Hand, Wrist & Elbow Issues

The most common repetitive overuse injury in the hand, wrist, or elbow. A tendon, the cord of tissue connecting muscle to bone, becomes inflamed from irritation or stress, with swelling, tenderness, and pain that tend to worsen during and after activity and may expand over time.

Caused by pressure on the median nerve in the carpal tunnel, a narrow passageway of bones and ligaments on the palm side of the wrist. Symptoms start gradually: tingling and numbness in the thumb, index, middle, and ring fingers (but not the little finger), sometimes like an electric shock, often while holding a steering wheel or phone, and sometimes waking you from sleep. Weakness can make you drop objects. Proper treatment usually relieves symptoms and restores hand function.

An irritation of the tendons running from the wrist to the thumb inside a snug, tunnel-like sheath. Repetitive thumb and wrist movements, or a direct blow, cause the tendons to swell and catch. Common culprits: knitting, needlepoint, twisting a screwdriver, video gaming, and, in new mothers, repetitive lifting of a baby.

Stressed flexor tendons swell inside their lubricated sheath, so fingers bend slowly or painfully; a mild case pops when straightening, while a severe case can leave a finger stuck bent, sometimes with a small nodule where the palm meets the finger. More common in women, usually between ages 40 and 60.

Every joint is surrounded by a capsule of tough, fibrous ligaments. When the thumb is overused, this capsule can become inflamed, causing pain and stiffness. Texting has recently become a leading cause of capsulitis in the thumb.

A muscle or tendon overstretches or tears from excessive activity or stress, causing pain, difficulty moving, and sometimes swelling or bruising. Common in musicians and in people who start a new exercise routine without warming up. A strain differs from a sprain, which involves a ligament, the tissue connecting two bones.