Wrist and Elbow Specialists
If you think about it, perhaps none of your joints are as much used as your wrist and elbow on a daily basis. Years of use and wear and tear can cause weakness, loss of motion or stiffness. Some people develop elbow or wrist arthritis, which affects joints. Atlantic Spine Center specializes in elbow and wrist conditions and wants to help you gain better mobility.
Wrist and Elbow Conditions
Some of the wrist and elbow conditions we care for include:
Wrist Tendonitis – Another overuse condition from extended activities, wrist tendonitis comes from repetitive activities and can cause swelling or inflammation in the wrist tendons.
Sprained Wrist or Fingers – You can sprain your wrist or fingers if they get bent beyond their capabilities, or through brunt force, which causes a tear of the connective tissue at the joint. You may experience sudden pain and require a splinter so as not to further bend or damage the finger.
Elbow MCL Tear – MCL tears are when the elbow tears from overstretching. The pain can be mild or severe, depending on the size of the tearing of the medial collateral ligament, located on the inside of the elbow. A person may hear a snapping sound during the strain, although sometimes the tear is progressive over time.
Golfers/Baseball Elbow – Also known as medial epicondylitis, the golfer’s or baseball elbow comes from pain between the wrist and elbow on the inside wrist flexion. Forceful gripping or repetitive wrist flexion is felt when the person tries to press their palm against something or make a squeezing motion.
Tennis Elbow – Technically this is known as lateral epicondylitis and is attributed with repeated wrist extension/resistance. Even if you do not play tennis, you can get tennis elbow. The pain extends along the exterior of the elbow and forearm, which worsens towards the wrist. It makes every day, normal activities difficult, such as turning a knob, unscrewing a jar lid, carrying heavy things or driving painful.
De Quervains Tendonitis – This condition is from overuse and causes swelling and inflammation in the outer tendons behind the thumb. Often stems from repetitive activities, such as rowing, golf, typing, carpenter work, sewing, etc. The person may have stiffness and aching behind the wrist and thumb, especially in the morning and at night.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome – Repetitive wrist movement can place stress on wrists, causing a patient to develop carpal tunnel syndrome. This is a condition in which the wrist and hand succumbs to median nerve damage, which can occur from basic tasks like typing, tennis, photography, or from skills like gripping, sorting, etc. It can lead to weakness, burning, tingling or numbness in the wrist and also pain that feels worse in the evening.
Ulnar Nerve Compression – Unlike some of the repetitive damage conditions, the ulnar nerve compression is usually from direct impact to the ulnar nerve. This is when excess pressure is placed on the ulnar nerve, which is located through the inside of the elbow/funny bone. It could be from a fall on your elbow or an injury on the playing field. You may feel a burning sensation, numbness, or pins and needles in the forearm and elbow.
