While hand and wrist injuries are very common, some athletes and workers never seek treatment. But, delaying the diagnosis and treatment may result in long-term problems or even a permanent disability. Here is a list of some of the most common injuries that those who use their hands regularly experience.

● Thumb Sprains
Breaking a fall with the palm of your hand or taking a spill on the slopes with your hand strapped to a ski pole, could leave you with a painful thumb injury. The ulnar collateral ligament may be sprained. This ligament acts like a hinge and helps your thumb to function properly. If you sprain your thumb, you could lose some or all of your ability to grasp items between your thumb and index finger or to grasp well with the entire hand.

● Wrist Sprains
When you fall forward, as when you trip running, your natural response is to put your hands out in front of you to catch yourself. Unfortunately, this natural response causes you to land on your palm, bending your wrist backwards, and possibly stretching or tearing the ligaments connecting the bones in your wrist. The resulting injury is a wrist sprain.

● Injuries to the Bone
Bones can be fractured and dislocated. A fracture is a crack or break in a bone. It is commonly referred to as broken bone. A dislocation is when a bone is pushed out of place so that they no longer line up correctly at the joint. This can decrease the ability to move and cause pain.

● Hand Fractures
Fractures of the metacarpals (the bones in your hand just before your knuckles) and your phalanges (the bones between the joints of your fingers) are also common injuries. The most common fracture of the metacarpals is a boxer's fracture. A boxer's fracture usually occurs when you strike an object with your closed fist. With a boxer's fracture, the fifth metacarpal joint (the one at the base of your littlest finger) is depressed and the surrounding tissue is tender and swollen.

● Wrist Fractures
Scaphoid fractures account for many wrist fractures. The scaphoid bone is one of eight small bones that make up the wrist. Wrist fractures are common in sports, work, and motor vehicle accidents. The break usually occurs during a fall on the outstretched wrist. The angle at which the wrist hits the ground may determine the type of injury. The more the wrist is bent back (extension), the more likely the scaphoid bone will break. With less wrist extension it is more likely the lower arm bone (radius) will break.
Scaphoid fractures are not always immediately obvious. Many people with a fractured scaphoid think they have a sprained wrist instead of a broken bone because there is no obvious deformity and very little swelling.

● Soft Tissue and Closed Tendon Injuries
Tendons are a type of connective tissue that attaches muscle to bone. A common injury of the tendon is called tendonitis, an irritation of the tissue.

● DeQuervain's Syndrome
DeQuervain’s syndrome is a common injury with people who use a lot of wrist motion, especially repetitive rotating and gripping. The overuse of the hand may eventually cause irritation of the tendons found along the thumb side of the wrist. This irritation causes the lining around the tendon to swell, making it difficult for the tendons to move properly.

● Baseball Finger (Mallet Finger)
Baseball finger (or mallet finger) is an injury that commonly occurs at the beginning of the baseball season. It occurs when a ball hits the tip of your finger, bending it down. Normally, the tip of your finger can bend toward the palm of your hand about 60-70 degrees. However, add the force of a ball that has been batted through the air, and it can push your finger beyond that limit, tearing the extensor tendon that controls muscle movement in the affected finger. If the force is great enough, it may even pull tiny pieces of bone away, as well.

● Boutonnière Deformity
Boutonnière Deformity is an injury to the tendons that straighten your fingers. It occurs when your finger receives a forceful blow when it is bent. Several tendons, running along the side and top of your finger, work together to straighten the finger. If the tendon on the top that attaches to the middle bone of the finger (the central slip of tendon) is injured by a forceful blow, it can sever the central slip from its attachment to the bone, in some cases, even popping the bone through the opening. The tear looks like a buttonhole ("boutonnière" in French). If you have a boutonnière deformity, the middle joint of your finger will bend downward and the fingertip end joint bends back. People with a boutonnière deformity cannot fully straighten their finger.

Hip injuries are extremely common in people of all ages. Children, teens and young adults who participate in sports run a great risk of hip injuries. Senior citizens are also prone to hip injuries due to falls because bone density decreases with age as does joint elasticity. People who carry too much weight are susceptible to hip injuries, too, due to the excessive pressure on the hip. Even when the injury occurs in the hip, the pain and subsequent compromised mobility may occur in other areas of the body, such as the leg, sciatica, groin or spine. Some of the most common hip injuries we see are the following:

● Labral Tear
The labrum is the seal that “glues” the ball and socket—the femoral head to the acetabulum. When the labrum tears, the ball and socket may dislodge, causing instability and loss of lubrication. Symptoms of a labral tear include sharp pain in the groin, thigh or leg, stiffness, “popping,” and decrease in range of motion.

● Bursitis
A bursa is a closed, fluid-filled sac that exists to reduce friction between tissues of the body. Bursae are located near major joints such as shoulders, elbows, hips and knees. Bursitis occurs when bursae become inflamed. Two major types of bursitis exist in the hip: trochanteric bursitis and the iliopsoas bursitis. Trochanteric bursitis causes pain on the outer portion of the hip while iliopsoas bursitis typically causes pain in the front of the hip near the groin. Treatment options include cortisone injections, PRP injections, physical therapy or stretching. If bursitis does not resolve with these measures, arthroscopic surgery may be used to remove the painful bursa.

● Hip Instability
Hip instability may be the result of a traumatic incident or chronic overuse:

Traumatic instability ranges from severe dislocation to a subtle hip subluxation (sliding out of place) and most often occurs from motor vehicle accidents and athletic events. These injuries may cause damage to any or all components of the hip joint, as well as contribute to the formation of loose bodies.

Chronic instability may arise from overuse of the hip joint. This syndrome occurs mainly as a result of repetitive activities found in most sports, dance and ice skating. This stretches the labrum, which physicians treat with anti-inflammatory medication and physical therapy. However, if pain is persistent, arthroscopic measures may be considered.

The knee is one of the most commonly injured parts of the body. Sports, falls, and motor-vehicle accidents account for the vast majority of knee pain and injuries to the knee. The different types of common knee injuries to the knee are defined by the affected anatomy of the knee and the mechanism by which it's injured.

● Knee sprains are injuries to the ligaments that hold the knee together. There are multiple ligaments that stabilize the knee and keep it in alignment. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) stabilize the knee in movement from front to back and cross each other in the middle of the knee joint. The medial collateral ligament (MCL) and lateral collateral ligament (LCL) stabilize the knee so that the bones do not slide from side to side.

● Knee strains occur when tendons or muscles surrounding the knee are stretched, usually due to hyperflexion or hyperextension of the knee. These strains can lead to pain outside of the knee joint but can cause dysfunction of the normal range of motion of the knee. The patellar tendon stretches from the lower kneecap to the front of the tibia bone at the front of the leg.

● Knee bursitis occurs when a fluid-filled pouch (called a bursa) in the knee is irritated, inflamed, or infected. Bursas are fluid-filled sacs located around joints that act as shock absorbers that minimize the friction between various tissues, such as the muscles and tendons around the joints. In the knee, there are two main bursas, one above the kneecap (patella), and one below the knee joint near the front of the tibia bone.

● Tears of the meniscus can occur from damage to the inside of the knee. The medial and lateral menisci (plural of meniscus) are semi-round, articular cartilage that act as shock absorbers and smooth cushions for the thighbone (femur). These menisci can be injured acutely or can become dysfunctional gradually due to overuse and/or aging.

● Knee joint dislocation can occur due to high-impact, large-force injuries to the knee (sports, motor vehicle accidents). This is a rare injury but causes severe damage to all the anatomical components of the knee and can include damage to the blood vessels and nerves about the knee. This requires emergency treatment or surgery.

● The kneecap (patella) can dislocate to the side of the knee. Patellar dislocation can be very painful but is generally not life-threatening and can be treated by popping it back into place (reduction of the patella), splinting, and physical therapy.

● Knee fractures occur from direct blows to the bones. Patella, or kneecap, fractures occur when a person falls directly down onto the knees and the kneecap cracks due to the force. Collapse of the top of the tibia bone in the knee (tibia plateau fracture) can occur from sudden compression injury to the knee, especially in people with osteoporosis. Other fractures of the long bones (fibula, tibia, and femur) are rare with isolated injures to the knee.

● Other overuse injuries of the knee include patellofemoral pain syndrome (often referred to as "runner's knee," which causes pain on the front of the knee) and weakness and degeneration of the cartilage under the kneecap. These injuries are due to an accumulation of repetitive damage to the knee structures. Congenital knee problems or improper mechanics of the knee movement may cause this.

● Osteoarthritis, sometimes called degenerative arthritis, osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. It's a wear-and-tear condition that occurs when the cartilage in your knee deteriorates with use and age. These patients would benefit from a total knee arthroplasty (replacement).

An ankle injury occurs when the ankle joint is twisted too far out of its normal position. Most ankle injuries occur either during sports activities or while walking on an uneven surface that forces the foot and ankle into an unnatural position.

● Achilles Tendonitis or Tear
The largest tendon in the body, the Achilles connects the two primary calf muscles to the bone in the heel. The tendon runs lengthwise down the back of the ankle and it is particularly susceptible to inflammation because of overuse. This condition is called Achilles tendonitis and can be addressed with tendonitis ankle treatment. Those suffering from Achilles tendonitis are also more prone to an Achilles tear or full rupture after repetitive inflammation and damage have been built up over time. However, this injury can also occur because of sudden trauma. If a patient hears a popping noise or sensation and experiences heel pain after landing a jump, the Achilles tendon may have ruptured. A Foot and Ankle specialist will be able to determine the nature and extent of the injury by conducting a physical examination or by ordering an MRI.

● Ankle Sprain
Ligaments are bands of connective tissue that provide stability and strength to joints by binding bones to other bones. In the ankle, ligaments keep the joint from moving too far from side to side. When a sprain occurs, one or more ligaments have been stretched or torn. High ankle sprains, among the most common foot and ankle injuries, impact the syndesmotic ligament, which runs from the knee down into the ankle.

While most sprains are minor and will heal with rest and ice, if swelling and pain persist, it is important to seek the help of a physician. In fact, moderate and severe sprains that are left untreated can weaken the ankle over time and even cause repeated sprains or lead to other ankle injuries. Ultimately, repeated ankle sprains can cause arthritis.

● Stress Fractures of the Foot
The impact of excessive and repetitive force can cause microscopic damage to the bones in the foot. While acute fractures usually occur because of a particular traumatic injury, stress fractures are the result of repetitive impact, accumulating over time. When the bones and their supporting muscles do not have time to heal between exercise sessions, tiny cracks in the bones can occur.
Stress fractures also can occur when a person changes their usual physical activity. For example, a sudden increase of activity or a change in workout surface can both cause this type of injury.

● Fractures of the Ankle
Unlike the small stress fractures in that can develop in the feet, a fracture in one of the bones of the ankle is often the result of a traumatic injury or impact. An ankle fracture is a much different injury than an ankle sprain (although it is not uncommon for them to occur simultaneously), but sometimes patients confuse these two and wrongly self-diagnose.

Whether an ankle fracture is in one or multiple bones and whether it occurs with pain, swelling, bruising, deformity, blistering or other symptoms, it is a serious injury that requires care from an orthopaedic ankle specialist. If there is a bone protruding from the skin, the injury must be addressed immediately to reduce the risk of infection.

● Plantar Fasciitis
One of the most common foot and ankle injuries in adults is Plantar Fasciitis. Nearly two million patients are treated for this problem each year. It occurs when the Fascia band of tissue in the arch of the foot becomes inflamed, causing sharp pain in the heal of the foot.

Most patients suffering from this condition complain of pain with the first few steps they take after waking up or after resting for a prolonged period of time. Once the band has time to stretch, the pain will often subside significantly but will continue to flare up again after each time that it is rested.

Some cases of Plantar Fasciitis can be resolved simply with rest, ice and stretching, while others will need to take anti-inflammatory medication and wear a heel pad before finding relief. If you’re suffering from this condition, you’re not alone. In fact, it’s one of the most common orthopedic foot problems in adults. Find a specialist who can recommend the right treatment and get you on a path back to health!

• difficulty walking
• dizziness
• loss of balance and coordination
• difficulty speaking or understanding others who are speaking
• numbness or paralysis in the face, leg, or arm, most likely on just one side of the body
• blurred or darkened vision
• a sudden headache, especially when accompanied by nausea, vomiting, or dizziness