Arm, Elbow & Hand Injuries

Overview

The health of your hands and arms is essential to peak athletic performance, whether you're catching or throwing a ball, swinging a golf club or gripping a tennis racket. Massachusetts General Hospital's Sports Medicine team specializes in diagnosing and treating the full spectrum of hand and arm injuries, with a specialized focus on the joints of the elbow, wrist and fingers. We offer a range of non-surgical and surgical treatment options to get athletes back to their sport, safely and quickly.

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Experts in Treating Hand & Arm Injuries

Mass General, part of the Mass General Brigham integrated health system, is the premier sports medicine provider in New England, with a proven track record of expertise and innovation in orthopedic care. Our nationally recognized sports medicine experts will treat your arm pain, and help you regain the dexterity and strength you had before you were sidelined. We focus on getting you back to your active lifestyle as quickly and safely as possible.

A Team Approach to Treating Athletes

Our multidisciplinary team of sports medicine doctors are experts in treating athletes who participate in all sports. We partner with you to develop a customized treatment plan tailored to your unique needs and goals, and we will provide you with comprehensive care every step of the way—from diagnosis and treatment to rehabilitation and recovery. We develop sport-specific plans to optimize your recovery, restore performance and prevent further injury.

At Mass General, our specialists work together to ensure the best possible outcome. Our orthopedic surgeons work closely with physiatrists, physical therapists, sports trainers, nutritionists, psychologists, coaches and other wellness experts to ensure we are treating the whole athlete rather than simply focusing on a temporary fix.

Our physicians drive breakthroughs in sports medicine research, technology and treatment. This means our patients receive the most advanced care, have access to an array of hand and arm treatment options and experience safe, fast recoveries.

Common Hand & Arm Injuries

We treat the full spectrum of medical conditions that affect the muscles, bones and joints of an athlete’s hand and arm, including:

• Arthritis
• Bursitis
• Dislocation
• Fractures of the hand, wrist and elbow (phalangeal, metacarpal, scaphoid, distal radius)
• Golfer's elbow
• Finger injury, e.g. Jersey finger
• Ligament injuries (e.g., skier’s thumb, ulnar collateral ligament tear)
• Tendon injuries (bicep, tricep, hand, wrist, finger or thumb)
• Muscle strain
• Nerve compression, laceration or other injury (e.g., cubital tunnel syndrome)
• Pain/swelling
• Stress injuries
• Tendon injuries (bicep, tricep, hand, wrist, finger or thumb)
• Tendonitis
• Tennis elbow
• Throwing injuries

Options for Treating Hand & Arm Injuries

Treatment options for hand and arm injuries depend on your medical history, the nature and severity of your injury and pain, the condition of your hand and arm, your age and your overall health. Your treatment plan may involve one or more of the following approaches:

Non-surgical Treatments:

• Activity modifications
• Occupational therapy
• Over-the-counter medications
• Physical therapy
• Steroid injections

Surgical Treatments:

• Elbow surgery