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In a culture as sports-conscious as
ours, injuries to the hand and upper
extremities are common in the recreational
athlete such as the week-end tennis
enthusiast. Injuries to the hand and arm
also result from participation in
organized sports like Little League
baseball, high school and collegiate
football. In all sports-related injuries,
the goal is to provide accurate
evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation
to achieve the athlete's safe and prompt
return to exercise and competition.
 Hand
Injuries
A jammed finger is a generic term
encompassing the sprains, fractures and
tendon injuries that occur when an
extended finger is used to divert an
oncoming ball or opponent. Prompt
differentiation of minor sprains from
ligaments ruptures, stable form from
unstable fractures, significant from
insignificant tendon injuries is of
paramount importance.
With a jammed finger, over-treatment
may be as damaging as under-treatment. For
example, inappropriate prolonged splinting
of a minor sprain may lead to long-term
stiffness. On the other hand, failure to
recognize and splint a complete tendon
rupture may lead to otherwise avoidable
surgical correction.
Wrist
Injuries
Injuries to the wrist can take the
form of fractures, sprains, or
dislocations. They are most often the
result of falling onto the outstretched
hand, a common occurrence in sports such
as football, soccer, and basketball.
Although fractures of the bones of the
forearm are often obvious and readily
visualized by X-ray, many wrist bone
fractures and ligament sprains may be
completely missed. Prompt recognition of
such injuries can avoid the need for
reconstructive surgery and prevent
permanent disability in most cases.
 In
recent years, better understanding and
careful examination of the wrist,
complemented by more sophisticated
diagnostic studies such as wrist
arthroscopy, has vastly improved the
rehabilitation of sports-related wrist
injuries.
Shoulder and
Elbow Injuries
Shoulder injuries in sports are fairly
common. Violent stress can lead to obvious
dislocation. This can be a recurrent
problem in the shoulder. Equally
problematic, particularly in the throwing
athlete, are the more subtle conditions
that plague the shoulder, such as
incomplete dislocations and rotator cuff
disorders.
In the elbow, conditions like "Little
Leaguer's elbow" can be difficult to
treat. However, such conditions can often
be avoided with proper training and
playing time restrictions.
Careful non-operative rehabilitation
combined with judicious surgical
reconstruction, including arthroscopic
surgery, can be very successful; in
limiting disability in the shoulder and
elbow.
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