Finger injuries can result from being smashed, cut, ground, electrocuted, or even severed. Fingers are very complex and consist of skin, nails, nerves, veins, arteries, tendons, ligaments, and bone. Thus, these injuries can be minor to severe as in the case of a crush or amputation. Amputations can be partial, meaning only part of the finger or thumb is lost, or it can be complete. These types of injuries can result in chronic (long-term) dysfunction or pain.
Dupuytren’s disease is a condition that results from an abnormal thickening of the fascia of the palm. This fascia is a structure that anchors the skin to the underlying structures to keep the palmar skin from sliding loosely like the skin on the back of your hand (which would make it particularly difficult to grip, for example, a screwdriver). Dupuytren’s does not involve tendons directly, but it can become wrapped around nerves and cause the overlying skin to change. Dupuytren’s can also cause skin thickening over the knuckles (knuckle pads), or cords or nodules on the bottom of the feet (plantar fibromatosis).
Distal radius fractures are a condition in which the bone (the radius) on the thumb side of the forearm becomes broken near the wrist. It can occur alone or involve the ulna (the bone on the little finger side of the arm). This injury is usually the result of falling onto an outstretched arm to “break the fall”. Pain, swelling, and deformity can result after this type of fracture. Distal radius fractures are diagnosed by visual inspection, physical exam, and with X-rays.
DeQuervain’s tendinitis is a condition that affects the tendons at the base of the thumb. This tendinitis, or inflammation, is caused by the tendons becoming irritated within their sheath (a compartment or tunnel), which results in further swelling and pain with movement of the thumb or wrist. Commonly referred to as “Mother’s Thumbs” as this condition is seen in new moms secondary to lifting the infant many times a day. Pain can also be experienced with grasping objects or making a fist.
Cubital tunnel syndrome is a condition that often presents as numbness and tingling in the fingers, hands, and arms much like it’s cousin Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Cubital tunnel syndrome involves pressure on the ulnar nerve at the elbow. This “pinching” can be secondary to compression from bone (the medial epicondyle or “funny bone”), muscle tendon, or a ligament.
When children are born with hands that are different from what is functionally normal they are said to have a congenital hand difference. Normal is defined as one thumb, one index finger, one long finger, one ring finger, and one small finger with all of the normal and expected joints of the fingers, hand, and wrist. The arm begins to form between four and eight weeks after conception. As it only takes one mis-step in a series of millions of steps, it is remarkable that more congenital differences are not seen.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a condition that often presents as numbness and tingling in the fingers and hands. It may present as pain or weakness and can affect the entire arm. Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve, one of the three main nerves to the hand, becomes “pinched” at the carpal canal within the wrist. The carpal canal is formed by the bones of the wrist and the overlying, tough and fibrous transverse carpal ligament. Any condition that causes an increase in pressure within this canal exerts pressure on the median nerve resulting in carpal tunnel syndrome.
Basal joint arthritis is a condition that affects the joint at the base of the thumb. Arthritis is simply irritation of a joint that can lead to inflammation, pain, and in severe cases it causes joint degeneration and destruction. There are many different types of arthritis, however, osteoarthritis (“wear-and-tear” arthritis) most commonly affects the joint at the base of the thumb.
Finger injuries can result from being smashed, cut, ground, electrocuted, or even severed. Fingers are very complex and consist of skin, nails, nerves, veins, arteries, tendons, ligaments, and bone. Thus, these injuries can be minor to severe as in the case of a crush or amputation. Amputations can be partial, meaning only part of the finger or thumb is lost, or it can be complete. These types of injuries can result in chronic (long-term) dysfunction or pain.
Also see information on Powersaw Injuries.
Also see information for Replantation.
Dupuytren’s disease is a condition that results from an abnormal thickening of the fascia of the palm. This fascia is a structure that anchors the skin to the underlying structures to keep the palmar skin from sliding loosely like the skin on the back of your hand (which would make it particularly difficult to grip, for example, a screwdriver). Dupuytren’s does not involve tendons directly, but it can become wrapped around nerves and cause the overlying skin to change. Dupuytren’s can also cause skin thickening over the knuckles (knuckle pads), or cords or nodules on the bottom of the feet (plantar fibromatosis).
Distal radius fractures are a condition in which the bone (the radius) on the thumb side of the forearm becomes broken near the wrist. It can occur alone or involve the ulna (the bone on the little finger side of the arm). This injury is usually the result of falling onto an outstretched arm to “break the fall”. Pain, swelling, and deformity can result after this type of fracture. Distal radius fractures are diagnosed by visual inspection, physical exam, and with X-rays.
DeQuervain’s tendinitis is a condition that affects the tendons at the base of the thumb. This tendinitis, or inflammation, is caused by the tendons becoming irritated within their sheath (a compartment or tunnel), which results in further swelling and pain with movement of the thumb or wrist. Commonly referred to as “Mother’s Thumbs” as this condition is seen in new moms secondary to lifting the infant many times a day. Pain can also be experienced with grasping objects or making a fist.
Cubital tunnel syndrome is a condition that often presents as numbness and tingling in the fingers, hands, and arms much like it’s cousin Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Cubital tunnel syndrome involves pressure on the ulnar nerve at the elbow. This “pinching” can be secondary to compression from bone (the medial epicondyle or “funny bone”), muscle tendon, or a ligament.
When children are born with hands that are different from what is functionally normal they are said to have a congenital hand difference. Normal is defined as one thumb, one index finger, one long finger, one ring finger, and one small finger with all of the normal and expected joints of the fingers, hand, and wrist. The arm begins to form between four and eight weeks after conception. As it only takes one mis-step in a series of millions of steps, it is remarkable that more congenital differences are not seen.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a condition that often presents as numbness and tingling in the fingers and hands. It may present as pain or weakness and can affect the entire arm. Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve, one of the three main nerves to the hand, becomes “pinched” at the carpal canal within the wrist. The carpal canal is formed by the bones of the wrist and the overlying, tough and fibrous transverse carpal ligament. Any condition that causes an increase in pressure within this canal exerts pressure on the median nerve resulting in carpal tunnel syndrome.
Basal joint arthritis is a condition that affects the joint at the base of the thumb. Arthritis is simply irritation of a joint that can lead to inflammation, pain, and in severe cases it causes joint degeneration and destruction. There are many different types of arthritis, however, osteoarthritis (“wear-and-tear” arthritis) most commonly affects the joint at the base of the thumb.