglion cyst is a lump at the hand and wrist that occurs near joints or tendons. It may be described as a mass, swelling, or bump.

Hand, wrist and elbow injuries are common for golfers of all skill levels. The golf swing is a complex, coordinated series of motions. Golf injuries can result from poor technique or overuse.

Gout is a type of arthritis that results in sore joints. With gout, crystals form in the joint. This causes irritation that is sometimes also present in the tendons near the joint.

Anesthesia is a way to control pain during a surgery or procedure using medication. The types of medications used for this purpose are called anesthetics. Anesthesia can help control breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate.

Hand therapy is a type of rehabilitation performed by an occupational or physical therapist for patients that have conditions affecting the hands and upper extremities.

Applying a heat treatment or cold treatment is a common method for treating injuries, stiffness, swelling and pain.

In a joint replacement, the abnormal structures of the joint are removed and replaced. These structures are bone, cartilage, and synovium.

Nerve repair is required after a nerve is injured in such a way that it will not recover on its own. Nerves are bundles of fibers that carry messages between the brain and the rest of the body.

Nerves are the body’s “telephone wiring” system that carries messages between the brain and the rest of the body. Some nerves carry messages from the brain to muscles to make the body move. Other nerves carry messages about pain, pressure, or temperature from the body to the brain.

Pseudogout is a type of inflammatory arthritis that causes joint inflammation due to the body depositing calcium pyrophosphate crystals in the joint and soft tissues. Pseudogout is also called calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPPD).

Arthritis describes any condition where cartilage in the joint breaks down. Normally, a joint consists of two smooth, cartilage-covered bone surfaces that fit together as a matched set and glide against one other.

The scaphoid is one of eight small bones that make up the “carpal bones” of the wrist. It connects two rows of these bones - the proximal row (closer to the forearm) and the distal row (closer to the hand).

A ligament is a thick band of tissue that connects two bones. There are many ligaments in the wrist. When a ligament is injured, this is referred to as a sprain. A very common ligament injured in a sprained wrist is the scapholunate ligament.

Scar formation is a normal response following any injury or surgery; it is the way the body heals injured structures. Scar tissue may involve only the superficial skin, or it may involve the deeper tissues beneath the skin, including nerves and tendons.

Skiing and snowboarding are some of the most popular winter sports and can result in different injuries to the upper extremity. Fortunately, there are some ways to decrease the chance for injury.

A sprained wrist is usually caused by a fall or sudden twisting motion. The wrist is usually bent backwards or into an abnormal position.

The Triangular FibroCartilage Complex, or TFCC, is an important structure in the wrist. The TFCC is made of tough fibrous tissue and cartilage. This tissue supports the joints between the end of the forearm bones (radius and ulna), adding to their stability.

Ulnar wrist pain (pain on the pinkie side of the wrist) is very common. It can result from injury to bones, cartilage, ligaments or tendons.

A vascular disease is a problem with arteries and veins. Arteries are hose-like structures that bring oxygen-rich blood away from the heart to the fingers. Veins are also hose-like structures or pipes that return the used blood back to the heart and lungs.

Cartilage is the shiny, smooth material that covers bones where they come together to form joints. Wrist arthritis is the loss of cartilage between wrist bones.

A wrist fracture is a medical term for a broken wrist. The wrist is made up of eight small bones which connect with the two long forearm bones called the radius and ulna.

Any abnormal lump or bump in the hand or wrist is considered a tumor. The term “tumor” does not necessarily mean it is malignant or that it is a cancer. In fact, most wrist and hand tumors are benign (not cancer).

Wrist arthroscopy is a wrist surgery that allows a doctor to see the inside of a joint. It is performed after a patient sustains an injury such as a fall or a twisting of the wrist and is experiencing pain, clicks or swelling.