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Figure 19.
A
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Joint Blocking Exercises
A
B
C
A, e patient blocks the proximal interphalangeal joint while exing the distal interphalangeal joint isolating exor digitorum profundus tendon glide. B, Same as A, but to minimize resistance to the exor digitorum profundus tendon, pressure can be applied over the radial and ulnar sides of the middle phalanx, rather than on the volar surface. C, e patient holds the ngers adjacent to the involved nger in exten­sion; the patient exes the proximal interphalangeal joint isolating exor digitorum supercialis tendon gliding.
as necessary to improve composite exion and add light resis­tance around 8 weeks post-repair. If muscle-tendon unit short­ening is a problem, the patient wears an orthosis that positions
the ngers and wrist in extension providing a low-load long-du-
ration stretch. However, the patient does not begin heavy (>10
lbs) resisted activities until 10 to 12 weeks post-repair.
88
In most cases, surgeons and therapists prefer early, protect­ed mobilization protocols. ese include early passive and early active protocols. Considering the increased force required for active nger exion caused from postoperative edema, versus the strength of the repair, practitioners generally recommend waiting 3 to 5 days to begin exercise, although the optimal
79
timing for initiating therapy is not known.
Cannon88 recom­mends 3 to 5 days with 5 being her ideal for a patient to be removed from the postoperative dressings and starting rehabil­itation. Patients are typically placed in a protective wrist/hand dorsal blocking orthosis. Although the position varies, typically the wrist is in slight exion or neutral and will be modied to a slight extension position over the following weeks of protection. Some protocols will allow for wrist motion in a tenodesis man­ner by releasing the distal straps of the orthosis, or the orthosis may be designed with a wrist hinge. e ngers are in an intrin­sic plus posture (MP joints exed 70° to 90° and IP joints in full extension) allowing the repaired exor tendons to be on slack while at rest. Full IP joint extension may not be immediately obtained if the tendon was repaired under tension, requiring to make full or near full IP joint extension an early goal of ther­apy. Knowing that motion of the tendon is our early goal yet wanting to minimize the friction and load to the structure, it is important to address edema of each digit and stiness in the nger joints prior to performing active tendon glide.
Patients are therefore started on passive DIP and PIP joints exion with active extension of the same joints at this rst visit. Passive individual joint motion is performed rst, followed by composite passive nger exion within each patient’s tolerance. Self-adhered compression wrap or a gauze circumferential wrap
88
may be used as needed for edema control.
Cao and Tang95 in an in vitro study noted the increase of force needed to create tendon glide in a digit with minimal, moderate, or severe ede­ma. e additional force required to create tendon glide was
1.7, 7, and 9 N, respectively. Appreciating the signicance of the greater force needed during active exion requires the thera­pist to delay active motion in the presence of edema, continuing with passive motion while aggressively addressing the edema as needed.
Active tendon glide may be started on this rst or the sec­ond visit once improved ease of passive motion is obtained. Most protocols encourage a program of passive IP joint exion and active IP joint extension with the MP joints remaining in a position of exion (50° or greater). Note that it is important to teach each patient to work on active IP joint extension as the tendency is to develop a PIP exion contracture as healing progresses. Because the tendon is on slack by the wrist and MP joint positions in the orthosis, typically, full PIP motion may be obtained with active extension in the connes of the orthosis. If not, it is important to have the patient come out of the orthosis to work on PIP extension while the MP joints remain exed.
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35
Once active motion is initiated, the goal is to achieve ap-
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proximately a half composite st actively 10 times each waking hour. is motion increases the chance that tendon glide can be maintained prior to the development of signicant adhesions. By not performing a full st or resisted activities, the exercises remain in the load range that multi-strand repairs can with­stand. is encourages adequate load onto the tendon to over­come friction but not overload the strength of the repair. Please note that the value of the place-hold exercise, where the ngers are passively placed in exion and then the patient asked to ac-
25
tively hold the position, is being questioned by some.
ere is evidence that the tendon may “bunch” with the passive IP joint exion and then be jerked through a pulley on the active hold. is is considered a questionable amount of sudden force onto the core suture with the possible outcome of gap formation at the repair site. Place-hold is still described in some protocols as an early motion option, but you should be judicious about its use in a home program.
e focus of the rehabilitation from weeks 1 to 3 contin­ues with the above exercises. Exercises may be completed out of the orthosis if the patient understands and is compliant with the precautions. A suggested exercise to increase muscle ten­don excursion is passive IP joints exion starting with the wrist in exion and maintaining the IP joints in exion as the wrist is moved into extension. e ngers are passively held in the exed posture through the wrist motion. From weeks 3 to 6, additional exercises may include combined wrist tenodesis and nger motion. Active exion exercises progress from the half­st toward a full st. Extension position of the MP joint when performing the exercises is progressed incrementally. Interven­tions for scar and edema control are used as needed. Range of motion measurement allows regular but small improvements to be documented. Most protocols discontinue the use of a pro­tective orthosis at 6 weeks. is allows initiating recovery of full MP and IP joints extension. Dierential tendon glide may be used at this point if not already begun. Light ADLs are typically tolerated at this point. Resistance exercises may begin 8 weeks post-surgery. Return to work, even for manual laborers, can oc­cur by about 12 weeks.
Most rehabilitation protocols suggest that similar activi­ties should be followed for exor tendon repairs in other zones. Zone I injuries, by denition, only involve the FDP tendon. A soft tissue repair, whether the tendon was lacerated or avulsed (jersey nger), can follow the same rehabilitation protocol as described above. A zone I injury that includes a signicant bony avulsion (a Type III jersey nger) may be treated as a fracture with surgical xation of the avulsed bone to the distal phalanx followed by a period of immobilization. Repairs in the proximal zones III to V do not have the same concerns about tendon gliding in the bro-osseous tunnels or restrictions at the pulley levels, therefore, making positive outcomes here more reliable.
25
Multiple tendons repair in zone V (area proximal to the wrist crease) often results in signicant scarring among the tendons,
which may limit tendon excursion and ultimately ngers or wrist motions. Early active glide exercises in zone V injuries can be helpful. Zone V lacerations also often involve injuries of the local neurovascular structures, potentially complicating the recovery process. For those treating exor tendon repairs, the book chapter by Cannon titled, erapy Management of Flexor Tendon Injuries and Repairs, provides specic protocol in­formation, images of dierent options for orthosis design, and additional examples of exercises that may be used through a
88
progressive program.
Excellent communication between therapist and surgeon is necessary to choose the most appropriate protocol for the patient. Progression of the rehabilitation program is based on science, but is also truly an art. Many patients cannot follow a strict protocol and may need an individualized program, with
96
changes being made at each visit. Morrell et al
in their pub­lication emphasized the benet of the team approach with all involved to maximize outcomes with this patient population.
Extensor tendons
e extensor tendons are divided into 8 zones of injury (Figure 20). Common injuries of the extensor mechanism in­clude the mallet nger disruption in zone I. As noted in the upcoming section on fractures, this injury may be a soft tissue avulsion, or involve a piece of bone from the distal phalanx. Injuries across the middle phalanx or PIP joint (zones II and III) can aect the conjoined central slip of the ED and/or the lat­eral bands. Whether treated nonsurgically or following surgical repair, adequate healing of the extensor mechanism is import­ant before full motion is allowed across the PIP joint; although early movement through a limited ROM arc is often used and is described later. An injury to the extensor tendons in zones V through VIII generally requires a period of immobilization in a protected position but, when possible, limited short arc motion may begin prior to the development of restrictive adhesions. In­juries involving the dorsal hood, periosteum, or the bone itself may interfere with a successful outcome due to scarring between these adjacent tissues. Extensor tendon adhesions can severe­ly limit function as composite sting requires more excursion from the extensor tendons than the exor tendons due to the greater circumference they must traverse over the metacarpal heads. Motion started too early or performed through too great of an arc of motion can gap the repair and create an extensor lag.
Zone I, or mallet injuries, can result from an aggressive ac­tion which forced the DIP joint into exion resulting in the soft tissue avulsion of the terminal tendon from the distal phalanx. Radiographs should be completed to rule out bony involvement and to determine if the DIP joint surface is aected. Please refer to the section on nger fractures for more information on bony mallet injuries. A soft-tissue mallet injury should be treated with a full-time aluminum foam or thermoplastic orthosis with the DIP joint in full extension. Hyperextension of the DIP joint
97
is not recommended due to potential dorsal skin necrosis.
36
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For personal use only. No other uses without permission.
Figure 20.
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Zones of Extensor Tendon Injury
Zone I: distal interphalangeal joint; zone II: middle phalanx; zone III: proximal interphalangeal joint; zone IV: proximal phalanx; zone V: metacarpopha­langeal joint; zone VI: dorsal surface of the hand; zone VII: dorsal surface of wrist joint; zone VIII: dorsal surface of forearm, proximal to the wrist joint; zone TI: thumb distal phalanx and interphalangeal joint; zone TII: thumb proximal phalanx; zone TIII: thumb metacarpophalangeal joint; zone TIV: dorsum of the thumb metacarpal.
During the immobilization period (6 to 8 weeks), none of the other nger joints, including the PIP joint, should be immobi­lized. Full-time DIP joint extension is key even when perform­ing changes of the orthosis and skin checks. Following immobi­lization, motion into exion should be initiated incrementally (ie, week 1 post-immobilization 20-25° of exion allowed, week 2 up to 35° of exion allowed, etc); however, if an extensor lag develops, orthosis use is re-started and motion is delayed
98
for a few more weeks.
Roh et al99 reported that extensor lags (and therefore poorer outcomes and patient satisfaction) were associated with increased age, poor patient compliance, and low health literacy. A chronic mallet nger deformity can lead to the development of a swan-neck deformity (PIP joint hyperex-
tension and DIP joint exion). Individuals with ligament laxity and with natural mobility into passive hyperextension of the PIP joint are more at risk for a swan-neck deformity following a
97
chronic mallet nger injury.
Acute injuries in zones III and IV can occur secondary to closed injury, such as a PIP joint dislocation, or an open in­jury such as a laceration. ese injuries may disrupt some or all contributors to the extensor hood (Figure 5). Disruptions involving the triangular ligament, the lateral bands, and/or the central slip can allow the lateral bands to migrate toward the palm until they are volar to the PIP joint axis of rotation, where they become exors rather than extensors. e loss of balance between the exors and extensors can result in a Boutonnière
100
deformity.
Treatment of a closed tendon injury at zone III or IV includes using a PIP joint extension orthosis (aluminum foam or custom thermoplastic) on the dorsal surface of the n­ger with the DIP joint free to move. e patient uses the ortho­sis at all times for 6 weeks for complete ruptures and 3 weeks for
101
partial ruptures.
Surgeons manage open injuries, or lacera­tions, through primary surgical repair. Post-surgery, individuals with combined repairs of the central slip and lateral bands are immobilized with both the DIP and PIP joints in extension for
98
6 weeks.
But, the therapist may encourage early active short­arc motion in a range of 0-30° for the PIP joint and 0-25° for the DIP joint in this rst week, although full IP joints extension should be maintained when not exercising. If the lateral bands have not been repaired, the above active short-arc motion is completed at the PIP joint and isolated active DIP joint motion may be performed through an unlimited range. Care is taken to minimize the load to the extensor tendon by exing the wrist to 30° during the short-arc motion exercises, decreasing the ten­sion forces of the extrinsic exors at the PIP joint during ac­tive extension. is limited motion is performed every 2 hours throughout the day, but the patient returns to complete PIP and DIP joints extension in the orthosis when not exercising. If no extension lag develops, each week the arc of motion is increased
98
by approximately 10°. Evans
notes that by week 4, the average PIP joint is moving actively 60-70°, and by week 6 near normal extension (-3°) to 88° of exion is achieved. e short-arc mo­tion exercises are best performed with 2 custom thermoplastic orthoses to guide the patient to the desired amount of exion and to perform independent DIP joint exion while protecting
98
the PIP joint during the home exercises.
e patient performs MP and wrist joint active motions daily while the PIP and DIP joints are immobilized. A gentle strengthening program begins at 6 weeks post-surgery.
Surgeons manage zones V and VI injuries with primary repair. Patients may be immobilized for 4 to 6 weeks after sur­gery, but like other zones there is evidence of increased eorts required to recover joint motion and tendon excursion after immobilization compared to those started on early motion pro-
102
grams.
Researchers calculated the amount of motion that is
helpful for tendon nutrition. Safe active or passive movement
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37
at the MP joints of the index and long ngers is from slight
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hyperextension to 30-45° of exion and for the ring and small
103
ngers, slight hyperextension to 40-50° of exion.
is is enough movement to allow the positive eects of stress between the repaired tissues and the surrounding anatomy without at­tenuating the repair. e IP joints can be mobilized through full active and passive exion without compromising a zone V or VI repair if the wrist and MP joints are held in extension during
98
the PIP and DIP joints ROM exercises. Evans
advocates the use of a dynamic custom orthosis in the rst week holding the wrist in slight extension, allowing graded active motion of the MP joints into exion with passive or active assisted return to extension. e authors of this monograph have had success with the use of a static orthosis (wrist neutral to 20° of extension, MP joints in full extension to slight hyperextension, and the IP joints slightly exed) between exercise sessions with remov­al of the orthosis for exercises that include carefully instructed active exion and active assistive extension of the MP joints. e wrist should be in a position of 20° of exion during the active assisted MP joint extension exercises to minimize resis­tance from the antagonistic nger exors. e active assistive extension is performed by the patient’s opposite hand. As the IP joints are in the static orthosis at least for the rst 4 weeks, ac­tive IP joint exion and extension with the MP joints manually supported is also encouraged during each exercise session. At 4 weeks post-surgery, the orthosis may be altered to allow the IP joints to be free while maintaining support of the wrist and MP joints. Guiding the patient with careful instruction in the al­lowed ROM and screening the patient for the ability to comply with the home exercise program will improve outcomes. e protective orthosis is typically removed at week 6. e therapist instructs the patient to discontinue composite exion if an ex­tensor lag appears. Of note, Merritt et al
104
and Howell et al
105
have used a unique static orthosis (a relative extension orthosis) to treat an extensor tendon repair to a single digit. is is a small hand-based static orthosis that mildly hyperextends the aect­ed digit compared to the neighboring digits. Using this design, they have used an immediate controlled active motion program for many years.
98
Zone VII (dorsal wrist) injuries are particularly problem­atic. Scar formation between the tendon, tendon sheath, and dorsal retinaculum can limit wrist and nger exion and ex­tension motion and limit functional activities. After a zone VII primary repair, some surgeons prefer immobilization protocols. e therapist uses an orthosis to position both the wrist and the MP joints in extension for 3 to 4 weeks. e patient should not actively extend the PIP joints with the wrist and MP joints in extension due to the greatly increased force needed to extend in that position. Passive or active extension of the PIP joints is completed when the wrist is in neutral or is slightly exed.
With early motion programs for zone VII injuries, the therapist may use a dynamic orthosis that allows the patient to ex the ngers actively while elastic bands assist the MP joints
into extension. In this manner, motion can be started early yet minimal force is generated through the repair site. Other pro­tocols may not use a dynamic orthosis, but rather begin motion when an active assistive program of wrist and nger tenodesis action can be safely performed. A static orthosis for tendon re­pair at this level should place the wrist in 35-45° of extension and the MP and IP joints at 0°. Exercises should allow progres­sive wrist motion toward 10-20° of wrist exion, but less will be allowed if wrist extensors were also repaired. If more than 1 tendon of the ED has been repaired, dierential extensor ten­don gliding is helpful to minimize adhesion formation between tendons. is is performed by actively moving 1 nger at a time into exion while holding the others in extension. e long and ring nger tendons are interconnected at the wrist and therefore
98
may move together.
During the rst 3 weeks, with the wrist extended, the patient may actively ex the MP joints 30-40°, progressing to 40-60° by week 4, and 70-80° by week 5. In the fourth week, the patient begins gentle wrist exion with 50% composite nger exion, progressing to complete wrist exion plus composite nger exion by week 6 as the patient weans away from the orthosis.
Tenolysis
Tenolysis is the surgical removal of adhesions limiting ten­don excursion that have formed after exor or extensor tendon repair. is procedure also carries potential complications such as tendon rupture, further degradation of the neurovascular sys­tem, and possibly worsening symptoms and functional abilities. Tenolysis might be considered when there are no improvements in ROM after 3 months of adequate therapy. Before performing this procedure, the patient’s passive motion must be within a functional range and greater than what they can achieve active­ly, and there should be evidence that soft tissue scar production has stabilized. Patient selection is the key to success. A patient should have full PROM of the involved nger(s) and be strong­ly motivated and willing to participate in the intensive therapy program that follows surgery. e strength of the extrinsic ex­ors should also be a consideration prior to the surgery. Patients should be instructed that they will need to commit to therapy and a time-intensive home program to maximize the benets of surgery.
After exor tenolysis, when tendon integrity is good, the therapist initiates AROM immediately (Day 1) and, when pos­sible, sees the patient daily for the rst 5 days. Treatment con­sists of AROM, PROM, pain management, edema control, or­thosis positioning, and instructions regarding a home program. Recovering active tendon glide is key to long-term success and providing patients frequent feedback can be extremely helpful in the progression of the home exercise program. A functional resting orthosis is used early on to help reduce the inammatory process and provide a comfortable resting posture between exer­cise sessions. Trumble
97
recommends hourly repetitions of active
nger exion in Days 1 to 3. Passive motion may be performed
38
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For personal use only. No other uses without permission.
to negate the eects of joint stiness, but active tendon glide is
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the major goal. In weeks 1 to 6, the exercises are progressed to include dierential glide of FDS and FDP tendons if necessary and initiate a slow recovery of light functional ADLs. Orthoses to minimize the development of joint contractures may be used in the early postoperative period as needed. A patient may per­form place-and-hold and 4-stage tendon gliding exercises the rst week (Figure 10). e therapist adds joint blocking exer­cises 2 weeks after surgery (Figure 19). At 6 weeks, the therapist may initiate gentle resistance activities with progressive resis­tance activities beginning at week 8. When tendon integrity is poor, the patient may only perform gentle active assisted exion exercises to a half-st position during the rst postoperative week and active motion would start in the second week. It is important to communicate with the surgeon to determine safe early phase exercises. e same principles outlined above can be used for an extensor tenolysis. Care must be used to not work on composite exion too early to avoid the development of an extensor lag. Also, rehabilitation must not focus on gaining ex­ion at the expense of recovering active extension.
Fractures and Joint Injuries
Hand fractures
Hand fractures are evaluated with respect to their location (which bone and what location on that bone), orientation of the fracture line, displacement, angulation, rotation, extent of comminution, and any associated joint involvement or dislo­cation. Stiness of 1 or more joints following phalangeal and metacarpal fractures is very common and can be dicult to treat. Stiness sounds relatively innocuous, but found in the small joints of the digits after trauma, this impairment may be more dicult to treat than malunion, nonunion, and arthro­sis combined. fractures, Cheah and Yao
14
In a current concepts article dedicated to hand
106
noted trends towards minimally in­vasive surgery and early mobilization, yet recognized that early motion can lead to fracture malunion or nonunion. e thera­pist must be attentive to the protection of the injured structure yet encourage mobility of uninvolved areas as early as possible. Following is a discussion of some of the most common hand fractures and frequently encountered complications.
e most frequently fractured bone in the body is the distal
phalanges of the digits.
107
People of all ages sustain ngertip crush injuries during work and play activities. Fractures of the most distal portion of these bones are called tuft fractures, are often comminuted, and will usually require only a short period of immobilization for comfort during the early stages of healing. Healing may occur with a brous union, as opposed to ossi­cation, yet be functionally stable and ultimately pain free. Two common issues that may accompany these fractures early on in­clude a subungual hematoma and hypersensitivity of the distal aspect of the digit. Treatment for the former problem is relief of pressure by allowing uid drainage of the trapped hematoma through a hole drilled or burned through the nail. and Rohde
108
note that although this will provide pain relief, it
14
Carpenter
turns a closed fracture into an open one and a short course of antibiotics should be considered. Hypersensitivity of the distal digit may be present for an extended period; therefore, a patient may benet from a home program of desensitization activities.
A period of early protection with a plastic or aluminum orthosis holding the DIP joint in extension for 2 to 3 weeks is usually sucient to initiate the healing process and protect the injured tissues. As the tenderness resolves, the protective ortho­sis may be removed to initiate gentle active motion of the DIP joint. e MP and PIP joints motion should not be restrict­ed at any time with this distal injury. Longitudinal fractures or fractures of the base of the distal phalanx (particularly with joint subluxation) may require reduction and percutaneous pin xation.
109
e base of the distal phalanx is a common location for avulsion injuries. On the dorsal aspect, if the terminal tendon of the extensor mechanism is disrupted, the individual will de­velop a mallet nger deformity. In a mallet nger, the DIP joint is in a exed resting posture and there is loss of active DIP joint extension. e mallet nger injury may be a disruption of soft tissue only, or a piece of bone may displace with the tendon. Both the soft tissue disruption and a small bony avulsion are frequently treated with a full-time orthosis for a minimum of 6 to 8 weeks with the DIP joint in full extension. Patients who do not maintain the full-time orthosis positioning (24/7) during this period often develop an extensor lag of the DIP joint. Pa­tient education explaining how to change the orthosis and per­form a skin check while maintaining the DIP joint in extension
107
is critical for best outcomes.
Most patients can perform this
edge while removing and replacing the orthosis. If there is a large bony fragment disrupting the articular surface (>30%) of the DIP joint or if a concurrent DIP joint dislocation cannot be reduced, the bone fragment, or the distal phalanx, may require
110
surgical reduction and xation.
Clinical Pearl
A mallet nger injury that is accompanied by a hyperexten­sion posture of the PIP joint may require an orthosis that stabilizes the DIP in extension and blocks the PIP joint from full extension.
On the volar surface of the distal phalanx, an avulsion of the insertion of the FDP tendon can occur. is is a jersey nger injury. Similar to the terminal tendon injury described above, this injury can be a tear of soft tissue only or a piece of the distal phalanx may have avulsed from the insertion site. A FDP avulsion may occur on any nger, but most commonly occurs
111
on the ring nger.
e patient will present with the inability to actively ex the DIP joint. Because the PIP joint often has near full exion with the intact FDS, the evaluation must be
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39
completed carefully to not miss the decit at the DIP joint.
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e mechanism of injury is active DIP exion (eg, momentarily grasping the jersey of an opposing player in football) followed by a large force pulling the nger into extension (unable to keep hold of the jersey as opposing player runs away). If this inju­ry is soft tissue only, either a tendon-to-bone suture repair or tendon-to-tendon repair is required. e rehabilitation follow­ing these repairs are discussed in the section on primary exor tendon injuries and rehabilitation. On relatively rare occasions however, a large piece of bone from the distal phalanx avulses with the tendon. A large bony fragment can be pinned in place and this injury is then treated as a fracture, requiring immobi­lization for 4 weeks in an intrinsic plus cast or orthosis. At the time of a bony avulsion, the fragment may get stuck on the pulley system of the nger exor tendons preventing the tendon from retracting as far as it might otherwise. is makes it eas­ier to return the tendon to its proper length, even in a slightly delayed repair. In a soft tissue jersey nger injury, the active exion forces on the muscle/tendon unit at the time of injury may cause the tendon to retract proximally, sometimes as far as the distal palm. is causes concern with a timely repair (within
111
1 week) due to the loss of nutrition to the tendon.
A plain lateral view radiograph of the aected digit will often reveal the bone avulsion versus the soft tissue tear.
Phalangeal fractures and metacarpal fractures are com-
mon, accounting for 23% and 18%, respectively, of below-
112
elbow fractures in the general population.
Fractures of these miniature long bones of the hand have some commonalities in that all must be assessed for angulation, rotation, or shorten­ing that could aect functional movement. ere are however some patterns that occur with frequency in each of the areas. Recognizing these patterns allow the therapist to be particular­ly cognizant of known complications. e long insertion sites of the FDS tendons on the middle phalanx may help to stabi­lize a mid-shaft fracture of this bone. A stable fracture may be buddy-taped to a neighboring digit and treated with progressive early motion. If an orthosis is needed, a nger-based orthosis is designed to maintain the IP joints in full extension yet allow freedom of the MP joints. e straps of the orthosis may be removed so careful motion of both IP joints can be completed. is same plan can be completed if percutaneous pinning was needed to reduce an unstable fracture or to correct rotation and
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alignment. However, as Shuler et al
pointed out, percutane­ous pinning is not rigid xation. Careful monitoring of the loss of alignment during early motion is important. Manually sup­porting the middle phalanx during active DIP joint exion and extension ROM exercises can assist in maximizing tendon glide and in fracture stabilization. Encouraging exion tendon glide before scar adhesions develop is an important consideration in rehabilitation following both middle and proximal phalanx fractures. e type of xation, stability of the fracture, and tis­sue healing constraints must be carefully considered.
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A hyperextension injury to the PIP joint may result in an avulsion injury to the brocartilaginous volar plate on the volar surface of a digit. Recall the volar (palmar) plate’s distal inser­tion is found at the base of the middle phalanx (Figure 6B). A force across the PIP joint great enough to either cause a dorsal dislocation or hyperextension deformity can avulse this struc­ture. A lateral view radiograph of the involved digit may show a bony avulsion, or the injury may be a soft tissue disruption only. e majority of these injuries, even those with a small avulsion fracture, can be treated nonoperatively. A nger-based blocking orthosis is applied to the dorsum of the digit, blocking the PIP joint in 25-30° of exion. Both the DIP and MP joints are free. After 1 week of full-time orthosis use, a mobility program may be initiated with a slow but progressive recovery of active and passive PIP joint exion and active extension to the level of the orthosis. Over the next 4 weeks, the therapist decreases the ex­tension block 5° per week. By the time the orthosis is removed at 4 to 5 weeks, the patient will have near normal exion and extension. is protocol allows recovery of motion at the PIP joint yet sucient healing of the volar plate for the recovery of joint stability.
Proximal phalanx shaft fractures tend to angulate in a vo­lar direction (volar apex) in part due to tension from the in­trinsic muscles.
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With the extrinsic nger exors intimately associated with the bone, a primary rehabilitation concern is the development of scar adhesions limiting exor tendon ex­cursion. Angled, rotated, and displaced fractures often require open reduction with internal xation (ORIF) for proper re­duction. e ORIF can enhance outcomes as this may allow early tendon glide exercises. Decreased exion tendon glide (and therefore decreased active IP joints ROM) and PIP joint contractures are 2 common consequences of displaced proximal phalanx fractures.
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Fractures of the middle and proximal phalanges as well as metacarpal fractures should be carefully evaluated for rotational deformities. Proper alignment should be assessed with the n­gers placed in an intrinsic plus attitude and the position of the distal ngertips observed. e patient’s hand should be turned so you are observing the ngertips straight on. e gentle scal­loped ends of the ngers should be in the same plane. A second position used to assess normal versus abnormal alignment is the FDS-only st posture. is places the MP and PIP joints in ex­ion (no DIP joint exion). Now the ngers should gently point to the scaphoid tubercle. Any scissoring or crossing over of the digits may mean a rotational deformity. A therapist should be diligent with this type of assessment when performing early mo­tion activities, as a change in proper alignment with fractures treated either nonoperatively or with surgical xation may indi­cate a loss of reduction. Figure 21 demonstrates a patient with a metacarpal fracture with rotational malalignment and a resul­tant scissoring of the index nger. Recall the index metacarpal is one of the stable rays, least tolerant of malrotation. Because this patient’s fracture had already healed, a rotational osteotomy for restoration of proper positioning was required.
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Figure 21.
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Metacarpal Fracture with Rotational
Malalignment
Clinical Pearl
Stiness of the small joints of the hand can readily develop particularly if immobilization is held greater than 3 to 4 weeks. During the required immobilization, consider im­plementing edema control measures, assess for proper po­sitioning, and initiate motion of uninvolved joints as soon as possible.
e most common fracture of the metacarpals is the Boxer
fracture.
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is metacarpal neck fracture occurs on the small nger. e mechanism of injury is often from a punch with a clinched st into a solid object with the axial load placed through the ulnar side of the hand.
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e result is exion of the distal fragment (apex-dorsal at the metacarpal neck). A exed position of the distal fragment of as much as 70° may be accept­able. Recall that the small nger is a mobile ray. e mobility of the CMC joint of the small nger allows for malalignment without compromising function. For a similar fracture, the sta­ble rays would only tolerate a much lower exion deformity.
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Treatment for a Boxer fracture usually includes an attempt at closed reduction followed by cast or orthosis xation. An in­trinsic plus posture with the IP joints free for movement allows tendon glide exercises. Meals and Meals
14
reported that surgery is reserved for patients who do not maintain an adequate reduc­tion of angular and rotational deformity or who have damage to an adjacent metacarpal. Strub et al
117
performed a prospective
in their cohort nonoperatively and others with reduction and intramedullary pinning. ey reported greater subjective satis­faction with the appearance of the hand in the surgery group yet both groups demonstrated similar functional outcomes.
Metacarpal shaft fractures typically displace with an apex-dorsal angulation due to the pull of the intrinsic muscles. Considerations again include assessment for rotation or angu­lation. Rotation is poorly tolerated and must be addressed if it is present. Fractures of the index and small metacarpals, being on the radial and ulnar borders of the hand are inherently less stable than fractures of the long or ring metacarpals. e long and ring metacarpals have some natural stability from the in­trinsic muscles as well as from the neighboring metacarpals and the transverse metacarpal ligaments. Nonreducible fractures and fractures of multiple metacarpals are usually candidates for surgical reduction and xation.
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Metacarpal fractures can aect extrinsic extensor tendon excursion. e injury may cause injury to the intrinsic muscles as well. Isolating the action of the ED at the MP joint can im­prove tendon excursion and improve an existing extensor lag. Strength and dexterity usually return with few problems in un­complicated metacarpal fractures.
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ough similar fractures of the distal and proximal pha­langes of the thumb do occur, 2 named fractures of the thumb metacarpal are worth separate consideration. Both fractures oc­cur at the base of the thumb metacarpal and both require reduc­tion and pinning or internal xation due to their displacement patterns or intraarticular nature at the mobile CMC joint.
A Bennett fracture is a fracture-dislocation. A triangular portion of bone is avulsed from the ulnar side of the metacarpal base. e injury occurs from excessive abduction forces com­bined with an axial load at the rst CMC joint. e avulsed fragment is the attachment site of the palmar oblique ligament, a stabilizer of the metacarpal to the trapezium. Without this sta­bility, the remaining metacarpal subluxes or dislocates in a prox­imal and dorsal direction by the deforming force of the APL muscle. Proper reduction, pinning or other internal xation, and lengthy immobilization (8 weeks full-time and another 3 or more weeks part-time) is typically required for this fracture. Ini­tial rehabilitation focuses on recovery of CMC joint palmar and radial abduction and opposition motions, followed by strength­ening of thenar intrinsic muscles. Heavy gripping and pinching activities are typically avoided for at least 3 months.
A Rolando fracture also occurs at the base of the thumb metacarpal. is fracture has 2 or more fragments on the artic­ular surface. is comminuted fracture may be more dicult to reduce with xation ranging from percutaneous pinning to plate and screw xation.
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After a period of immobilization, focus will be the recovery of functional motion of the thumb. With the involvement of the CMC joint in these thumb in­traarticular fractures, a consequence can be loss of palmar ab­duction limiting functional grasp. Gallagher et al
118
recommend a hand-based orthosis for serial web-space stretching if this complication occurs.
Finger and thumb sprains
As is the case with fractures, soft tissue injuries about the
joints of the hand may lead to negative outcomes. A short peri-
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41
od of immobilization may result in the loss of motion in multi-
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ple joints and even a small amount of joint eusion can restrict motion. e delicate balance between the exors and extensors across the IP and MP joints can be disrupted resulting in an abnormal resting posture and the potential loss of function. Re­habilitation needs to balance immobilization as needed, edema control, and early tendon glide through a safe ROM program. Following are examples of some of the commonly treated soft tissue injuries of the nger and thumb joints.
A common soft tissue injury of the MP joint of the thumb is a UCL disruption. Hyperextension with radial deviation at the thumb MP joint can sprain or rupture the UCL, most often from its distal attachment on the proximal phalanx. An acute injury is known as a skier’s thumb due to the high incidence of this injury in downhill skiers (the pole forcing a hyperabduct­ed or hyperextended with radial abduction position of the MP joint during a fall). e term Gamekeeper’s thumb is used at times interchangeably, though this is referring to a chronic con­dition from a repetitive activity which over time creates UCL
68
laxity.
e key to treatment of UCL injuries is proper diag-
nosis that dierentiates a complete rupture from a grade I or II
68
sprain.
Tosti and Jacoby68 outlined the following treatment for grade I and II injuries. For the initial 2 to 4 weeks, the patient wears a hand-based thumb-spica orthosis or cast with the IP joint free. Following immobilization, the therapist can begin key pinch and gentle thumb strengthening for the next 3 to 4 weeks. e patient avoids tip pinch and grasping until 8 weeks after treatment and should not participate in aggressive therapy programs. Stability is always given precedence over motion in this early period for this injury.
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Figure 16A demonstrates an examination of a grade III UCL sprain under anesthesia. In this case, the patient had al­ready been diagnosed of a suspected Stener lesion and was in the operating room for surgical xation. Typically, in a grade III dis­ruption there will be 10-15° greater laxity into radial deviation compared to the contralateral side, combined with the absence of an endpoint.
68,116
e test is described in the Examination section of this monograph. Complete UCL ruptures (grade III) can be treated nonoperatively if a Stener lesion is ruled out. e Stener lesion describes a UCL that has retracted proximally and dorsally to where it may now be laying over the adductor aponeurosis. Such a retracted ligament cannot successfully heal to the insertion onto the proximal phalanx. Figure 16B shows the “balled up” ligament present in this scenario. A radiograph may demonstrate a bony avulsion allowing the examiner to de­termine if the ligament has retracted. If there is no evidence of bony avulsion, and a Stener lesion is suspected, surgical inter­vention involving exploration and ligament repair (open repair or arthroscopy) is typically recommended. erapy typically be­gins 4 to 6 weeks post-surgery with exion and extension ROM exercises followed by progressive resistance exercises with MP joint stability as the primary concern as mobility slowly recov­ers. e patient usually returns to full activities at 3 months following surgery.
e PIP joint is the most commonly injured joint in the
119
hand.
is hinge joint is vulnerable to excessive hyperexten­sion, axial loading, and rotational stress because of its long le­ver arms. Patients may not have sought immediate attention, frequently saying “it is just a nger, and I thought it would get better on its own.” Proper compliance with short-term protec­tion is important for regaining pain-free stable joints following traumatic injuries. Grade I injuries produce excessive tensile stress in a collateral ligament but do not disrupt the continuity of the ligament. ese injuries are stable through full AROM of the joint, but the ligament is tender to palpation and pain is reproduced with stress testing. A therapist can treat a grade I PIP joint collateral ligament injury with 1 to 2 weeks of buddy
68
taping.
Buddy taping will allow the desired early motions in exion and extension of the IP joints yet prevent medial and lateral stresses upon the joint.
Clinical Pearl
Buddy taping can exacerbate a PIP joint eusion with straps placed distal and proximal to the joint. Consider the use of 1-inch compression wrap the length of the n­ger rst, then the placement of the buddy straps or tape. Re-wrap the compression tape at least every 24 hours and perform a skin check.
Grade II collateral ligament injuries involve partial dis-
ruption of the ligament. ough pain and mild laxity may be
68
observed with stress testing, a rm end point is felt.
ese
injuries require an immobilization period (2-4 weeks) in a gut-
118
ter orthosis with the involved IP joint in full extension.
e patient can perform early AROM exercises in exion/extension if medial and lateral forces are avoided. Buddy taping contin­ues for an additional 2 weeks following removal of the orthosis. e therapist addresses the fusiform swelling characteristic of a PIP joint injury early with retrograde massage and compression wraps. e therapist should not neglect the DIP joint, which
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often becomes sti during PIP joint rehabilitation.
Grade III collateral ligament injuries result in complete lig­ament rupture as well as an injury to the volar plate or dorsal capsule. A volar or dorsal dislocation may also have occurred at the time of injury. ese patients must be immobilized, pre­venting motion in the arc of movement where instability is pres­ent, which is usually end range PIP joint extension (0-25°).
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Treatment of the volar plate injury was described in the section on avulsion fractures. For complete collateral ligament injuries, the therapist may choose the same treatment as an isolated volar plate injury, but 1 to 2 weeks of buddy taping may be add­ed to the dorsal nger orthosis use to decrease the medial and lateral stresses on the joint. e patient wears the orthosis for a shorter time, 3 weeks instead of 5, if there is no volar plate avulsion. When use of the nger orthosis is discontinued, the
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patient uses buddy taping as needed during daily activities and
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particularly for more vigorous activities such as return-to-sport. For all collateral ligament sprains and PIP joint injuries, edema management with compression, retrograde massage, and active pumping exercises (when indicated) are an integral part of re-
ROM exercises, including intrinsic muscle stretching, with gradual return to progressive resisted exercises.
Proximal IP joint injuries that cannot be stabilized using nonsurgical treatment or those that are unstable in angles > 25° of exion require surgical repair.
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Be aware that a PIP dislo­cation may have self-reduced. An intraarticular fracture may occur at the time of injury, or at the time of reduction. Recom­mendation is for a radiograph of the involved digit to be per­formed following joint reduction to conrm a successful reduc­tion and rule out an associated intraarticular fracture. Recovery of joint motion following a PIP joint fracture-dislocation can be signicantly limited even with acute surgical interventions. A missed intraarticular PIP joint fracture-dislocation (no nger radiograph obtained), or delayed repair (wait to the end of a sport season) may have few treatment options and result in lim­ited motion recovery.
Carpal fractures
A FOOSH can result in dierent injury patterns of the dis­tal upper extremity. Depending on the energy transmitted, the integrity of the bone and supporting soft tissues, the angle of the wrist and forearm at impact, a plethora of injuries can result. e most common upper extremity FOOSH injuries involve the wrist bones including the distal radius and ulna and the scaphoid. Let’s consider the pathologies of the carpal bones and surrounding soft tissue rst, and then look at the very common pathology, fracture of the distal radius.
e scaphoid is the most frequently fractured of the carpal bones, accounting for up to 68% of all carpal fractures.
53
As stated in the anatomy section, the scaphoid spans the midcar­pal joint, it is particularly vulnerable to excessive tensile force during a FOOSH injury when the hand lands in wrist hy­perextension and radial deviation. Approximately 70-80% of scaphoid fractures occur at the waist of the bone, and 10-20% occur at the proximal pole.
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is injury occurs most often in young active persons resulting from relatively high energy trau­mas. A scaphoid fracture may at rst be mistaken for a wrist sprain, and therefore, proper evaluation and treatment may be delayed. Such a delay in the identication and treatment of this injury can increase the chance of the development of a scaphoid nonunion and avascular necrosis of the proximal fragment. e long-term eects of a scaphoid nonunion can be the develop­ment of a scapho-nonunion advanced collapse (SNAC) wrist deformity. A SNAC wrist may ultimately result in complete carpal breakdown with loss of normal alignment at both the radiocarpal and midcarpal joints and between the carpals with­in the proximal row. Treatment options are varied but typically
require some form of salvage procedure to control the degener­ative changes at the wrist such as a proximal row carpectomy or a partial wrist fusion.
121
e initial symptom of a scaphoid fracture is dull, deep, radial-sided wrist pain. Pain may be reproduced on direct pal­pation of the scaphoid in the anatomical snubox, at the SL joint line, or on the scaphoid tubercle. Palpation in the base of the snubox will place the examiner’s thumb over the waist of the scaphoid. If initial radiographs are negative, yet the history of injury and signs and symptoms indicate a potential fracture, immobilization in a thumb-spica orthosis or cast is recom­mended for 2 weeks with a repeat lm then taken. Advanced imaging studies may be ordered if a denite answer is required sooner, such as for return to professional sports activities. Mag­netic resonance imaging may be recommended for patients with persistent symptoms of a fracture despite negative plain lms re­sults, when a scaphoid fracture needs to be ruled out quickly for a potential return to competition such as in professional sports, or when a conrmed scaphoid fracture must be further assessed for surgical consideration.
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Nondisplaced distal pole fractures usually heal in 8 to 10 weeks with a forearm-based thumb spica cast. Waist (mid-pole) and nondisplaced fractures may require up to 3 months of cast immobilization. Displaced, unstable, and proximal fractures require surgical xation. Post-surgery, the surgeon immobilizes the thumb and wrist in a forearm-based thumb spica cast until there is radiographic union, usually within 6 to 12 weeks. e therapist then fabricates a forearm-based thumb spica orthosis, which the patient wears an additional 4 weeks. Following the long immobilization period, soft tissue, joint capsule, scar, and carpal mobilizations are essential. Upon conrmation of bone healing, strengthening is gradually introduced with attention to endurance and dexterity activities.
Other carpal fractures in isolation do occur but are signi­cantly rarer than scaphoid fractures. Catalano et al
7
list carpal fracture frequency from most to least as follows: scaphoid 68%, triquetrum 18%, trapezium 4%, lunate 4%, capitate 2%, ha­mate 2%, pisiform 1%, and trapezoid 0.5%.
e most common cause of fractures of the triquetrum is a FOOSH with the hand landing in hyperextension and ulnar deviation that drives the ulnar head into the triquetrum.
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Two fracture patterns are typically seen: (1) a small piece of cortical bone is displaced from the dorsal surface; and (2) a transverse fracture through the body of the bone. e avulsion fracture can typically be treated in a wrist cast (3-4 weeks) followed by a removable cock-up orthosis and progressive recovery of mo­tion. ough this avulsion injury may appear to be relatively benign, there is some concern of carpal instability if this injury is ignored due to its location close to the insertion of the dorsal intercarpal ligament and dorsal radiocarpal ligament.
Almost all cases of carpal fractures that demonstrate frac­ture displacement, ligament instability, and/or combined inju­ries patterns will require more aggressive reductions, xations, and rehabilitation.
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43
ough not seen in high frequency, a fracture of the hook
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of the hamate deserves attention. is fracture most often occurs as a result of a compressive force transmitted through the base of the palm, or shear forces during active torque of the wrist, as seen with the use of a tennis racquet, baseball bat, or golf club. A patient with an undiagnosed hook fracture may complain of pain with gripping activities and when weight bearing through the palm, as well as tenderness with direct palpation over the area of the hook. Conventional radiographs do not properly re­veal the fracture. A carpal tunnel view (the hand placed in full extension, and the beam angled through the carpal tunnel) is
8
best to reveal a fracture here.
Immobilization in a cast for 6 to 8 weeks is the recommended treatment for nondisplaced frac­tures; displaced fractures require surgery.
Clinical Pearl
Distal ulnar neuropathy may be a consequence of a missed hook of the hamate fracture. Recall the hook forms the radial border of Guyon’s canal. A displaced fragment may compromise the ulnar nerve and artery as they move into the enclosed space. Examination for a suspected hook frac­ture should include a thorough neurovascular assessment of the ulnar nerve and artery. Consider this also in reverse, if a distal ulnar neuropathy is obvious on your examina­tion, consider the hook of the hamate fracture as a possible cause.
Wrist sprains
Normal wrist function requires precise interaction between joint surfaces, tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues. Dis­ruptions of 1 or more of these structures can aect the harmony of the wrist working as a unit. Authors describe the carpus as a ring system in which the bones within each carpal row are
123
tethered together by interosseous ligaments.
e ring is only complete however by the inclusion of the midcarpal ligaments. ese ligaments are the connection between the proximal and distal carpal rows. In this system, as long as the ligaments are intact, the bones will move together as a unit. ere is some known independent motion between carpal bones but the clin­ical relevance of this information and diagnosis and treatment selection is still unclear. e extrinsic ligaments proximally from the radius and ulna and distally from the metacarpals further support the carpals. Disruption of even portions of this com­plex wrist unit can lead to some well-described instability pat­terns of the wrist.
A high energy FOOSH, is the primary mechanism of inju­ry of soft tissue disruption within the carpus. e alignment of the carpals of the proximal row is an important key to the level
124
of ligament disruption. Mayeld et al
report a progression of force transmission through the wrist that can cause ligament tears about the lunate. e soft tissue disruption can begin with
a relatively mild partial sprain of an interosseous ligament with­in the proximal row but as forces progress, ligament disruption may result in complete disruption of the soft tissues around the lunate, leading to lunate dislocation. e 4 basic stages of force
7
transmission and resultant ligament injury patterns are:
(1)
Minor sprain to the palmar aspect of the SL ligament with­out total disruption (if the wrist is radially deviated and hyperextended, a scaphoid fracture also occurs). Continuing force, causing dissociation of the SL ligament
(2)
(characterized by disruption of rst, the palmar, and sec­ond, the dorsal aspect of the SL ligament). A lateral view radiograph of the wrist taken at this point would show dor­sal angulation of the distal surface of the lunate in relation to the scaphoid.
(3)
Continuing hyperextension causes additional force trans­mission through the wrist; the ulnar limb of the arcuate ligament may pull the triquetrum dorsally, causing failure of the LT ligaments. Lastly, the RSC ligament forces the capitate to collapse into
(4)
the radiocarpal space and pushes the lunate in a palmar di­rection until it dislocates into the carpal tunnel in a rotary manner. e result is a complete lunate dislocation.
Following a dislocation, the lunate may spontaneously re­duce, leaving little clinical evidence of dislocation other than recurring pain and eventual instability. If the lunate does not reduce, there will be visible and/or palpable deformities in the wrist. If the lunate is displaced volarly, there is potential for me­dian nerve compression. Fractures often accompany a lunate dislocation, further complicating recovery and rehabilitation. High-energy trauma may produce a perilunate fracture-dislo­cation, with a trans-scaphoid fracture being the most common injury combination.
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Injuries of the wrist of this nature, unless they are diag­nosed as a fracture or dislocation, may be missed in the acute stage. e initial pain may resolve, but over time (can be months or years), symptoms will recur. When asked, patients may report a history of a wrist sprain that resolved over time. Symptoms therefore may occur at the time of the acute injury or signicantly later.
ere are both static and dynamic instability patterns of the wrist. In a dynamic pattern, there may not be evidence of abnormal carpal movement patterns unless the carpus is stressed by placing the wrist into dierent positions for a radiograph. A wrist motion series (radiographs taken in exion/extension and radial/ulnar deviation) may be necessary for diagnosis. For diagnosis of a static instability pattern, at least some of the ra­diographic signs listed later in this monograph should appear on routine PA or lateral wrist radiographs. Signs include ab­normal gaps between individual carpal bones, alteration in the shape or appearance of individual bones, and the loss of smooth appearing arcs across the midcarpal and radiocarpal rows. Fig- ure 22 shows a PA wrist radiograph demonstrating the most
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For personal use only. No other uses without permission.