Tendon and nerve injuries are any damage to the fibrous cords that connect muscles to bones (tendons) as well as the nerve fibers in the hand that transmit signals from the brain to the body. These injuries can cause pain and decreased range of motion in the hand or fingers.
Boston Hand to Shoulder treats patients in Boston suffering from tendon and nerve injuries with a variety of treatments, depending on the severity of the injury. If you have sustained a tendon or nerve injury, make an appointment with one of our hand specialists today.
What Is Tendonitis?
Tendonitis is one of the most common tendon injuries. It is an inflammation of the tendons, which are the fibrous cords that connect muscles to bones. It is known to cause pain, swelling, and tenderness in the hand and wrist. It is one of the most common hand tendon injuries.
Common Hand Tendon Injuries
Besides tendonitis, there are a number of different hand tendon injuries. These include:
- Mallet Finger: This is when the extensor tendon is stretched or torn, causing the inability to straighten the fingertip.
- Jersey Finger: This is a tear in the flexor tendon of the finger that occurs when the finger is forcefully extended while flexed. It causes the inability to bend the fingertip.
- Boutonniere Deformity: This is a rupture of the central slip of the extensor tendon, causing the middle joint of the finger to bend inward and the end joint to bend outward.
- Tendon lacerations: This is when a sharp object cuts any of the tendons in the hand or fingers.
A hand specialist can determine exactly what kind of hand tendon injury you are suffering from.
Common Hand Nerve Injuries
There are also a number of different hand nerve injuries. These include:
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: This is caused by pressure being placed on the median nerve in the wrist, leading to numbness and tingling in the thumb, index, and middle fingers.
- Cubital Tunnel Syndrome: This is caused by pressure being placed on the ulnar nerve in the elbow, leading to numbness and tingling in the little and ring fingers as well as loss of grip strength.
- Nerve lacerations: This is when a sharp object cuts any of the nerves in the hand or fingers.
A hand specialist can determine exactly what kind of hand nerve injury you are suffering from.
Causes
- Cuts and lacerations
- Crushing injuries
- Forceful impacts
- Falls
- Sports injuries
- Repetitive movements
Being aware of the causes of tendon and nerve injuries can help you take preventative measures where possible to help reduce the chance of sustaining one.
Symptoms of Tendon and Nerve Injuries
Tendon and nerve injuries can lead to a wide range of symptoms. This can include:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Decreased range of motion
- A “cracking” feeling when moving a tendon
- Loss of function in the hand
- Numbness or tingling in the hand or fingers
- Loss of grip strength
- Abnormalities in the appearance of fingers
If you are experiencing any of the above, you should see a hand specialist to determine if you have a tendon or nerve injury.
Treatment
There is a wide array of treatments for tendon and nerve injuries. These can include:
- Rest
- Ice
- Compression
- Elevation
- Pain medication
- Bracing or splinting
- Physical therapy
- Surgery
A hand specialist will be able to determine which treatments are right for your injury as well as the specifics of said treatment.
Prevention
Preventing tendon and nerve injuries is really about awareness. You should stretch and warm up before any physical activity involving the hands, such as during a sport. You should also be careful not to have your hand or fingers bend in unnatural ways during the physical activity. These are particularly great precautions to take in order to avoid tendonitis.
Additionally, as many tendon and nerve injuries are caused by repetitive motion, you should be sure to take breaks when participating in such motions. It is wise to take a break at least once an hour when engaging in repetitive motions, like those often seen when working.