Hand Injuries and Disorders

On this page

Basics

• Summary
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Prevention and Risk Factors
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Living With
• Specifics
• Genetics

See, Play and Learn

• Images

Research

• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Reference Desk
• Find an Expert

For You

• Patient Handouts

Summary

No matter how old you are or what you do for a living, you are always using your hands. When there is something wrong with them, you may not be able to do your regular activities.

Hand problems include :

• Carpal tunnel syndrome - compression of a nerve as it goes through the wrist, often making your fingers feel numb
• Injuries that result in fractures (broken bones), ruptured ligaments and dislocations
• Osteoarthritis - wear-and-tear arthritis, which can also cause deformity
• Tendinitis - irritation of the tendons
• Disorders and injuries of your fingers and thumb

Diagnosis and Tests

• Bone X-Ray (Radiography) (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Hand/Wrist/Arm Problems (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
• Stiff Hands (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
• X-Ray Exam: Hand (Nemours Foundation)

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Hand Safety (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)

Treatments and Therapies

• About Hand Surgery (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
• Amputation: Prosthetic Hand and Fingers (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
• Dislocation: First Aid (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Hand splint - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Hand Surgery Anesthesia (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
• Tendon Transfer Surgery (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)

Living With

• Unique Role of Occupational Therapy in Rehabilitation of the Hand (American Occupational Therapy Association) - PDF

Specifics

• Arthritis of the Hand (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
• Broken Hand (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
• Cold Hands (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Ganglion Cyst (American Society for Surgery of the Hand) Also in Spanish
• Hand Infection (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
• Itchy Hands or Feet (VisualDX)
• MCP Joint Arthritis (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
• Musician's Dystonia (Dystonia Medical Research Foundation)
• Osteoarthritis of the Hand (American Society for Surgery of the Hand) Also in Spanish
• Rheumatoid Arthritis (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
• Skin Cancer of the Hand and Upper Extremity (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
• Vascular Disease (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)

Genetics

• Baller-Gerold syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Duane-radial ray syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Feingold syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Greig cephalopolysyndactyly syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Hand-foot-genital syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Holt-Oram syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Oral-facial-digital syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Pallister-Hall syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Poland syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• RAPADILINO syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Timothy syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
• Townes-Brocks Syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)

Images

• Systemic Disease (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Hand Injuries (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Detailed analysis of surgically treated hand trauma patients in a regional...
• Article: Hand injuries with mole gun: A hidden danger.
• Article: Changes in organization of activity of hand surgery department during the...
• Hand Injuries and Disorders -- see more articles

Reference Desk

• Hand Anatomy (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)

Find an Expert

• American Society for Surgery of the Hand
• Find a Hand Surgeon (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Also in Spanish
• National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• Brachial plexopathy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Claw hand (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Dupuytrens contracture (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Hand fracture - aftercare (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Hand or foot spasms (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Hand x-ray (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Radial nerve dysfunction (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Ulnar nerve dysfunction (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish