Education
Conditions We Treat
Trigger Finger
Also known as stenosing tenosynovitis, it is a painful condition which can cause any finger to lock when it is being bent or straightened.
- Painful clicking or snapping when you bend or straighten your finger
- A locked finger that you cannot straighten
- Tenderness or a bump at the base of the affected finger on the palm side
- Symptoms often start mild, and worsen over time
- Brace for immobilization
- Stretching exercises
- NSAID’s
- Steroid injections
- Surgery
De Quervain Tenosynovitis
A painful condition affected by the swelling of the two tendons around the base of the thumb in your wrist, most commonly caused by overuse or repetitive hand and wrist movement (gaming, gardening, racquet sports etc.). You will likely feel pain when you turn your wrist, grasp anything or make a fist.
- Pain and swelling at the base of your thumb or may travel up your forearm
- Pain with the movement of your wrist or thumb
- A “sticking” or “stop-and-go” sensation in your thumb when moving it
- Brace for immobilization
- NSAID’s
- Steroid injections
- Physiotherapy
- Ice
- Surgery
Wrist Arthritis
Arthritis becomes more and more common with as we age. It occurs when the smooth cartilage of the wrist joint is worn away, causing your bones to rub against one another. There are 4 types of arthritis that can develop in the wrist: osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, post traumatic arthritis.
- Pain and swelling
- Stiffness with decreased range of motion
- Joint Deformity
- Weakness
- NSAID’s
- Steroid injections
- Ice/heat
- Brace
- Surgery
CMC Arthritis
Carpometacarpal arthritis (thumb arthritis) is when cartilage wears away from the ends of the bones that form the joint at the base of your thumb. The bones in the joint grind together, wearing the joint down. This joint wear is most common with aging.
- Pain at the base of your thumb when you grip, grasp or pinch something
- Swelling
- Decreased strength and range of motion
- Base of thumb may appear enlarged
- Activity modification
- NSAID’s
- Brace for immobilization
- Steroid injection
- Surgery
TFCC Tears
A Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex (TFCC) tear is due to the natural wear, or an injury, to the cartilage and ligaments in wrist on the baby finger side, causing pain and a clicking sensation at times. Tears due to wear are the most common type. This is not usually seen in younger people.
- Wrist pain on the pinky finger side
- Tenderness at the back of the wrist
- Swelling
- Reduced grip strength
- Brace for immobilization
- NSAID’s
- Ultrasound
- Physiotherapy
- Steroid injection
- Surgery
Elbow Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and trauma are all causes of arthritis in the elbow, rheumatoid being the most common. Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease of the joint lining and fluid, which gradually destroys the bones and soft tissue. Osteoarthritis and trauma affect the cushioning at the end of the bones, resulting in the bones grinding together.
- Pain
- Swelling
- Decrease in range of motion or locking
- Instability
- Tingling
- Numbness in your ring and pinky finger
- NSAID’s
- Ice/heat
- Steroid injection
- Physiotherapy
- Surgery
Lateral Epicondylitis
Known as tennis elbow, this is a painful condition that occurs when the tendons in your elbow are overloaded, and by repetitive motions of the wrist and arm. This causes the tendons to swell and sometimes creates small tears.
- Pain or burning in the forearm, worsened with gripping or lifting
- Pain at the outside of the elbow
- Weak grip strength
- Ache can turn to constant pain
- Rest
- NSAID’s
- Brace
- Physiotherapy
- Steroid Injection
- Surgery
Medical Epicondylitis
Known as golfer’s elbow, baseball elbow, suitcase elbow, or forehand tennis elbow. This is damage to the tendons in the forearm when using repetitive excessive force to bend your wrist towards your palm, similar to when you are swinging a golf club or pitching a baseball.
- Pain at the inside of the elbow or when making a fist
- Weakness in your hands and wrists
- Numbness or tingling into your fingers
- Rest
- Ice
- NSAID’s
- Physiotherapy
- Brace
- Surgery (rare)
Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
Also known as ulnar neuropathy, is caused by increased pressure on the ulnar nerve, which runs close to the surface of the skin, right around the “funny bone”. Leaning on your elbow repeatedly and keeping your elbow bent for long periods of time can cause this pressure.
- Hand pain
- Weak grip
- Tingling in some of the fingers
- Pain at the inside of the elbow
- Rest
- Brace
- NSAID’s
- Physiotherapy
- Steroid Injection
- Surgery
Rotator Cuff Tendinopathies
The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles that stabilize the shoulder. These muscles help with all the movements in your shoulder. Damage to these muscles often occurs due to excessive loads and repetitive overhead movements or throwing sports. This can be an overuse injury, which causes pain that gradually worsens over a period of days or weeks.
- Pain in the front of the shoulder, worsened with movement
- Pain in the shoulder at rest or with touch
- Clicking in your shoulder with movement
- Swelling
- Decreased strength or range of motion
- Stiffness
- Rest
- Ice/Heat
- NSAID’s
- Physiotherapy
- Massage
- Steroid injection
- Surgery
Biceps Tenosynovitis
Many small tears result in the inflammation of the biceps tendon. This can develop over a period of years, after an acute injury or due to other degenerative changes in the tendon.
- Shoulder stiffness
- Pain with movement of the shoulder
- Pain or tenderness in the bicep
- Rest
- Ice
- NSAID’s
- Physiotherapy
- Massage
- Surgery
Rotator Cuff Tears
A rotator cuff tear is a rip in one or several of the four muscles and tendons that stabilize your shoulder joint and let you lift and rotate your arms. There are two kinds of rotator cuff tears: partial tear (frayed or damaged) and a complete tear (all the way through the tendon or pulls the tendon off the bone). This is a common cause of pain and disability among adults.
- Pain when lying on the damaged shoulder
- Pain with raising and lowering your arms
- Weakness
- Clicking in your shoulder with movement
- Rest
- Physiotherapy
- Acetaminophen and/or NSAID’s
- Steroid injections
- Surgery
Calcific Tendonitis
One of the most common causes of should pain is caused by calcium deposits building up in a person’s muscles or tendons. Most commonly develops in the rotator cuff from repetitive overhead movements but can occur anywhere in the body.
- Pain, can be severe with movement
- Difficulty lifting your arm
- Loss of sleep due to pain
- Acetaminophen and/or NSAID’s
- Physiotherapy
- Steroid injections
- Surgery
Shoulder Arthritis
A rotator cuff tear is a rip in one or several of the four muscles and tendons that stabilize your shoulder joint and let you lift and rotate your arms. There are two kinds of rotator cuff tears: partial tear (frayed or damaged) and a complete tear (all the way through the tendon or pulls the tendon off the bone). This is a common cause of pain and disability among adults.
- Pain with movement
- Limited range of motion
- Grinding of the shoulder with movement
- Physiotherapy
- Ice/heat
- Acetaminophen/NSAID’s
- Steroid injection
- Surgery
Rotator Cuff Arthropathy
Rotator cuff arthropathy is a condition that happens when there is a severe tear in the rotator cuff muscles along with arthritis in the shoulder joint
- Pain
- Decrease or loss of mobility
- Weakness
- Swelling
- Muscle loss
- Physiotherapy
- Ice
- Aqua therapy
- NSAID’s
- Steroid injection
- Surgery
Adhesive Capsulitis
Also known as a frozen shoulder, occurs when the tissue in your shoulder tightens and swells, causing pain and stiffness. Over time, the shoulder will become hard to move which can last from several months to years before it gets better.
- Pain in the outer shoulder area
- Decreased range of motion
- Pain with movement (in the beginning)
- Pain during sleep
- Spasms in your neck or shoulder
- Muscle weakness
- Pain medication
- NSAID’s
- Steroid injection
- Manipulation
- Surgery
Shoulder Instability
This occurs when the structures around the shoulder joint become stretched, torn or detached. This allows the bones of the shoulder to move either partially (subluxation) or completely (dislocation) out of the socket.
- Pain with certain movements
- Shoulder partially or fully dislocates
- Clicking, clunking or popping of the shoulder with movement
- Tenderness with pressure
- Decreased range of motion
- Rest
- Ice
- Physiotherapy
- Pain medication
- Surgery