What Are Most Common Hand Injuries?
If you think you have a hand condition, be sure contact the Florida Hand Center for your complimentary hand screening.
Table of Contents:
Categorization of Injuries of the Hand
Overuse Injuries of the Hand
Acute Injuries of the Hand
Get Your Free Hand Screening
Did you know that hand injuries represent up to 10 percent of emergency department visits people make in the U.S.? That’s largely because no matter your age or your occupation, you’re always using your hand. It also because your hands are so intricate and complex in design and feature, that they are prone to injuries, both from overuse and from an acute event.
After all, the hand is comprised of 27 bones, as well as other associated structures, including ligaments, tendons, muscles, veins, arteries, and nerves. It’s no wonder that hand injuries are so common.
Hand, wrist, or finger injuries most commonly happen during:
- Participating in recreational activities.
- Playing contact sports, such as football, wrestling, and soccer.
- Playing high-speed sports, like skateboarding, snowboarding, skiing, biking, and skating.
- Participating in weight-bearing sports, like gymnastics.
- Playing sports that involve using hand equipment, like hockey, tennis, and ski poles.
- Handling job responsibilities at work.
- Completing projects at home.
- Using equipment, such as lawn mowers, snow blowers, and hand tools.
- Accidently falling.
Hand injuries can be classified as acute or from overuse.
When too much stress is placed on tissues, muscles or joints of the hand, it can result in an overuse injury. This occurs from overdoing an activity or from repetitive use. The following are some common overuse injuries:
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Tendon injuries
• De Quervain’s disease
• Trigger finger
Hand pain from an overuse injury tends to be chronic and can range from mild to severe.
A sudden hit directly to the hand, a fall on the hand, twisting, jamming, or bending the hand or fingers abnormally can result in an acute injury. Pain can be severe and sudden.
Examples of common acute hand injuries include
• Hand ligament injuries
• Hand tendon injuries
• Pulled muscles in the hand
• Fractures of broken bones in the hand or wrist
• Bruising
Older adults are particularly prone to acute injuries of the hand as their bones lose strength and their muscles lose mass as they age. Older individuals may also develop balance and vision problems resulting in accidental falls or injuries.
Here at Florida Health Center, we’re committed to helping you identify a hand problem before it becomes a debilitation problem. That’s why we provide individuals with a free hand screening so that our doctors, Dr. Stephen Helgemo, M.D, can treat any problems early and minimize your pain and discomfort.
Your hand screening will be conducted in our office through a one-on-one visit with Dr. Helgemo for an initial examination, determination, and diagnosis. If you think you have a hand condition, be sure contact the Florida Hand Center for your complimentary hand screening.
