Stiff Fingers

Stiff fingers may occur following injuries to the hand or wrist. The first-line treatment for this is hand therapy, often using splints with springs or rubber bands on them to stretch out the digits. If therapy fails and the finger stiffness is decreasing hand function, a surgical solution can

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Acromioclavicular (AC) Joint Arthritis

Arthritis of the AC joint leads to pain at the top of the shoulder. This happens more frequently in laborers and weight-lifters, but is very common in the general population as well. The diagnosis of AC joint arthritis is best made on physical examination. This is because arthritic changes of

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Distal Radius Osteotomy

Many wrist fractures heal in 'suboptimal' position, either because they were not surgically fixed or because the surgical fixation did not turn out well. When a wrist fracture heals in poor position (called a 'malunion') it can lead to deformity, pain, stiffness, weakness, and dysfunction,

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Flexor Carpi Radialis (FCR) Tendinitis

The flexor carpi radialis (FCR) is one of the tendons that helps flex the wrist. It is located on the palmar surface of the wrist, near the base of the thumb. Overuse, such as occurs with repetitive lifting with the palm up, may lead to FCR tendinitis. This is similar to DeQuervain's tendinitis

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Biceps Tendon Disorders

The biceps tendon has two muscle 'heads' that contribute to it, the long head and the short head. The long head goes through the shoulder, where it often has problems. It can fully tear, partially tear, become painfully degenerative, or sublux/dislocate out of its groove. Any of these conditions

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EPL Tendon Rupture

The EPL (extensor pollicis longus) tendon extends your thumb. Following a wrist fracture, or sometimes due to arthritis and bone spur formation, the EPL tendon can rupture. In cases of arthritis, the EPL tendon rubs can rub across a bone spur until it abrades and fails. In cases of fracture, the

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Boxer's Fracture

Boxer's fracture refers to a fracture (break) of the 5th metacarpal, that is the hand bone connected to the small finger. It often happens from punching a solid object, hence its name. This injury leads to pain and swelling over the broken bone.

The vast majority of boxer's fractures can be

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