DeQuervain’s tendinitis leads to pain on the radial (thumb’s side of the) wrist. It’s usually worse with lifting and gripping. DeQuervain’s tendinitis is due to a space problem, that is too much stuff in too little space. The tendons of your wrist travel through tunnels. When you overuse them, swelling enters the tunnels, pinching the tendon. Pregnancy can also cause fluid to enter the tunnel, leading to pain. Sometimes, diabetes, thyroid disorders or simply aging can cause the tunnel to become too tight. more
Ganglion cysts come from joints. When there is damage to the ligaments or joint capsule (balloon) around the joint, an area of weakness is created. The joint fluid that lubricates your joint can herniate through this area of weakness, forming a fluid-filled cyst called a ganglion. A one-way valve mechanism forms from the joint lining and prevents the fluid from going back into the wrist, trapping it in the cyst. Because they come from your joints, ganglions can sometimes get bigger during periods of heavy activity and get smaller during periods of rest. more
Distal radius fractures are the most common fracture of the entire arm. They come in many different types and patterns, which are all treated differently. If the fracture is minimally-displaced (hasn’t moved significantly), it’s treated in a short-arm cast for 5 weeks. If the fracture is displaced, an attempt at ‘setting the fracture’ (closed reduction) may be attempted in the office for certain fracture patterns. Following closed reduction, you need to get follow-up radiographs every week for three weeks to make sure it doesn’t move back to an unacceptable position, which unfortunately can happen. more
The scaphoid is probably the worst bone in the entire arm to break. It has a poor blood supply, it is subjected to high stresses, and it is a very important wrist bone. Scaphoid fractures are serious injuries. Textbooks have been written about them. They love to not heal (ie. ‘go on to non-union’) and/or have part of the bone die (avascular necrosis: like a heart attack of bone). And if they don’t heal, the wrist inevitably develops arthritis. more
The triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFC) is a complex constellation of tissues on the ulnar (small finger) side of your wrist. The TFC may become injured by a trauma (fall, sports injury, etc) or over time if the ulna bone (the forearm bone on the small finger side) is longer than your radius (the forearm bone on the thumb side). more
Wrist arthritis is very common. There are a number of reasons that arthritis of the wrist occurs: from scaphoid fractures, ligament injuries, distal radius fractures, metabolic diseases (involving altered body chemistry) or just from plain old wear and tear.
Fortunately, there are some very predictable procedures that can be used to treat wrist arthritis. Initial treatment is nonoperative, including splints, steroid injections, and avoiding painful activities. If these don’t work, and the wrist is painful enough, the best treatment option is often a partial fusion. This means fusing some of the small bones of the wrist, while leaving other joints alone to retain some motion. more
