Among the most common injuries to the hand and wrist in children are broken bones, also known as fractures. Children are not just small adults. Their bones have a different consistency and quality, like soft, fresh wood, as compared to when we age, our bones become more dried-out and brittle. Because children are still growing, their injuries need different evaluation, and sometimes different treatment.

Movement in the hand and fingers is controlled by a system of muscles and tendons located in the forearm, wrist and hand. Tendons connect muscles to bone. When a muscle contracts, or tightens, the muscles power the tendons to move our bones. The ability to bend our fingers to make a fist is controlled by the flexor tendon.

Fibromyalgia is a condition that typically involves widespread pain. This diagnosis can have many different manifestations. The condition is generally considered to be centered around a heightened sensitivity of the nervous system, especially in the brain.

Extensor tendons are just under the skin. They lie next to the bone on the back of the hands and fingers and straighten the wrist, fingers and thumb. They can be injured by a minor cut or jamming a finger, which may cause the thin tendons to rip from their attachment to bone. If not treated, an extensor tendon injury may make it hard to straighten one or more joints.

Arthroscopy is a surgical procedure that allows a surgeon to look inside a joint using a small cut with instruments the width of a pencil. Most people are aware of knee and shoulder arthroscopy, but the elbow joint has many conditions that can be treated with this procedure as well.

Reduced motion of the elbow and elbow pain in general can make it difficult to perform even simple tasks. With a stiff elbow, it may be difficult to bend or straighten your elbow, turn your palm up (to wash your face), or turn the palm down.

Elbow fractures may result from a fall, a direct impact to the elbow, or a twisting injury to the arm. Sprains, strains or dislocations may occur at the same time as a fracture.

Dupuytren’s contracture is a disorder of the palm of the hand and fingers. In the normal hand there is a fibrous tissue called fascia. Fascia covers the important nerves, blood vessels, muscles, and tendons. Fascia also stabilizes the skin. In Dupuytren’s disease, this fascia can become abnormal. It becomes thicker, forming cords.

Your biceps muscle is in the front of your arm. It bends your elbow and twists your forearm to turn your palm upward. The biceps tendon connects the biceps muscle to your radius bone, which is one of the forearm bones. People frequently develop biceps tendonitis (inflammation around the tendon) or tendonosis (problems with the health of the tendon).

The normal shoulder joint can be thought of as a golf ball balancing on a tee. If a large enough force in the right direction is applied to the arm, the ball will dislocate from the socket, resulting in a dislocated shoulder.