What is it: The Carpel Tunnel is the passage in the wrist created by bones on three sides and ligament on the fourth. Through this tiny space, nine tendons pass, as well as the median nerve. It stands to reason that any inflammation of any sort in the carpal tunnel will cause the median nerve to be compressed. The median nerve goes on to the thumb, forefinger middle finger and ring finger. This is the reason for the burning, tingling feelings and for the numbness and the pain.

Statistics: “Only 23% of all Carpal Tunnel Syndrome patients were able to return to their previous professions following surgery.” Source: NIOSH

“Carpal tunnel surgery has about a 57% failure rate following patients from 1-day to 6-years. At least one of the following symptoms re-occurred during this time: Pain, Numbness, Tingling sensations.” Source: Nancollas, et al, 1995. J. Hand Surgery.

Steroid (Cortisone) Injection Statistic: Failure rate (Including “partial success” as failure) is 72.6% after 1-year follow up. Source: Irwin, et al. J Hand Surgery.

Important Facts: The wrist is the slimmest part of the human body. Slim wrists have been considered a sign of beauty for centuries, but people with smaller wrists, it is now known, are at higher risk for CTS.

The carpals are the bones you feel when you touch your wrist. In the wrist is the carpal tunnel, which is enclosed by the carpals on three sides, and on the fourth side, by a transverse carpal ligament. Within this narrow space, is not only the median nerve, but also nine flexor tendons. These tendons help you bend your wrist. As you can imagine, it’s a pretty tight squeeze. If for some reason the carpal tunnel is too small, or if the tendons within the tunnel become larger, your median nerve will be compressed.

Treatment Duration: Some patients have mild problems and can be fixed in 1-4 weeks; others take longer.

How long should recovery from carpal tunnel syndrome take? Answer: Recovery is expected to take about six to eight weeks. Occupational rehabilitation may take an additional month.

Do’s/Don’ts: Avoid Repetitive Strain Injuries while working at the computer. The best thing you can do is make sure you take adequate breaks. A break every twenty minutes or so can do wonders. This is especially important if you have any tingling or pins and needles sensation in your palm, because these are the first signs of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Common Myths: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Hypothyroidism — Until recently, despite much research on the subject, many doctors and endocrinologists have not been generally aware of the connection between carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and hypothyroidism

DeQuervain’s

What is it: It is a form of tendinitis in which the coverings of the tendons that lead from the wrist to the thumb become irritated and cause tenderness and pain in the area. The repetitive action of typing can bring it on, as can activities that involve the gripping of tools – even playing golf.

Statistics: While anyone can get de Quervain’s, it affects women eight to 10 times more often than men.

Facts: The Finkelstein test is conducted by making a fist with the fingers closed over the thumb and the wrist is bent toward the little finger.

The Finkelstein test can be quite painful for the person with De Quervain’s tendinitis.

Tenderness directly over the tendons on the thumb side of the wrist is a common finding with this test.

De Quervain’s disease is more likely to occur in women than men and between the ages of 30 and 50 years but anyone at any age can get it. Pregnant women or people with diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis are more likely to get the disease.

Treatment Duration: Treatment usually involves wearing a splint 24 hours a day for four to six weeks to immobilize the affected area and refraining from any activities that may aggravate the condition.

Do’s/Don’ts: Thumb pressure in pushing controls or while typing should also be avoided.

Common Myths: If you suffer from tendonitis, you are likely the recipient of a lot of bad information — not the least of it from your doctor.

This NSAID/rest/cortisone dogma has been repeated to the point that it has assumed the status of fact in everyday life. Unfortunately, tendinopathy resulting from (a) overuse and (b) incorrect patterns of motion generally fails to resolve itself when subjected to treatment regimens that are designed to relieve inflammation.

A tennis player does not experience “tennis elbow” because inflammation suddenly decided to inflict itself upon the athlete’s arm; rather, it is the result of thousands of hours repeating a particular motion with a tennis racket. A bass guitar player suffering from de Quervain’s Syndrome, a bodybuilder whose biceps hurts the list of examples is virtually endless, and in every case the culprit is clearly excessive use of a body part (often coupled with incorrect movement patterns of one type or another).

Fractures

What is it: Fractures of the hand can occur in either the small bones of the fingers (phalanges) or the long bones (metacarpals). They can result from a twisting injury, a fall, a crush injury, or direct contact in sports.

Scaphoid Fracture Statistics: Most Common Carpal Fracture (60%) – 11% of all hand fractures. Young Active Males: ages 15-35. Fracture of the metacarpals and phalanges comprises approximately 10% of all fractures. Metacarpal fractures account for 30-40% of all hand fractures; fractures of the first and fifth metacarpals are the most frequent. Fractures of the fifth metacarpal neck (boxer fractures) alone account for 10% of all fractures of the hand.

Important Facts: 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 treated without surgery.

Some fractures will do better with a ‘closed reduction’, where the fracture is ‘set’.

Treatment Duration: Most of the time, the bones can be realigned by manipulating them without surgery. A cast, splint or fracture-brace is applied to immobilize the bones and hold them in place. The cast will probably extend from the fingertips down past the wrist almost to the elbow. This ensures that the bones remain fixed in place.

A second set of X-rays will probably be needed about a week later. These X-rays are used to ensure that the bones have remained in the proper position.

The cast will be worn for three to six weeks. Gentle hand exercises can probably be started after three weeks. Afterward, the finger may be slightly shorter, but this should not affect the ability to use the hand and fingers.

Do’s/Don’ts: First, keep your arm elevated. If your arm is below the level of your heart, it will hurt more. Keep it up, at shoulder level or higher. Prop it up with a pillow when you are sitting or lying down, hold it up when you are standing. Don’t use a sling, as this puts your arm below the level of your heart.

Don’t pick at the cast padding. It will pull out from inside the splint or cast and then it will not be adequately padded.

Common Myths: MYTH: “If you can move it, it can’t be broken.” Only an x-ray can detect a fracture, so don’t delay!

Consult a Physician if a joint is swollen, painful, unusually mobile, and unstable or won’t move normally.

Fractures inside a joint often require surgery and can have very poor results with irreversible complications if treatment is delayed.

Contractures due to post-fracture/injury

What is it: Contracture of the elbow can be described as a stiff elbow joint. It won’t move all the way into flexion, extension, or both. Sometimes the person has trouble turning the hand palm up or palm down. The cause can be from something intra-articular (inside the joint) or extra-articular (outside the joint).

Statistics: Stiffness of the elbow impairs hand function, because this is highly dependent on elbow extension and flexion and forearm rotation. A 50% reduction of elbow motion can reduce the upper extremity function by almost 80%

Important Facts: Trauma and heterotopic ossification (HO) are the most likely causes of elbow contractures. Elbow dislocations and damage to the nerves are the most common results of elbow trauma.  HO is the formation of calcified bone in the soft tissue. It is another potential consequence of elbow injury. But HO can also occur as a result of head injury, burns, and Paget’s disease. Genetics may also play a role in HO. These are extra-articular conditions that do not occur directly in the elbow but affect the elbow.

Treatment Duration: Whenever possible, prevention is the main focus of management for elbow contracture. Exercise and splinting can help prevent loss of motion after trauma. Patients with known risk factors for HO should be treated prophylactically. This means treatment is given ahead of time to prevent the problem from ever occurring. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) and low-dose radiation are used as preventive agents most often.

 

Ligament Tears (Tommy- John surgery, etc.)

What is it: Tommy John surgery — the colloquial name for ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction — is a surgical procedure that aims to repair ligaments in the elbow. The procedure has become synonymous with sports medicine, particularly in baseball, because pitchers can cause damage to the ligament, which is located on the inside of the elbow joint.

The procedure was first performed in 1974 by Dr. Frank Jobe, who today serves as a Special Advisor to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and is named after former major league pitcher Tommy John whose 288 career victories ranks seventh all time among left-handed pitchers.

Statistics: In a three-year span from 1996-99, Andrews performed Tommy John surgery on 164 pitchers, 19 of whom were high school aged or younger. From 2004-07, that number had jumped to 588 pitchers, 146 of whom were high school or youth league players — a seven-fold increase.

When John’s surgery was completed in 1974, Jobe gave the player a 1 in 100 chance of making a successful return. Today the recovery rate is almost 85 percent. In 2003, USA Today reported that in the previous two seasons, 75 of the almost 700 major league pitchers had undergone Tommy John surgery — almost one in nine. With 288 career wins, Tommy John remains the winningest pitcher to have undergone the surgery that bears his name.

Important Facts: Tommy John surgery-technically an ulnar collateral ligament replacement procedure-has saved the careers of hundreds of major league players.

Jamie Moyer was far from a lock to make the roster this spring after missing the 2011 season because of Tommy John surgery, but now has thrown shutouts in four decades and has a lower ERA since turning 40 (4.40) than when he was in his 20s (4.56).

Treatment Duration: The initial rehabilitation time between Tommy John’s UCL surgery and his return to the majors was 18 months, or basically the end of the ’74 season to the beginning of the ’76 season (technically, from 9/25/74 to 4/16/76.

Do’s/Don’ts: Kremchek explains, “The crucial element is communication between the surgeon, therapist, trainer and pitching coach.  When you diagnose a UCL injury you don’t want to waste a ton of time with the rehab. Go straight into surgery.” BP’s Injury Database concurs. Surgery produces a much higher success rate than just straight rehab.

Common Myths:  A study conducted by St. Vincent’s and Richmond Orthopedics has recently found out that Major League pitchers see a significant decrease in performance after they have Tommy John surgery. Compared to pre-operation performances, Major League pitchers had a significantly higher earned run average and significantly lower strikeouts per nine innings after receiving Tommy John surgery.

 

Bursitis

What is it: Bursitis (ber-SEYE-tis) is swelling and pain of a bursa. A bursa is a fluid-filled sac that acts as a cushion or shock absorber between a tendon and a bone. A tendon is a cord of tough tissue that connects muscles to bones. Although you cannot feel it, the elbow bursa is behind your elbow (over the pointed tip). Normally a bursa has a small amount of fluid in it. When injured, the bursa becomes inflamed (red and sore) and may fill with too much fluid. Olecranon (oh-LEK-rah-non) bursitis is a type of elbow bursitis when the bursa in your elbow becomes inflamed. With treatment, your bursitis should go away in one to two weeks.

Statistics:

Important Facts: Bursitis may be a long-term problem that comes and goes over time. Your bursitis may happen suddenly if it is caused by things like infection or a hard hit to the elbow.

Treatment Duration: Surgery for infected bursa. If the bursa is infected and it does not improve with antibiotics or by removing fluid from the elbow, surgery to remove the entire bursa may be needed. This is often an inpatient procedure, meaning you will need to stay overnight in the hospital. This surgery may be combined with further use of oral or intravenous antibiotics.

Surgery for noninfected bursa. If elbow bursitis is not a result of infection, surgery may still be needed if nonsurgical treatments do not work. In this case, surgery to remove the bursa is usually performed as an outpatient procedure. The surgery does not disturb any muscle, ligament, or joint structures.

Recovery. Your doctor will apply a splint to your arm after the procedure to protect your skin. In most cases, casts or prolonged immobilization are not necessary.

Although formal physical therapy after surgery is not usually needed, your doctor will recommend specific exercises to improve your range of motion. These are typically permitted within a few days of the surgery.

Your skin should be well healed within 10 to 14 days after the surgery, and after 3 to 4 weeks, your doctor may allow you to fully use your elbow. Your elbow may need to be padded or protected for several months to prevent reinjury.

 

Golfer’s Elbow/Tennis Elbow

What is it: Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) is an overuse and muscle strain injury. The cause is repeated contraction of the forearm muscles that you use to straighten and raise your hand and wrist. The repeated motions and stress to the tissue may result in inflammation or a series of tiny tears in the tendons that attach the forearm muscles to the bony prominence at the outside of your elbow (lateral epicondyle).

Statistics: The National Golf Foundation’s records show an estimated 12.98 million core adult golfers, with over 27.8 million golfers in the United States alone as of 2004. There are over 16,000 golf facilities in the United States. In 2002, golfers spent over $24.3 billion on equipment and fees.

Important Facts: As the name suggests, playing tennis — especially repeated use of the backhand stroke with poor technique — is one possible cause of tennis elbow. People who have jobs that involve repetitive motions of the wrist and arm are more likely to develop tennis elbow. Examples include plumbers, painters, carpenters, butchers and cooks.

Left untreated, tennis elbow can result in chronic pain — especially when lifting or gripping objects. Using your arm too strenuously before your elbow has healed can make the problem worse.

Treatment Duration:

Do’s/Don’ts: Heavier racquets are healthier racquets. While an equipment change is not always necessary, it oftentimes is the best way to address TE. We carry demo racquets that have proven to be healthy and invite our customers to give them a try for an extended period. We know from experience that a 12oz racquet can be easily handled by children in their teens and adults alike. In fact the extra mass of the racquet is not only healthier, but can generate heavier and more penetrating strokes off the ground and at the net.

Common Myths: MYTH #1: Tennis elbow is most often caused by improper technique and bad mechanics. OUR BELIEF: When initial research on Tennis Elbow (TE) was conducted flaws in technique and mechanics were often cited as the cause of the discomfort. While serious flaws in technique continue to be a legitimate cause of TE, it is no longer the primary cause. The number of those suffering from TE over the past several years has risen dramatically. The cause is no longer primarily related to mechanics, but rather is related to equipment.

 

Radial Fractures

What is it: Trying to break a fall by putting your hand out in front of you seems almost instinctive. But the force of the fall could travel up the lower forearm bones and dislocate the elbow. It also could break the smaller bone (radius) in the forearm. A break can occur near the elbow at the radial “head.”

Statistics: Fractures of the distal radius account for one-sixth of all fractures seen in the emergency department.

Approximately 10 percent of all elbow dislocations involve a fracture of the radial head.

Important Facts: Even the simplest of fractures will probably result in some loss of extension in the elbow. Regardless of the type of fracture or the treatment used, physical therapy will be needed before resuming full activities.

Treatment Duration:

Do’s/Don’ts:

Common Myths: Myth: Buckle fractures of the distal radius must be treated with a cast for several weeks. One randomized trial of 39 children (most aged 5-10 years) in the United Kingdom found that buckle fractures of the distal radius are safely treated in a soft bandage (J. Pediatr. Orthop. 2005;25:322-5).

Myth: All distal radius fractures are Colles’ fractures, and they all do well. In fact, the literature today usually refers to distal radius fractures as Colles’ fractures. Colles described the necessity of reducing and holding fracture reduction. If the splint is too loose, the deformity persists.

 

Ulnar Nerve Repositioning Surgery

What is it:

Important Facts: Because of the anatomic positioning of the ulnar nerve, it is subject to entrapment and injury by a wide variety of causes.[1] It is the second most common entrapment neuropathy in the upper extremity (the first being the median nerve and its branches). Because of its superficial position at the elbow, it is often injured by excessive pressure in this area (leaning on the elbow during work or while driving a car).

Statistics: Ulnar nerve entrapment is the second most frequent entrapment neuropathy in the upper extremity. Because of the anatomic arrangement of structures, the area around the elbow is the most common area for entrapment. The wrist at the Guyon canal is the second most common area of entrapment.

Treatment Duration: The treatment of ulnar neuropathy at the elbow can be conservative (splint devices, physical therapy, rehabilitation) or surgical.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications also are useful adjuncts to relieve nerve irritation. Oral vitamin B-6 supplements may be helpful for mild symptoms. This treatment should be carried out for 6-12 weeks, depending on patient response. Surgical intervention is indicated if increasing paresthesias occur despite adequate conservative treatment and at the first sign of motor changes