Blog Posts for Hand
The North Florida Bone & Joint Specialists blog provides the latest information on orthopaedic conditions, injuries and procedures.
Pediatric Injuries & Outdoor Activities
With summer in full swing and children taking advantage of more time to participate in sports-related or other outdoor activities, it’s essential to be mindful of injury prevention while encouraging their interest in activities that don’t involve screen time! The fact is, accidents can happen practically anywhere – on a swing set in your backyard, riding a skateboard in a park or biking on a neighborhood designated path.
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Diagnosing & Managing Arthritis
Arthritis represents a wide variety of joint inflammation diseases. Patients most often have chronic Arthritis in their wrists, hands, and fingers, experiencing flares of inflammation, soreness or stiffness affecting the joints. As we recently wrapped up Bone & Joint Action Week, this is an excellent opportunity to bring awareness to the most common categories of Arthritis, proactive methods for pain prevention and available treatment solutions.
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What is Mallet Finger?
A mallet finger is a disruption of the terminal extensor tendon at the tip of the finger, where the tendon attaches to the bone. Although it used to be known as a "baseball finger," this injury can happen to anyone when an unyielding object (like a ball) hits the tip of a finger forcing it to bend further than it is intended to go. Often the injury is caused by something innocuous, like tucking a bed sheet in or hitting the hand on a door. In some cases, the tendon pulls off with a fragment of bone from the distal phalanx. The long, ring and small fingers are most likely to be injured. Below we discuss the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of this common condition.
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Summer Hand Safety Tips
It’s that time of year: the kids are getting out of school, the summer heat is on full blast, and the list of projects around the house starts to grow weekly. Whether you are cleaning up your front yard landscaping, building a new garden bed of fresh veggies, or knocking out one of the many projects on the home improvement list, safety is critical for starting any new DIY adventure! As we enter June and observe National Safety Month, this post identifies the most common injuries we see at North Florida Bone & Joint Specialists during lawn care and maintenance, gardening and home DIY projects and provides some practical tips to help keep your hands injury-free.
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Treating Dupuytren’s Contracture
Dupuytren’s Contracture can vary in severity with each case, and is initially discovered by tension in the hand, or noticing more defined ridges forming in the palm. Although there is a transformation taking place with the tissues of the hand, this disorder can be subtle and painless unless the affected area is being stretched or flattened. Seemingly simple tasks such as washing hands, putting hands in pockets or holding large objects can become difficult. Below we discuss several changes or abnormalities that may be symptomatic of Dupuytren’s, the goal of treatment and post-diagnosis care.
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Safely Celebrate the Holidays
Sometimes the hectic pace of the holiday season causes people to unknowingly let their guard down, making them more susceptible to bone, joint and muscle-related injuries. And let’s face it, ending up in your doctor’s office or the emergency room during the holidays is anything but jolly. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you prepare for and safely celebrate the season, especially when it comes to holiday decorating and potentially hazardous gifts.
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Diagnosing & Treating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, or CTS for short, is a medical condition characterized by the compression of the median nerve at the carpal tunnel, which is located in the wrist. When compressed, the outer covering of the nerve (myelin sheath) is injured due to a lack of blood flow, which reduces its ability to conduct signals up and down the nerve fiber. Unfortunately, if left untreated, the degeneration of the nerve will progress, and symptoms will worsen over time. Below we discuss more broadly the symptoms of CTS as well as the methods for diagnosing and treating this common condition.
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Healthy Aging & Bone Health
Observing Healthy Aging Month in September is an opportunity to emphasize the physical well-being of older adults. At Florida Bone & Joint, our focus is on identifying proactive health practices that reduce the risk of orthopaedic injury and conditions and promote an overall active lifestyle. Three primary areas we look to include fall prevention measures, osteoporosis management and establishing a routine exercise program.
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Certified Hand Therapy
Hand Therapy services at our Pensacola location provide an opportunity to treat both acute and chronic conditions or injuries of the hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder. At Florida Bone & Joint, our fellowship-trained surgeons work closely with our exceptional Certified Hand Therapists to develop a comprehensive course of treatment to improve outcomes related to conditions and injuries of the upper extremities, including the following:
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Carpal Tunnel Release Procedures
Open vs. Endoscopic CTS
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Treatments for Dupuytren’s Contracture
Many times, patients are told that they do not require surgery. A painless bump or a ‘cord’ does not need intervention if it does not cause a contracture.
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Returning to Fall Sports
Were you motivated to return to participating in sports activities by the “trickle-down effect” of watching the Olympic games? Watching elite athletes participate in traditional events like running or swimming inspires many to get back on the track or in the pool. This year, the Tokyo games also featured five new sports: baseball/softball, karate, skateboarding, sports climbing, and surfing. Perhaps watching one of the 18 new events featuring 474 new athletes encouraged you to take your old skateboard for a spin around the block or drop your board in the water and paddle out.
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Occupational Therapy & Custom Orthoses
At its core, occupational therapy helps you regain independence in all areas of your life, including those that may affect your emotional, social or physical range of needs. Certified Hand Therapists (CHT) are board-certified in Occupational Therapy with an added qualification in Hand Therapy. As we step into April, we are fortunate to have the opportunity to recognize Occupational Therapy Month and our talented CHTs who provide these services to our patients.
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Treatment Options for Thumb Arthritis
Thumb arthritis is degeneration of the joint at the base of the thumb metacarpal. It usually is the trapezium/metacarpal joint (TMC) but can be the joint below as well. This is where the thumb meets the wrist. It is much more common in women and can be related to loose ligaments.
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Treating TFCC Tears
The triangular fibrocartilaginous complex (TFCC) is a structure on the small finger side of the wrist. It is the main stabilizer to the wrist in rotation (pronation and supination). It also cushions and supports the small bones of the wrist, especially when gripping. An injury to the TFCC can cause chronic wrist pain.