Hand and Wrist Conditions

Get relief for injuries and conditions that cause pain in the elbows, wrists, hands and fingers at USA Spine Care

If you’re dealing with pain in the upper extremities due to any conditions or injuries affecting the elbows to the fingers, it can negatively impact your ability to perform nearly any everyday task. Whether you work a physical job or a desk job, your livelihood can be severely disrupted as well as your ability to engage in favorite hobbies or activities. Many people can even find that relationships with friends and family can suffer if upper extremity pain becomes chronic.

People seeking lasting relief should stay patient and positive as they explore treatment options. It is possible to find effective care that is right for you, whether you require surgery or conservative treatment. At USA Spine Care, our experienced orthopedic professionals can deliver exceptional care for many of the injuries and conditions that cause elbow, wrist, hand and finger pain. As you read the following overview of the conditions we treat, feel free to reach out to our team with any questions.

How the elbow works

By connecting the upper arm to the forearm, wrist and hand, the elbow is the central joint of the arm. While it does not have quite the flexibility and range of motion of either the shoulder or the wrist, it is still essential to performing nearly all movements that can’t be performed with a straight arm.

The elbow joins together these three bones from the upper and lower arm:

• The humerus, or upper arm bone
• The radius, or forearm bone on the thumb side
• The ulna, or forearm bone on the little finger side

These bones form two primary joints in the elbow, the humeroradial joint, connecting the humerus and radius, that allows for primary arm extension, and the proximal radioulnar joint that allows the forearm to rotate. The elbow is surrounded by a number of muscles, tendons and ligaments, including the biceps and triceps in the upper arm, and flexors and extensors in the forearm, that enable movement and flexibility.

Wrist and hand anatomy

Together, the wrist and hand has 27 bones and joints, 34 muscles and more than 100 tendons and ligaments. The primary types of bones of the wrist, hand and fingers are:

• Carpal — These are the eight bones that make up the wrist and connect to the radius and ulna bones in the forearm.
• Metacarpal — These are the five bones found in the palm of the hand that eventually extend out to the fingers.
• Phalanges — The phalanges, 14 total, form the fingers and have multiple joints.

These bones are connected by soft tissue that enables all of the highly complex movements required for fine motor skills that include writing, manipulating tools, typing and cooking. There is also a very high concentration of blood vessels and nerves that help deliver nutrients and sensory and motor information to the hands.

Common causes of upper extremity pain

The most frequent contributors to upper extremity pain are repetitive motion injuries and natural, age-related degeneration. Elbow injuries in particular, such as tennis elbow, are very commonly caused by repetitive strenuous movements that strain and inflame the soft tissue around the elbow. Many wrist and hand injuries are also caused by repetitive activities like handling tools or typing.

Meanwhile, the natural aging process can dry out connective tissue and cartilage, making it prone to wearing out, this in turn leads to the joint inflammation commonly known as arthritis.

While it may feel like you can “live with” upper extremity pain, it is important to seek prompt diagnosis and treatment, as many of these problems get worse over time.

Elbow, wrist and hand conditions treated by our experts

At USA Spine Care, we’re proud to be able to provide lasting relief for these elbow to finger conditions and injuries:

• Arthritis and osteoarthritis — Arthritis, an inflammatory joint disease can affect any joint in the body. The most common form is osteoarthritis, which is caused by natural cartilage degeneration.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome — This is a common condition that causes compression of the median nerve in the wrist.

• Cubital tunnel syndrome (ulnar nerve entrapment) — This condition occurs in the elbow, but can cause symptoms in the forearm and hand.

• Duputryn’s contracture — A progressive hand deformity that occurs over years due to the hardening of tissue in the hand.

• Ganglion cyst (wrist) — A noncancerous lump that can form in the wrist, requiring treatment if it causes pain.

• Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) — Inflammation of tendons in the elbow due to repetitive motion and strain. Caused by other activities than tennis, including jobs such as plumbing and carpentry.

• Trigger finger (stenosing tenosynovitis) — A condition that causes the finger to become stuck in a bent position due to severe inflammation of a tendon in the hand.

Reach out to our caring and dedicated team today

For any of the above causes of your elbow, wrist, hand or finger pain, the caring and dedicated team at USA Spine Care can help. Our interdisciplinary team has extensive experience helping patients from all walks of life develop an individualized care plan to achieve lasting relief and a return to a regular activity level.

Contact us today to learn more. Call toll free 1-866-249-1627.