Hand & Wrist Injuries

What are Common Hand and Wrist Injuries?

Each of your hands and wrists has 27 bones, 30 muscles, as well as tendons and ligaments that provide stability and movement. As a result, you could experience any number of acute or chronic overuse injuries. 

Some of the most common hand and wrist injuries include:

• Sprains
• Fractures
• Dislocation
• Tendinitis
• Dupuytren’s contracture
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Ganglion cyst
• Trigger finger

Athletes have a high risk of hand and wrist injuries because of the combination of repetitive movements and the likelihood of a sudden impact between you and another player, ball, or piece of sports equipment. 

Additionally, anyone who has a job or hobby that requires repetitive hand and wrist movements can develop a repetitive strain injury and experience debilitating pain. 

How are Hand and Wrist Injuries Diagnosed?

The team at Beaufort Orthopaedic Sports & Spine provides comprehensive exams and tests to diagnose your hand or wrist injury. They begin by reviewing your symptoms, what you were doing when you injured yourself, and lifestyle factors that could contribute to your injury.

Your doctor examines your hand, checking for inflammation and deformity. They also test your range of motion, strength, and flexibility. If necessary, they order X-rays or an MRI to examine the bones, muscles, and connective tissue in your hand and wrist in more detail.

How Do You Treat Hand and Wrist Injuries?

The team at Beaufort Orthopaedic Sports & Spine provides highly customized treatment plans for hand and wrist injuries. Their goal is to help you recover quickly so you can safely return to your sport, career, or other activities. 

When possible, your doctor tries conservative therapies, including anti-inflammatory medication, steroid injections, braces, and physical therapy. Minor injuries often heal with the RICE method (rest, ice, compression, and elevation).

However, if your injury is severe or doesn’t respond to other treatments, the experienced orthopaedic surgeons at Beaufort Orthopaedic Sports & Spine also offer state-of-the-art hand and wrist surgeries. 

They use minimally invasive arthroscopy whenever possible to minimize trauma to the surrounding healthy tissue, which results in a shorter recovery time.

If you have a hand or wrist injury, contact the experts at Beaufort Orthopaedic Sports & Spine by calling the office or making an appointment online today.