Co-Director
Finger pain has many possible causes. The most common are accidental injuries, overuse injuries, and arthritis. However, numerous hand-related and body-wide health conditions can lead to finger pain, including Dupuytren’s contracture, trigger finger, ganglion cysts, infections, autoimmune diseases, and peripheral neuropathy
Dupuytren's contracture is a condition that causes tight tissue to form in the palm of the hand and fingers. Exactly why this condition occurs is a bit of a mystery, but there is a known genetic component and there have been other factors including lifestyle, activities, and other medical conditions that may also play a part.
If you have fallen onto an outstretched hand (or a FOOSH injury), then you may have suffered a Colles' fracture. A Colles' fracture a break in the radius bone of the forearm, very close to the wrist joint. It typically requires surgery to reduce or set the bones. You may have a long period of immobilization in a cast or splint after the injury.
The first steps in treating tennis elbow are reducing inflammation and resting the irritated muscles and tendons. Ice and compression can help. Then you can begin gentle exercises to strengthen the muscles and prevent a recurrence.
Extensor tendonitis is an inflammatory condition of the tendons on the back of the hands or the top of the feet. These tendons attach to muscles that straighten your fingers and lift up your toes and the top of your foot.
A Colles fracture is a break in one of the forearm bones near the wrist that commonly requires physical therapy after a period of immobilization. The exercises used in physical therapy are focused on restoring wrist flexion (bending the hand down at the wrist), wrist extension (bending the hand up at the wrist), and deviation (bending your hand side to side at the wrist).
With spring on its way, you may be pulling out your golf clubs or tennis racket. If you try to mimic the perfect swing of golf pros or tennis champs without taking into account the limitations of your own body, you may be setting yourself up for injury. It's important to be aware of two inflammatory conditions: tennis elbow and golf elbow. Despite their names, these conditions can be diagnosed in anyone who engages in constant arm movements. They develop slowly over time from overuse.
Arthritis is a condition that causes inflammation and cartilage loss within the joint. There are several types of arthritis. The most common type—osteoarthritis, or wear-and-tear arthritis—occurs commonly in the joint at the base of the thumb, where the thumb meets the wrist.
Complex traumatic hand injuries have been identified as stressful and life-changing events. Given the importance of the ability to use the hand in all aspects of life, individuals with complex traumatic hand injuries may experience serious consequences in physical, psychological, and overall social wellbeing.
Finger sprains and dislocations are common hand injuries. A sprain happens when the tough tissue that supports a joint is stretched too far. This tissue, called a ligament, can be partially or completely torn. The joint may also be dislocated.
