Hand and Wrist Sports Injuries

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Original Editor - Lucinda hampton Top Contributors - Lucinda hampton, Chrysolite Jyothi Kommu, Temitope Olowoyeye, Khloud Shreif, Tony Lowe, Kim Jackson, Vidya Acharya and Wanda van Niekerk

Original Editor - Your name will be added here if you created the original content for this page.

Top Contributors - Lucinda hampton, Chrysolite Jyothi Kommu, Temitope Olowoyeye, Khloud Shreif, Tony Lowe, Kim Jackson, Vidya Acharya and Wanda van Niekerk  

Introduction

With so many bones, ligaments, tendons, and joints keeping hands and wrists working, there is ample opportunity for injury. In fact, injuries to the hand and wrists are some of the most common ailments facing athletes.

• Approximately 25 % of all sports-related injuries involve the hand or wrist
• If managed properly most athletes can expect their injury to heal without any significant long-term disability.
• Incidence is growing not only due to the competitive level of high school and collegiate athletes but also due to the activity level of the general population
• Hand and wrist injuries are common and can have a significant impact especially if initially disregarded with a resultant delay to treatment.

Common Sports Related Injuries.

Knowledge of common sports-related injuries and therapeutic strategies can help the physiotherapist effectively treat the athlete considering their sports, position, and timing during season.

Radial-sided wrist injuries

Scaphoid fracture

Scapholunate ligament tears

Radial-sided tendinopathies:  

• de Quervain’s tenosynovitis;
• Intersection syndrome, also called Oarsman’s wrist, is caused by friction at the crossing of the tendons of the first extensor compartment as they pass over the tendons of the second extensor compartment (extensor carpi radialis longus and brevis) or a stenosing tenosynovitis within the second extensor compartment itself. Pain is elicited with extension and radial deviation approximately 4–8 cm proximal to the radial styloid. Without careful attention to the location of pain, this can be misdiagnosed as de Quervain’s tenosynovitis.;
• Tendonitis of the flexor carpi radialis is due to repetitive wrist flexion or acute overstretching of the wrist as can be seen in volleyball or water polo. Pain develops from tendon thickening as it runs in its tunnel adjacent to the carpal tunnel. Pain typically courses from the radial palmar wrist crease towards the base of the second metacarpal made worse by resisted wrist flexion.

Ulnar-sided wrist injuries

Extensor carpi ulnaris injury

Ulnar abutment

Triangular fibrocartilage complex tears

Hook of the hamate fractures

Hand/finger injuries

Thumb ulnar collateral ligament tears

Metacarpal/phalangeal fractures

Metacarpal fractures

Phalangeal fractures

Central slip ruptures

Pulley ruptures

Jersey finger

Mallet finger

Conclusion

<section> Hand and wrist injuries in athletics are common and can have a significant impact in multiple areas. Knowledge of these entities and special consideration for the athlete can help the team physician effectively treat these players and help them achieve their goals. </section><section>

Abbreviations

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• bulleted list
• x

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1. numbered list
2. x