Elbow, Wrist and Hand Injury Treatment

Scripps orthopedic hand specialists and teams diagnose and treat all types of injuries that can affect the hand, wrist or elbow, including:

• Arthritis — results in joint pain or joint disease including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
• Baseball finger — an injury to the thin tendon responsible for straightening the end joint of a finger or thumb.
• Bursitis — inflammation of one or more of the major joints, including joints in the elbows.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome — the median nerve (the nerve responsible for sensation and movement in the hand) is compressed, leading to numbness, weakness or potential muscle damage in the hands and fingers.
• Chronic wrist pain — most commonly caused by carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis or gout.
• Congenital hand conditions — include conditions where the fingers are curved or bent (also called claw hand).
• Crushed or smashed fingers — involves trauma to one or more fingers.
• Cubital tunnel syndrome — the entrapment of the ulnar nerve, resulting in numbness in the little finger and portion of the ring finger.
• Distal biceps tendon tears — when the tendon connecting the biceps muscle of the upper arm to the elbow ruptures partially or completely.
• Fractures — breaks in bones of varying severity, and for the elbow can include olecranon fractures, distal humerus fractures and radial head fractures, among others.
• Joint dislocations — include perilunate dislocation of the wrist.
• Kienböck’s disease — a condition when the blood supply to one of two small bones in the wrist is interrupted.
• Tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow — characterized by pain on the outside of the elbow (tennis) or inside of the elbow (golf).
• Trigger finger — when a finger or thumb becomes locked in a bent position when the tunnels, or sheaths, that the tendons move through become inflamed.
• Skier’s thumb — when the ligament at the base of the thumb is torn.
• Tendinitis — an inflammation of tendons that can be caused by overuse and includes De Quervain’s tendinitis, a condition affecting the thumb.
• Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injuries — the ligament inside the elbow connecting the upper arm (humerus) with the forearm (ulna) is torn partially or completely.
• Ulnar nerve dysfunction (cubital tunnel syndrome) — the ulnar nerve is compressed by bone or soft tissue, causing numbness, tingling or weakness in the elbow, hand and little finger or ring finger
• Ulnar neuritis — a condition characterized by pain similar to electrical shocks passing from the inner elbow (“funny bone”) to the forearm.
• Valgus extension overload (VEO) — when the cartilage of the elbow is gradually worn away from repeated throwing motions, resulting in bone spurs.

Your orthopedic doctor may recommend a type of nonsurgical treatment, such as:

• Anti-inflammatory injections or other less invasive treatments can be provided to manage pain.
• Hand therapy and rehabilitation can be provided as a primary treatment or following a surgical procedure with the goal of helping patients regain strength and full range of motion.

• Carpal tunnel surgery — a procedure where a surgeon cuts the tendon that’s been putting pressure on the median nerve.
• Minimally invasive surgery — when a surgeon makes repairs through small incisions and the use of a tiny camera called an arthroscope.
• Wrist arthroscopy — is surgery for the reconstruction or replacement of the wrist.
• Tendon transfer surgery — a procedure that aims to restore wrist function for patients who have suffered a spinal cord injury.
• Reconstructive elbow surgery — including UCL reconstruction (“Tommy John surgery”), a procedure where a torn ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow is rebuilt using tendon tissue from somewhere else in the body or from a donor.
• Total elbow replacement — a procedure where the elbow joint is replaced with artificial parts inserted into the end of the upper arm bone (humerus) and outer forearm bone (ulna).
• Tennis elbow surgery — typically an outpatient minimally invasive procedure performed through small incisions in which the damaged tendon is removed or repaired.
• Replantation — the surgical reattachment of a finger or fingers completely severed from the body in a traumatic accident.
• Hand plastic surgery — a cosmetic reconstructive procedure that can be part of a treatment plan for traumatic orthopedic hand or wrist injuries.

We are here for you — not only as your orthopedic surgeons, but as a team of experts who understands that your joint health is about much more than your medical treatment. Specifically, Scripps offers a variety of patient support services to ensure your physical and emotional well-being, as well as resources for dealing with the logistical aspects of your care.

Our services include:

• Home health care when you require skilled intermittent care in the comfort of your home.
• Nutrition and weight-maintenance services with registered dietitians of Scripps Center for Weight Management and Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine to help you plan meals that align with your health goals.
• Physical rehabilitation and occupational therapy to help you get back on your feet following an injury, illness or surgery.
• Visiting patient services if you reside beyond San Diego and want help arranging appointments or learning more about short-term lodging.

For more offerings, please visit our patient resources section.

Patient education is an important part of understanding your joint condition and treatment plan. To stay informed, we encourage our orthopedic patients to:

• Bookmark the Scripps glossary of orthopedic terms for easy referencing.
• Watch the pre- and post-surgery videos your doctor recommends.
• Consult your orthopedic team for educational materials and a list of trusted online sources beyond the Scripps site. 

Always check with your orthopedic surgeon first to ensure that you have the most accurate information for your particular medical condition or need.