Ask a Doctor: Olecranon Bursitis

Oct 31,2018 / By The Hand Society / No Comment

Hand surgeon Steven H. Goldberg, MD explains olecranon bursitis:

Olecranon bursitis is a common problem that causes pain and swelling near the point of the elbow. There are several causes of olecranon bursitis. In some people we never know what causes this problem. In other people it can begin with trauma or injury to the area. Blood can fill the area, inflammation can occur, or infection can cause the problem. Infections can be either sudden or can slowly grow and become very long lasting. Depending on the cause of the bursitis, the treatment may vary considerably and may just include observation or could require surgery to clean the area.

The olecranon is the pointy part of your elbow. The olecranon bursa is one of many bursas in your body. A bursa is a type of tissue below the skin that produces fluid and helps the skin or deeper tissues move across areas where a lot of motion occurs. The olecranon bursa, for example, helps the skin slide over the olecranon as you bend or straighten the elbow. Other areas where there are bursae include the subacromial and subdeltoid (shoulder) bursa, the greater trochanteric (hip) bursa, and the prepatellar (knee) bursa. Bursitis can occur at any of these areas.

Advice from a Certified Hand Therapist: Radial Head Fractures

Oct 26,2018 / By the American Society of Hand Therapists / No Comment

The ability to move our elbows is required for using our arms during daily activities. We would not be able to reach our face to eat or our feet to put on shoes without our elbows.

Three bones make up the elbow: the long bone closer to your shoulder is the humerus, and the two forearm bones are the radius and ulna. See the image above to get an idea of the location of these bones.

The radius and ulna are involved in bending and straightening the elbow as well as turning the palm up and down. Radial head fractures affect all of these motions, especially the ability to rotate the forearm and hand.

Arthroscopy Elbow Hand Surgeon Surgery

What is Elbow Arthroscopy?

Oct 22,2018 / By The Hand Society / No Comment

Arthroscopy is a surgical procedure that can be used for the elbow and other parts of the body, commonly the knee and shoulder. The procedure involves a very small incision (cut). The surgeon uses a small instrument the size of a pencil (a fiberoptic camera) to look inside the joint. The camera will project onto a screen, allowing the hand surgeon to see the different structures in your elbow. Sometimes, multiple incisions will be made so the surgeon can place the camera in multiple positions.

Elbow arthroscopy can be used for many different conditions, including:

"Tech Neck" Hand Pain Technology

The Right Way to Use Your Phone So You Don’t Wreck Your Body

Oct 12,2018 / By The Hand Society / No Comment

from SELF

When you think of the impressive feats the human body has accomplished—building pyramids, running marathons, all that good stuff—hunching over a cell phone to scroll through Instagram likely isn’t one of them.

It’s not that there’s anything wrong with loving your phone. We live in a digital age, after all. But there might be something wrong with the way you use it. It might sound weird, but without proper form, prolonged cell phone use can cause a slew of issues from a painful neck to dry eyes and more. Fortunately, you don’t need to give up your phone entirely to help keep these problems at bay. Small changes can make all the difference.

Here, a look at a few common phone-related issues doctors see, plus how to prevent each one.

Read the full story on SELF.

3 Facts About Hand Surgeons

Oct 7,2018 / By The Hand Society / 3 Comments

The hand is extremely unique, and it takes a special type of surgeon to treat it. You may be surprised to learn these three things about hand surgeons:

Hand surgeons treat everything from general hand pain to hand emergencies. Just because you don’t need hand surgery doesn’t mean you shouldn’t see a hand surgeon! Hand surgeons are specialists for all things related to the hand and can treat a variety of conditions including carpal tunnel, trigger finger, sports injuries, jammed fingers, broken hands/fingers, birth defects, etc. Hand surgeons can also potentially reattach your hand or finger if it is severed in a traumatic incident.
Hand surgeons don’t just treat hands. Most hand surgeons treat the wrist and arm as well. Many can also treat the elbow and shoulder.
Hand surgeons receive additional, specialized training. This extra training is a full year on top of their residency.