3-Point Products' Blog

Anatomy of the Wrist

The triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) is a complicated component of the wrist comprised of several ligaments, an articular disc, a meniscus homolog and the sheath for one of the extensor tendons that crosses the ulnar wrist.

With the NFL season off to a strong start, it's highly likely that many players are starting to sustain injuries not only to their knees, shoulders and ankles but also to their hands. Jersey Finger is an injury that primarily occurs in football and other contact sports. As we roll into the football season, this may be a good time to review what jersey finger is and how it's treated.     

What is Jersey Finger?

Jersey finger injury is a traumatic rupture of the flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) tendon from its point of attachment at the base of the distal phalanx.

Testing for de Quervain's Tenosynovitis

You may have heard about a newer way to test for de Quervain’s Tenosynovitis. This test applies stress to the abductor pollicis longus (APL) and extensor pollicis brevis (EPB) tendons without stressing the thumb and wrist joints.

Along with this testing standard for de Quervain’s, the terminology used to describe the condition has also changed over the years.

With Rheumatoid Arthritis, the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissues affecting the lining of the joints and causing swelling that may eventually result in bone erosion and joint deformity. The wrist and fingers are involved in approximately 75% of cases.

The early stages of RA include pain, swelling, and stiffness upon waking, while the later stages include progression to significant deformity and instability. A common treatment in the early stages is the use of a resting orthosis at night during sleep.

Treatment for Gamekeeper's and Skier's Thumb

The thumb metacarpal phalangeal (MP) joint has a collateral ligament at the radial and ulnar aspect of the joint which provides stability for static lateral pinch. The ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) is susceptible to injury when radial deviation and hyperextension force is applied to the MP joint. The “classic” acute Skier’s thumb occurs when the thumb is forcefully abducted and hyperextended

Anatomy of the Wrist

The lunate and the triquetrum make up the ulnar side of the proximal carpal row at the wrist. Ligaments, particularly the lunotriquetral (LT) ligament, provide support to this joint. This ligament is horse-shoe or c-shaped and contains a volar, dorsal and proximal component.

Pain associated with lateral or medial epicondylitis (also known as tennis and golfer’s elbow respectively) is common and can interfere with functional use of the involved extremity. According to research study, an elbow brace or wrist orthosis can assist with decreasing pain and increasing function for this diagnosis. The following information provides a comparison of commonly used braces and splints to treat the symptoms associated with lateral or medial epicondylitis.

Proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint flexion contractures, or loss of extension at the middle joint of the finger, can occur after injury, disease and surgery and can interfere with the functional use of the hand. Loss of extension at the PIP joint can cause difficulty reaching into your pocket or may interfere with opening your hand to grab a glass of water.

When treating patients with de Quervain’s Tenosynovitis, they may complain of a swollen thumb and radial-sided wrist pain. The pain may become worse, and may radiate up the thumb or forearm, during activities that require abduction or flexion of the thumb. In most cases, de Quervain’s is caused by overuse or repetitive stress, although the condition may develop for unknown reasons.

It's that time of year where many states across the country are dealing with major snow storms with multiple inches of snow. Cleanup of snow in this amount often occurs by using snow blowers. Unfortunately, snow blowers can be the cause of many devastating hand injuries.

With the possibility of new clients with snow blower injuries, it is a good time to review care of wounds. Snow blower injuries can be very complex and certainly the most critical component of the injury guides the care in therapy, i.e. flexor tendon involvement, but most often snow blower injuries present with wounds requiring immediate care.