Wrist
Orthopedic Wrist Surgery in Kansas City, MO
Keeping you moving forward
We rely on our hands every day. They play an important role in the work we do and how we connect with others. Hands are an amazing piece of anatomical structure, but prone to injury, arthritis, and disease. At Orthopedic Health of Kansas City, our team of specialty-trained hand surgeons are ready to perform everything from hand and wrist treatments to joint reconstruction and replacement to reduce pain, improve function, and get you back to doing the things you love.
Conditions
- Wrist Surgery
- Hand Surgery
- Wrist Fracture
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Ganglion Cyst
Wrist Pain
Breaks and fractures are some of the most common injuries to the hand. These injuries tend to occur from impact from a fall or during sports-related activity or by being crushed by a door, window, or machinery. Most fractures are easily repaired without surgery. Our orthopaedist can realign the bones and provide a splint or cast to hold them in place.
However, some fractures do require surgery, especially when fractures break through the skin or when the injury is from a crushing accident.
Delay in treatment could result in ongoing joint pain or permanent stiffness in a finger or joint. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, see a Orthopedic Health of Kansas City physician right away:
- Joint Pain
- Swelling
- Inability to move a finger
- Deformity (finger is crooked or has an unnatural bump in it)
- Finger looks shorter
- Depressed knuckle
- Difficulty forming a fist
Wrist Fracture
The radius is the largest of the two bones in your forearm and is the most common broken bone in the arm. The end of the bone, closest to the wrist, is called the distal end. When the radius breaks near the wrist, it is called a distal radius fracture. Typically, this break occurs when someone falls and tries to catch themselves with their outstretched hands. It also can happen in car or bike accidents, or other similar situations. When the other bone in the forearm, the ulna, is broken, it is called a distal ulna fracture.
Another fracture caused by using your outstretched arm to break a fall is in the scaphoid. It is one of the smaller bones in the wrist and is the most prone wrist bone to breaking. It is located on the thumb side of the wrist, in the area where the wrist bends. If you have a fracture or break, pain or swelling will ensue.
Both of these injuries will cause joint pain the wrist and would require diagnosis by one of our orthopaedic specialists.
Hand Surgery
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
One of the most common wrist problems is carpal tunnel syndrome. The carpal tunnel is a narrow structure in the wrist that resembles a tunnel that allows the median nerve and the tendons that bend fingers to travel from the forearm into the hand. Symptoms include hand numbness, tingling, or pain. Carpal tunnel pain is caused by pressure being applied to the median nerve, typically feeling like an electric shock in the thumb or nearby fingers, traveling up the arm.
Carpal tunnel can be attributed to a hereditary condition, hand use, hormonal changes including pregnancy, age, and medical conditions such as arthritis, thyroid disease, and diabetes.
If diagnosed early, treatment can be non-surgical by using a brace, steroids, anti-inflammatory medication, or a change in hand usage activities. If symptoms are severe, surgery may be required.
Top Orthopedic Wrist Doctors in Kansas City
Jeffrey M. Bradley, M.D.
Specializing in injuries of the Hand, Wrist, Elbow & Shoulder.
