Hand, Wrist & Elbow Care

Our upper extremity specialists provide prompt diagnosis and effective treatment for a wide range of conditions affecting the hand, wrist and elbow:

• Arthritis
  • Finger arthritis
  • Lupus-related arthritis
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
  • Thumb base arthritis
• Boutonnière deformity (injury to the finger that prevents it from fully straightening)
• Breaks, fractures and sprains in these and other areas:  
  • Clavicle
  • Upper arm
  • Elbow 
  • Wrist 
  • Fingers
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Distal radius (wrist) fractures
• Dupuytren’s contracture (genetic condition that causes pain and curling of the fingers)
• Elbow injuries:
  • Dislocations
  • Fractures
  • Throwing injuries
• Flexor and extensor tendon injuries, lacerations and mallet injuries
• Ganglion cyst (fluid-filled sac in the wrist)
• Golf and tennis injuries, such as epicondylitis
• Nerve compression or injury
• Scaphoid fractures and nonunion (injury to the wrist that doesn’t heal)
• Sprains, strains and other soft tissue injuries
• Tendonitis, including:
  • de Quervain’s tenosynovitis (condition affecting the tendons on the thumb side of the wrist)
  • Trigger finger (limits movement of a finger or thumb)
• Ulnar nerve entrapment (cubital tunnel syndrome)

Your orthopedic specialist will complete a comprehensive physical exam, including asking you questions about your symptoms and health history. You may need imaging tests so that your specialist can accurately diagnose your condition. We use the results of these tests to create your treatment plan. You may undergo nerve tests to check how well your nerves function and if you have any nerve damage.

Treatments for these conditions include surgical and non-surgical options. If left untreated, the condition often worsens and may lead to permanent problems.

Non-Surgical Treatments for Upper Extremity Conditions

Your specialist will likely try more conservative, non-surgical treatment options first. We may recommend anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen to help reduce swelling. Your specialist may suggest you try corticosteroid injections.

To keep the elbow, hand or wrist in a straight position, your doctor may prescribe a brace or splint for you to wear. If you participate in sports, you may need to wear protective splints or taping during practice and matches.

You may work with a physical therapist or occupational therapist. These specialists can help you learn ways to stretch or complete daily activities in ways that are more effective and less painful.

Surgical Treatments for Upper Extremity Conditions

If non-surgical treatments aren’t enough to relieve your pain or other symptoms, your doctor may recommend surgery. Surgery can reduce pain and improve function but may not correct the condition to make the affected area look like it did prior to injury.

An orthopedic surgeon will discuss each of your options with you. Depending on your condition and health history, we may suggest one of the following types of surgeries:

• Cutting a ligament
• Moving the nerve to reduce tension
• Releasing a ligament over the nerve to reduce pressure

The Hand Therapy Clinic at New England Baptist Hospital provides you with quality care and individualized, one-on-one treatment. Our certified hand therapists are highly experienced in making custom-made splints, including static, dynamic, static progressive and serial casting.

Our hand therapists can help people find relief from these and many other conditions:

• Finger and wrist sprains
• Fractures
• Golfer’s elbow
• Tendon repairs
• Tennis elbow
• Work-related injuries
• Wrist or elbow tendonitis

Expert Hand Therapists to Care for You

We work hard to see you and address your needs as quickly as possible. Our team is flexible with patient scheduling. We are happy to see patients directly from the physician’s office without a prescheduled appointment with us.

We welcome referral from many types of providers, including these and others:

• Orthopedic surgeons
• Plastic surgeons
• Primary care providers
• Rheumatologists