A Specialized Approach to Hand Trauma

Understanding Hand Trauma

It’s easy to take the hands and wrists for granted—until one of them isn’t working properly. If your child has a hand injury, the tendons, ligaments, muscles, bones or joints that make up their hands and wrists may stop functioning correctly. If you suspect your child has had an injury to their hand, they should be seen right away. These types of injuries can affect how well your child can use their hands, and can have a negative impact on their everyday quality of life.

Types of Hand Trauma

There are several types of hand injuries your child may experience. Some are from traumas—single events like a car accident or a fall. Other injuries develop over time, from overuse or repeated injuries that weaken the parts of the hand. These injuries may include:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome: The nerves and tendons in the carpal tunnel—the passageway of bones and ligaments at the base of the hand—thicken or swell. The nerves become compressed, making it difficult for a child to perform tasks like grabbing an object.
• Tendonitis: Tendons are bands of tissue that bind muscles to bones and help them move. Tendonitis occurs when a child’s tendon or sheath—the layer covering the tendon—becomes irritated or inflamed.
• Osteoarthritis: Osteoarthritis breaks down cartilage, damaging the joint and causing swelling, pain or limited movement. Cartilage is a tissue that covers the ends of the bones in a joint and absorbs shock, protecting the joint from injury. Although osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, it’s rarely found in children since it can take years to develop.

Common Symptoms of Hand Trauma

Symptoms can vary from injury to injury, and child to child. The most common include:

• Pain when bending or flexing fingers
• Swelling and inflammation
• Stiffening or inability to outstretch hand
• Decreased flexibility
• Inability to move the hand or wrist
• Deformities
• Unable to perform small hand movements without pain, such as using a pen or pencil

Depending on the type of injury, symptoms may come on right away, or develop gradually.

Diagnosing Hand Trauma in Children

A diagnosis begins with a physical exam where our orthopedic doctors will look at the injury and perform small tests like pushing lightly on the area. Our doctors may then order imaging tests like X-rays or computed tomography (CT) scans to get a better understanding of the injury. If there is a lot of swelling, your child may give a fluid sample to make sure there isn’t an infection.

Treatment for Children with Hand Trauma

The hand trauma experts at LuskinOIC can provide several types of treatment, depending on your child’s specific needs. Types of treatment may include:

• A splint to keep the hand or wrist in place
• Strengthening or stretching exercises
• Therapeutic massage techniques, specifically designed for hand trauma recovery
• Prescription medications to treat pain, reduce swelling or help with other symptoms your child may be experiencing
• Surgery may be required in instances of a hand or wrist fracture

Surgery for children with hand trauma should be done by a highly skilled pediatric orthopedic hand doctor, who is experienced in surgical repairing the many tiny bones in the hand and wrist.