Treatment of Dupuytren's contracture should be selected by a specialist physician to suit the individual needs of the patient. After the correct diagnosis has been made, the patient is usually referred to surgery, which is minimally invasive, well-tolerated by patients and gives long-term, satisfying results that improve the patient's quality of life. After the surgery, rehabilitation procedures should be implemented, aimed at maintaining the range of motion in the joints, loosening the postoperative scar and accelerating the recovery. I use orthopedic equipment in the form of a splint that keeps the fingers in extension to consolidate the effect.

The course of the disease is usually unnoticeable in the early stages. Only later do thickened bands of connective tissue and palpable nodules appear under the skin. The bending contracture of the fourth and fifth fingers is characteristic, i.e. the ring and the small fingers. There are problems with straightening the fingers during various activities, and with time straightening is no longer possible. The earlier we see a doctor, the better the prognosis and the possible full recovery.

Each surgical procedure interferes with our body and carries a certain risk. It is worth choosing a proven facility where the patient is qualified for the procedure and operated by an experienced surgeon. The availability of a physiotherapist who, in consultation with a doctor, will conduct manual therapy and teach you appropriate exercises is also important.

The first symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis develop slowly. Periodic low-grade fever appears, accompanied by pain in joints and muscles. There are morning stiffness, tactile pain and symmetrical swelling of the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis most often affects the small joints of the hands and feet, less often the elbow, knee and hip joints. The diagnostic process of RA should be carried out by a rheumatologist or orthopedist.

Due to the inflammatory nature of RA, drugs to suppress arthritis and immunosuppressants are the main methods of fighting the disease. A form of non-pharmacological treatment in patients who have been taking medications for a minimum period of 3-6 months is a surgical procedure consisting in the removal of the synovial membrane of joint capsules and tendon sheaths. The synovial membrane is the primary focus of inflammation, and its resection prevents the spread of lesions to adjacent tissues and reduces the degree of deformation. Other methods of treatment include rehabilitation, the use of orthoses to stabilize the joints and psychotherapy of the patient (due to the progressive nature of RA).

Corrective boutonniere and swan neck finger deformities can be treated surgically using a tendon transfer procedure. This procedure influences the direction of the tendon forces on the finger joints and reduces the degree of deformation. Persistent deformities require arthrodesis (stiffening the joint) or implantation of an artificial finger joint prosthesis. The surgical method is selected by the surgeon who qualifies for the procedure.

Symptoms of a dislocated finger are pain and swelling in the joint area, an abnormal deformity of the finger and an inability to move. A dislocated toe is a dislocation of the finger joint, but it can also be accompanied by a fracture in the area of ​​the joint. To find out if a fracture has occurred, an X-ray should be taken.

The pain and swelling of the finger associated with contusions is due to damage and secondary inflammation of the soft tissues. Pain symptoms may last up to 2-3 weeks and during this period they decrease.

A "skier's thumb" injury usually results from a fall on the arm with the thumb exposed and the thumb resting on the handle of the ski pole. The essence of the injury is damage to the ligament, which stabilizes the metacarpophalangeal joint of the thumb from the side of the index finger. The result of the injury is pain, swelling, and possible instability in the thumb joint, making it difficult to grasp larger objects.

Finger numbness is usually a symptom of neuropathy, i.e. dysfunction of the peripheral nerves. Numbness of individual fingers in one hand is most often the result of pressure on the nerve by other tissues, e.g. inflammatory edema, connective tissue scars or degenerative changes. Within the upper limb, places of frequent nerve compression are the wrist and the elbow joint area. The cause of sensory disturbances may also be compression of the nerve root due to degenerative changes in the cervical spine. Symmetrical numbness of the fingers, on the other hand, may indicate a systemic cause of neuropathy, e.g. diabetes, which leads to the weakening of nerve conduction in all the smallest nerves of the human body. In the event of the appearance of the above-mentioned symptoms, it is necessary to consult a doctor who will conduct a detailed diagnosis and establish a treatment plan.

The surgical procedure in the course of the ulnar nerve groove consists in removing the cause of the nerve compression. It is usually a resection of degenerative bone lesions or connective tissue scars limiting the displacement of the ulnar nerve. The procedure requires a few centimeters incision along the nerve path in order to carefully work out the area of ​​the medial area of ​​the elbow. After the surgery, rehabilitation is necessary, which helps to restore the proper slide of the nerve and allows the weakened muscles of the upper limb to be strengthened.

When local inflammation is the cause of nerve compression, therapy is aimed at reducing the inflammation and rapidly evacuating the edema. It is advisable to take anti-inflammatory drugs and to temporarily relieve the limb. However, when post-inflammatory tissue adhesions have occurred or the cause is a bone change or a growing tumor, surgical removal of the lesion is necessary. In the case of overload neuropathies, it is recommended to rest and give up the activity that aggravates the symptoms. In patients who have relapsed neuropathy, surgery is the only effective method of permanent cure.

The essence of de Quervain's disease is mechanical irritation and inflammation of the tendon sheaths of the thumb extending and abducting muscles. The symptom of the disease is pain on the dorsal part of the thumb and the wrist area under the thumb, which increases with grasping and manipulative movements of the hand, and softens when resting. There may be slight swelling and tenderness of the dorsal part of the thumb. The occurrence of the above symptoms should prompt you to visit an orthopedist who will assess the condition of the tendon sheaths, exclude the presence of other pathologies and propose appropriate treatment.

Conservative treatment of de Quervain's disease consists of:

- wearing an orthosis that stabilizes the wrist and the metacarpophalangeal joint of the thumb,
- avoiding movements that exacerbate pain in the thumb and wrist,
- myofascial therapy,
- treatments in the field of physical therapy,
- the use of anti-inflammatory drugs.

In case of severe ailments, a blockade is performed, i.e. a corticosteroid is administered to the inflamed tendon sheath. If the conservative treatment is unsuccessful, a surgical procedure is performed to remove adhesions that prevent the free sliding of the thumb tendons. After the surgery, it is necessary to participate in rehabilitation, which includes scar mobilization, restoration of full thumb mobility and gradual strengthening of the grip strength.

De Quervain's disease is a term used to refer to two different conditions - thumb muscle tenosynovitis and thyroiditis.

Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include numbness in the fingers, tingling in the hand, pain in the hand and forearm, which often occurs at night, weaker grip strength, difficulty in performing precise tasks or holding small objects.

The most vulnerable to carpal tunnel syndrome are people who work for a long time at the computer, on the production line, musicians, cyclists, seamstresses - people who often repeat the same movements of the wrist.
The doctor decides whether surgery is necessary - in the early stages of the disease, surgery may not be necessary. However, it should be emphasized that surgical decompression of the median nerve gives the best treatment results.

The doctor decides whether surgery is necessary - in the early stages of the disease, surgery may not be necessary. However, it should be emphasized that surgical decompression of the median nerve gives the best treatment results.

The procedure is short-lived - the operation itself takes 10-15 minutes. Patients usually return home on the same day after surgery.

Depending on the patient's condition and the type of work performed, return to overseas activity is possible in the period between 2 and 8 weeks after the surgery. Usually, patients return to work 3 weeks after the surgery.

The term "tennis elbow" is used to describe a pain in the area of ​​the lateral epicondyle of the humerus, which increases when the fingers and wrist are straightened. Pain is often accompanied by decreased strength and dysfunction of the upper limb. The symptoms of tennis elbow are not the result of inflammation but of degenerative changes involving the attachments closer to the tendons of the wrist extending muscles.

Pain from a tennis elbow appears on the lateral side of the elbow and may radiate to the dorsal part of the forearm and hand. Patients complain of increasing pain when straightening the fingers, wrist and elbow. Most often, severe pain occurs when lifting heavy objects, twisting or unscrewing (jars, screws, etc.), shaking hands when greeting. The pain may be so severe that some patients are unable to even lift a glass of water. Additionally, there may be weakening of the wrist strength and weakening of the functions of the upper limb.

The disease is common among tennis players (hence the name). However, it is primarily people who use their hands in their work, especially if they constantly make the same wrist and elbow movements, repeated many times - builders, plumbers, mechanics, painters, carpenters, people working in production plants, seamstresses, musicians. A large group of patients are also people whose work is related to the constant use of a computer - programmers, computer graphic designers, office workers and even writers. Tennis elbow is also common among people actively involved in sports - exercising a lot in the gym, especially if they put an intense strain on the muscles of the forearms. This disease usually occurs in people over 40 years of age.

To reduce pain, you can apply temporary cold compresses as well as painkillers and anti-inflammatory agents. However, it should be remembered that they only bring short-term relief, without eliminating the cause of the pain. A very important element of treatment is rehabilitation, which consists in manual therapy of soft tissues and physical therapy (e.g. shock wave treatments). Surgery is performed in the case of persistent, severe pain in the elbow and failure of conservative treatment.

Conservative treatment is mainly used. Avoid movements that overload the extensor muscles of the wrist and cause pain. The range of treatment methods includes: manual therapy, massage, wrist extensor stretching exercises, cryotherapy, needle therapy, shock wave treatments, plasma injections with concentrated platelets (biological treatment).

Tennis elbow is not caused by inflammation, so drug treatment misses the point. In exceptional cases, steroid drugs are administered - when pain prevents the patient from functioning or acute swelling has occurred. However, it is an emergency treatment and cannot be used for a long time

When, after one year of conservative treatment, severe pain in the elbow does not disappear - the patient is qualified for surgery.

A ganglion is a small fluid-filled cyst that can be found under the skin or in deeper tissues. Ganglions are most common in the wrist, foot, and ankle joint. Common symptoms of ganglion are:

presence of a soft lump under the skin,
possible soreness in the joint with the lump in it,
possible palpation of the muscle tendons near the ganglion

Treatment of a ganglion includes types of procedures: aspiration of the contents of the nodule, administration of a steroid block to the nodule, or complete removal of the ganglion.

Most ganglions are painless and do not require treatment - observation of the lesion is sufficient management. When ganglion causes local pain or causes compression of a nerve or blood vessel, the ganglion should be removed.