At the age of 16, I started exercising regularly. This decision drastically changed my life for the better. I lost an enormous amount of weight and went down three dress sizes. Unfortunately, I had to undergo orthopedic surgery 8 years ago to remove torn cartilage from my left knee. After my surgery, I was afraid to work out due to the continual swelling in my knee. Thankfully, I made an appointment with my orthopedic doctor to talk about this issue. This medical professional prescribed a comfortable and protective knee brace for me to wear while exercising. On this blog, I hope you will discover how an orthopedic doctor can help you exercise again.
There are several types of hand deformities that can affect any finger or primarily affect the ring and little fingers. Since these problems can appear similar, it can be difficult to differentiate between different types of hand deformities.
Dupuytren's Contracture
Dupuytren's contracture is a condition that often occurs slowly. Although, theoretically, any finger could be affected, the most common fingers that are affected are the ring and little fingers. The problem begins with hardened lumps under the skin and eventually, a thick, fibrous band of tissue can develop that causes the finger to contract and remain in the bent position. Once the problem develops, the only way the motion of the fingers can be restored is if the contracture can be removed or broken-up. As a less invasive procedure, a needle may be inserted and used to break the fibrous tissue. If this is not helpful, a surgical procedure can remove the tissue. The combination of surgery and physical therapy may restore the use of the fingers.
Ulnar Claw Hand
An ulnar claw hand occurs when there is a lesion to the ulnar nerve, which is responsible for sensation in half of the ring finger and all of the little finger. Both fingers will remain in a bent position and there will be hyperextension of these fingers at the proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP), located at the base of the fingers. This issue is easy to confuse with the Sign of Benediction because the changes in the hands look similar in certain positions. With the Sign of Benediction, there is a lesion of the medial nerve. The easiest way to notice the difference between ulnar claw hand and the Sign of Benediction is making a fist. While making a fist, the ring and little fingers will bend normally, but the index and middle fingers will remain straight.
Swan-Neck And Boutonniere's Deformities
Swan-neck and boutonniere's deformities can affect any finger and may be caused by an acute injury or may develop because of damage from inflammatory arthritis. There are subtle differences between these two types of deformities. With swan-neck deformity, the distal interphalangeal joint (DIP), which is closest to the fingernail, remains in flexion, while the interphalangeal joint (IP) remains in hyperextension. Boutonniere's deformity can be considered the opposite of swan-neck deformity, with the DIP hyperextended and the IP in flexion. When these deformities occur, splinting in the early stages may be helpful as long as the joints can be manipulated passively. Once the deformity becomes fixed, the only way to correct the fingers is through surgery. These deformities are generally caused by damage to the tendons in the fingers.
There are several types of hand deformities that exclusively or frequently affect the ring and little fingers. Depending on the extent of the deformity and how it affects daily activities, surgery may be necessary to restore hand function.
For more information on hand deformities, contact an orthopedic surgeon in your area.
Share20 August 2019
