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Winter Wisdom – Safeguarding Your Hands, Wrists, and Elbows

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Safeguarding Hands, Wrists, and Elbows in winter

As the winter chill sets in, it brings with it not just the magic of snowflakes but also some potential challenges for the health of your hands, wrists, and elbows. If you’re not familiar with the term “FOOSH” (fall onto an outstretched hand), it’s time to get acquainted. Winter, with its slippery surfaces, elevates the risk of FOOSH-related injuries, making it crucial to adopt preventive measures. Dr. Avery Arora, our seasoned hand surgeon, shares insights on how to keep your extremities safe and sound during the frosty season.

 

Footwear Matters 

Selecting the right shoes for winter conditions is your first line of defense. Dr. Arora recommends well-fitting, low-heeled footwear with a good tread. For added grip on icy surfaces, consider using crampons – nifty traction devices that easily slip over your shoes.

 

Skiers: Beware of Ski Loops 

While ski pole loops may seem like a convenient feature, using them can increase the risk of a specific injury known as skier’s thumb. The loops, if caught during a fall, can overstretch the thumb joint or cause ligament tears. Dr. Arora advises skiers against using ski loops to prevent this potential hazard. The risk of injury is just too high.

Safeguarding Hands, Wrists, and Elbows in winter

Shoveling Safely

Shoveling snow is a winter chore that can impact your wrist health. Dr. Arora emphasizes the importance of maintaining neutral wrist positions while lifting, preventing issues like intersection syndrome or de Quervain’s tenosynovitis. Lift with your legs, not your arms, and take breaks to give your wrists a breather.

 

Snowblower Safety 

Modern snowblowers are a boon but come with their own set of precautions. Never insert your hand into the snowblower blades, even when it’s turned off. Clear jams using a broom or shovel handle to avoid potential injuries from built-up tension.

 

Master the Art of Falling 

Yes, there’s an art. For winter sports enthusiasts, learning how to fall safely is crucial. Seek lessons from experts to understand the proper techniques for minimizing injury risk. Wearing recommended protective gear is a small inconvenience compared to the potential consequences of a fall.

 

Prompt Care for Injuries 

If you do experience a hand, wrist, or elbow injury, don’t delay seeking professional care. While urgent cases require immediate attention, non-urgent injuries should still be addressed by a hand specialist. Dr. Arora and his team offer customized solutions, including specialized splints, to ensure optimal support and recovery.

This winter, let’s not just enjoy the beauty of the season but also take proactive steps to safeguard our hands, wrists, and elbows. With the right precautions and expert guidance, we can embrace the winter wonderland with confidence and well-protected extremities.

If you suspect you have suffered a winter-related injury in Michigan, there are many reputable hand doctor options from the Ascension or Beaumont healthcare systems or you can seek assistance from a qualified medical professional at a private practice. Arora Hand Surgery, led by Dr. Avery Arora, a specialist in upper extremity problems and a top Michigan hand doctor, has helped countless individuals alleviate their hand, wrist, and elbow related pain. You can contact the practice, with four locations in West Bloomfield, Warren, Macomb, and Howell, at (888) 392-4263 or schedule your consultation online through the website.

 

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Elbows Hands Treatments Wrists

Pain in Your Hand, Wrist, or Elbow? When to Seek Help

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pain in hand, wrist, or elbow

Pain is the body’s way of signaling that something might be amiss. But what if the pain occurs in your hand, wrist, or elbow? How do you determine whether it’s a concern that necessitates medical attention or something you can manage at home? Dr. Avery Arora, a hand doctor in Southeast Michigan, provides insights on when to seek help for hand pain, wrist pain, or elbow pain.

Understanding the Source of Pain

Sometimes, the cause of pain is apparent – perhaps you’ve had a recent fall or engaged in strenuous activity. However, in other cases, pain seems to emerge out of nowhere. Dr. Arora explains that pain can result from various factors, including infection, inflammation, or underlying medical conditions like gout or diabetes-related neuropathy. Additionally, the origin of pain might not always be in your arm; a pinched nerve in the neck can radiate pain throughout the arm. It’s essential to consider your activity level and the wear and tear on your body, especially in cases of joint pain or tendinitis. While aging may bring some joint discomfort, it’s not inevitable for everyone.

 

Common Causes of Hand, Wrist, and Elbow Pain

Several activities or conditions can predispose individuals to pain in these areas:

Golfer’s Elbow

Golfer’s elbow can result from various activities, not just golf. It typically involves repeated bending, grasping, and twisting of the arm and wrist, causing inflammation in the tendons connecting the elbow to the forearm.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

This condition affects the hand and wrist, often caused by repetitive finger and hand use, leading to swelling around the wrist and pressure on the median nerve.

Arthritis

Types like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are known to affect the fingers and hands, causing joint pain due to cartilage breakdown.

Muscle Strains and Ligament Sprains

These injuries can occur in the thumb, finger, and wrist, resulting in pain throughout the hand. Hand sprains, wrist sprains, and/or elbow sprains, often follow an injury or stretching of joint ligaments.

Other Causes

Additional factors contributing to elbow, wrist, or hand pain include Kienböck’s disease, biceps tendonitis, De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, trigger finger, mallet finger, ulnar wrist pain, ganglion cysts, fractures, and tennis elbow. Because there are so many variables, we do always advise to seek medical help as soon as possible.

 

Assessing Your Pain

Healthcare professionals use triage to determine the need for urgent medical care, and you can apply a similar approach at home. If the pain is excruciating or immobilizes you (e.g., a wrist fracture), seek immediate medical attention. However, for less severe pain, consider these questions:

• Does pressing on the area worsen the pain?
• Is there redness or inflammation?
• Is the area swollen or stiff?
• On a pain scale of 1 to 10 (1 being minimal and 10 the worst), how would you rate your pain?

If you answer “yes” to the first three questions or rate your pain as 6 to 10, it’s time to consult a healthcare provider. For “no” answers and pain levels at 1 to 3, you can start with home treatment.

 

DIY Care for Hand, Wrist, or Elbow Pain

For manageable symptoms, you can begin with self-care to alleviate discomfort:
1. Apply ice for new-onset pain or heat if it persists.
2. Over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help.
3. Consider using a stretchy elastic bandage or compression device for painful or swollen areas.
4. If your pain results from overexertion or repetitive motion (e.g., tennis elbow), rest from the activity and allow your body to recover.

 

When the Pain Persists

Even tolerable pain warrants attention if it persists. If home treatment doesn’t yield results after a few days, consult a healthcare provider. Be sure to provide comprehensive information about your activities and medications or supplements you’re taking. Doctors can identify underlying issues contributing to persistent pain. While most non-worrisome conditions resolve in a few days, acute symptoms like severe swelling, redness, pain, or deformity may require urgent evaluation and care.

Understanding when to seek help for hand, wrist, or elbow pain is crucial for your overall well-being. By assessing your symptoms and considering their severity, you can make informed decisions about treatment. Remember, pain should never be ignored, but neither should it cause unnecessary alarm. Proper evaluation and care can ensure a swift return to comfort and functionality. These surgical measures may be necessary for various reasons, including joint involvement, open fractures, or loose bone fragments affecting ligaments, nerves, or blood vessels.

If you’re in need of expert care for hand and wrist fractures, contact a MI hand doctor for specialized guidance and treatment. There are many reputable hand doctor options from the Ascension or Beaumont healthcare systems, or you can choose Top Doc Dr. Avery Arora of Arora Hand Surgery. You can schedule an appointment at one of Dr. Arora’s four offices in West Bloomfield, Warren, Macomb, or Howell, Michigan today.

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Elbows

What Happens After Elbow Surgery?

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What Happens After Elbow Surgery?

Although many elbow injuries, including tennis elbow, can be treated without needing surgery, sometimes it is the best option. Doctors such as Dr. Avery Arora, a hand surgeon in Michigan, will suggest surgery when other treatment methods do not work or when the patient is in a substantial amount of pain that diminishes their capacity to work and to enjoy life. If elbow surgery has been recommended for you, you may be wondering, “What happens after elbow surgery?” This blog aims to clarify the process for you.

 

Before Elbow Surgery

You and your doctor will initially discuss the different types of surgical options and what those options entail; everything from the procedure itself to the recovery period will be clarified for you. Those who undergo arthroscopic surgery, which requires a smaller incision, will still need to have plenty of time to heal and rehabilitate their elbow, just as those who have open surgery. However, the difference between those two surgeries lies with the length of recovery time and when you can start rehab.

 

Immediately After Surgery

For many patients, the rehabilitation part of your recovery will start very quickly, often while you’re still at the hospital. The early stages of the physical therapy are very gentle and can help to relax the muscles of the arm. You will likely be required to have your arm in a splint after the surgery, and as a means to keep the swelling down, the doctor and nurse will often put an ice pack in the splint.

After the surgery, you can expect to experience pain at the surgical site. You will be prescribed medication that can help to control the pain along with various types of exercises that you will need to do during the recovery period at home.

The amount of time you have to spend in the hospital will vary, but it is not usually more than a day or two. Your doctor may remove the bandages and stitches before you leave or they may want you to return a few days later so they can remove them at that point during your follow up.

What Happens After Elbow Surgery?

 

At Home

When you are at home, you need to be very careful with the incision site so that you do not open it up or get an infection. In addition, you have to be willing to put in the time needed each day to work your elbow and to perform the therapeutic exercises. This will ensure that you are getting stronger and maintaining mobility in your elbow. Don’t skip the exercises, but do not overdo them either. Listen to and follow your doctor’s orders.

As you start to heal, you will begin to feel even stronger and more like your old self. However, this does not mean your elbow has properly healed yet. You still need to take it easy or you could risk more injury. Get plenty of rest, eat right, hydrate, and follow all of the instructions provided when you left the hospital. This is the best way to ensure that you heal properly. If you have any issues, you will want to contact the medical staff as soon as possible so they can make sure you are healing properly. In time, your elbow will be fully healed; just don’t rush it.

Here at Arora Hand Surgery, we care about your health. If you are feeling hand, wrist, or elbow discomfort, visit Dr. Avery Arora at one of his southeast Michigan offices located in West Bloomfield, Warren, Macomb Township, or Howell.

 

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Elbows Hands Wrists

Common Ping Pong Injuries & How to Prevent Them

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preventing table tennis hand injuries

For a game that is generally considered to be mild on the activity spectrum of sports, ping pong boasts a fairly strong injury record among its players. Here at Arora Hand Surgery, we see injuries resulting from the game pretty regularly, but the good news is, our patients’ injuries are usually treatable and have quick recovery times. In this blog, we’ll talk about common ping pong injuries and how to prevent them.

Due to its abrupt and bursts-of-movement nature, ping pong’s common injuries usually occur to the limb that holds the paddle. In the upper extremities, the wrist, elbow, and shoulder joints are the most vulnerable injury spots, with ankles coming in at a close second.

 

How dangerous is ping pong?

As one of the most popular sports in the world, this all-age sport is generally considered to be on the safer side of extracurricular activities. When injuries do occur, it’s usually in players who perform at high levels of athleticism and play very regularly. When pain begins to occur, we see that it’s due to bad stroke habits, hitting too hard, and not warming up correctly.

What should you do when you feel pain?

First, we want to clarify that when muscles contract regularly, tenderness is to be expected. However, if you notice that the tenderness or “ache” has evolved into a dull or sharp pain, we encourage you to stop playing and see a physician immediately if the pain does not go away after 24 hours.

What are the most common injuries from ping pong (or table tennis)?

There are several injuries that occur from ping pong, the following are the ones we see the most often at our office:

Tennis elbow – a painful condition identified by inflammation of tendons that connect the hand to the elbow. This is usually caused by repetitive motions of the wrist and arm.

Wrist sprain – this occurs when the strong ligaments that support the wrist stretch far beyond their limits or actually tear from a twisted force.

Rotator cuff injury – these account for around 10% of the injuries we see from ping pong. They are caused by progressive wear and tear of the tendon tissue over time.

How to prevent ping pong or “table tennis” injury:

  1. Choose a lighter racket.
  2. Wear stabilizing wristbands.
  3. Warm up!
  4. Learn about the energy linking cycle and how it can prevent injury in the sport of ping pong.
  5. Stop playing when an ache has progressed into a pain.

ping pong hand injuries

Diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of ping pong, or table tennis, injuries are very important for your safety. If you think you’ve suffered an injury or want to know more about hand, wrist, and elbow injury treatment options, make an appointment to see Dr. Arora, the hand specialist himself, at his West Bloomfield, Warren, Macomb Township, or Howell office.

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Elbows General

What is the Difference Between Tennis Elbow and Golfer’s Elbow?

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There are a few differences between tennis elbow and golfer's elbow. In this image, a man holding a racquet on a tennis court holds his elbow in pain.

Elbow pain due to overexertion may feel like it’s coming from all over, and patients really just want the pain gone. The first step in treating elbow pain, however, is to pinpoint the exact location of the problem, which is the primary difference between tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow.

These two common conditions bring many patients into our elbow doctor’s offices in West Bloomfield, Howell, Warren, and Macomb Township every year.

The good news is that both of these conditions are highly treatable with self-care, rest, or the use of an elbow brace. When these remedies are not effective, elbow surgery is an option as well.

What is Tennis Elbow?

Technically called lateral epicondylitis, tennis elbow occurs when the tendons that anchor the muscle to the bone on the outside (lateral) part of the elbow are overused. When these tendons degenerate or become inflamed, it weakens and causes stress on the entire site.

In other words, tennis elbow is caused by a swelling of the tendons that bend your wrist backward away from your palm. People who repeatedly use their elbow and arm muscles may be susceptible to tennis elbow, such as painters, plumbers, and butchers, as well as athletes.

Symptoms of tennis elbow include pain or burning on the outer part of the elbow, as well as a weaker grip. They typically are worsened with forearm activity, such as holding a tennis racquet or turning a wrench. The pain is typically mild at first, but worsens over time if the action that is causing it is not minimized. Tennis elbow is usually not associated with a traumatic injury.

The dominant arm is affected more often than the non-dominant arm.

Tennis elbow can usually be treated with rest, pain medication, Botox injections, or the use of a brace. Tennis elbow surgery may be recommended in more extreme cases.

Tennis elbow occurs due to overuse of the elbow’s outer tendons. This diagram shows the anatomy of the elbow in relation to tennis elbow.
Tennis elbow occurs due to overuse of the elbow’s outer tendons.

What is Golfer’s Elbow?

Golfer’s elbow is more formally called medial epicondylitis. It is sometimes referred to as baseball elbow or suitcase elbow.

The source of the pain is on the inner side of the elbow. It occurs when the tendon that connects the forearm muscles to the bone is overused.

Golfer’s elbow is about twice as common in men than in women. Despite its name, it is caused by general overuse and can affect virtually anyone.

Golfer’s elbow also can be treated with rest, pain medication, injections, and the use of a brace.

The main difference between tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow is the location of the inflammation. Tennis elbow hurts on the outside. Golfer’s elbow hurts on the inside. In this image, a golfer holds his elbow in pain.
The main difference between tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow is the location of the inflammation. Tennis elbow hurts on the outside. Golfer’s elbow hurts on the inside.

What is the Difference Between Tennis Elbow and Golfer’s Elbow?

While causes and treatments are similar, there are some differences between tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow.

The primary difference is the source of the inflammation. With tennis elbow, the outside of the elbow and forearm areas are inflamed, but with golfer’s elbow, inflammation is on the inner side of the arm and elbow.

Likewise, tennis elbow stems from damage to an outside tendon, and golfer’s elbow is associated with damage to an inner tendon.

Both are forms of elbow tendinitis.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Elbow Pain

For most people, the pain subsides by reducing or eliminating the action that is causing it. Physical therapy to strengthen the muscles in the arms may help as well. When self-care, rest, and the use of pain medications or a brace do not help, surgery may be necessary.

Elbow surgery options include:

  • Open surgery, which requires making an incision at the elbow and is performed on an outpatient basis.
  • Arthroscopic surgery, an outpatient procedure that uses smaller instruments and smaller incisions.

A common surgery to treat golfer’s elbow is called medial epicondyle release. It requires an incision along the arm over the medial epicondyle, and the surgeon’s goal will be to take tension off the flexor tendon.

Similarly, a lateral epicondylitis surgery can be used to treat tennis elbow. The goal of this surgery will be to release a portion of the tendon from the bone, remove the inflamed tendon, or repair tendon tears.

For proper treatment, it’s important to differentiate between tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow. For a diagnosis and treatment plan, make an appointment to see Dr. Arora at one of his southeast Michigan locations.

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Elbows General

5 Common Conditions that May Require Elbow Surgery

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A doctor examines a patient's elbow in this image. Common conditions that may require elbow surgery are tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, cubital tunnel syndrome, fractures, and olecranon bursitis.

Most elbow pain is temporary, but persistent pain or discomfort that affects your quality of life may require elbow surgery.

We treat several common conditions that may require elbow surgery at our southeast Michigan offices. Make an appointment to see our elbow surgeon in Macomb Township, Warren, Howell, or West Bloomfield for the following treatments or a diagnosis of your condition.

Cubital Tunnel Syndrome Surgery

Cubital tunnel syndrome occurs when there is too much pressure on the ulnar nerve, which runs along the ulna bone in the forearm and enters the hand near the pinky and ring fingers.

Causes of cubital tunnel syndrome include leaning on hand surfaces or bending the elbow for an extended period of time, or you may develop cubital tunnel syndrome due to an anomaly in the anatomy of your elbow. If you have this condition, you may experience severe pain and numbness in the elbow, as well as tingling or weakness in your ring and pinky fingers. It may become difficult to close your hand.

The first line of treatment for cubital tunnel syndrome is to avoid the action that is causing the pain. Using pain relief medications and wearing a splint at night may help as well.

When self-treatment does not help, cubital tunnel syndrome surgery may be recommended. The goal is to relieve the pressure by releasing and moving the ulnar nerve to the front of the elbow or increasing the size of the cubital tunnel.

Tennis Elbow Surgery & Other Treatment Options

Known as tennis elbow, lateral epicondylitis is a painful condition involving the tendons that attach to the bone on the outside (lateral) part of the elbow. The tendon’s attachment to the bone degenerates, which places increased stress on the area.

People who repeatedly use their elbow and arm muscles may be susceptible to tennis elbow, such as painters, plumbers, and butchers.

Tennis elbow can usually be treated with rest, pain medication, Botox injections, or the use of a brace. Tennis elbow surgery may be recommended in more extreme cases.

Elbow Fracture Examination & Treatment

Elbow fractures may occur due to a fall or direct impact. Pain, swelling, bruising, and stiffness in and around the elbow suggest a possible fracture. A snap or pop at the time of injury may be felt or heard as well.

Types of elbow fractures include:

  • Olecranon fractures
  • Fractures of the distal humerus
  • Radial head and neck fractures of the elbow

Depending on the type of injury and its severity, treatment options for elbow fractures include splint immobilization, casting the elbow, physical therapy, surgery to realign the bone fragments, and external fixation to stabilize the fractures.

Olecranon Bursitis Surgery & Assessment

The olecranon is the pointy bone at the tip of the elbow. A small sac of fluid called a “bursa” covers the tip of this bone. Sometimes this area gets irritated and the body makes extra fluid inside the sac, causing a big “balloon” that looks like a golf ball to form at the tip of the elbow.

Causes of olecranon bursitis include hitting the elbow on an object, overuse of the elbow, systemic diseases, and medical procedures.

It’s usually not painful, but it sometimes becomes infected. Remedies include using a splint and compression to rest the bursa, using elbow pads, using antibiotics to clear the infection, having cortisone injections, or drawing fluid out of the bursa with a needle in a procedure known as aspiration.

Olecranon bursitis surgery may be required if other remedies are not successful.

Golfer’s Elbow Treatment

Golfer’s elbow causes and treatments are similar to that of tennis elbow, but there are some differences between the two conditions.

The primary difference is the source of the inflammation. With tennis elbow, the outside of the elbow and forearm areas are inflamed, but with golfer’s elbow, inflammation is on the inner side of the arm and elbow.

Likewise, tennis elbow stems from damage to an outside tendon, and golfer’s elbow is associated with damage to an inner tendon.

Golfer’s elbow is more formally called medial epicondylitis, and it is sometimes referred to as baseball elbow or suitcase elbow.

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Conditions Elbows Treatments

Tennis Elbow Treatment, Causes and Prevention

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Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is a painful condition involving the tendons that attach to the bone on the outside (lateral) part of the elbow.

If you are experiencing pain in your elbow during exercise or routine activity, you may be suffering from tennis elbow. Fortunately, tennis elbow treatment can be very effective.

Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is a painful condition involving the tendons that attach to the bone on the outside (lateral) part of the elbow. The tendon’s attachment to the bone degenerates, which places increased stress on the area. This, in turn, leads to pain when the muscle is active, such as during lifting or gripping actions.

Tennis elbow is a common overuse and muscle strain injury. In other words, people who repeatedly use their elbow and arm muscles may be susceptible to tennis elbow. Common causes of tennis elbow (besides playing tennis) include:

  • Work as a painter
  • Frequent use of plumbing tools
  • Driving screws in
  • Cutting up cooking ingredients, such as meat
  • Regular use of a computer mouse

The simplest tennis elbow treatment is rest, along with some pain medication if needed.

While it often gets better on its own, in some cases it may be advisable to explore physical therapy options for treatment. For instance, a physical therapist can coach you on ways to stretch and strengthen the muscles of your forearm, which can counteract the effects of tennis elbow and even help prevent it.

Other treatment options for tennis elbow include Botox or platelet-rich plasma injections into the affected tendon, the use of a brace, or, in extreme cases, surgery.

The best way to prevent tennis elbow in the first place is to avoid repetitive hand, arm, and wrist motions that could cause the deterioration of the elbow tendons. Ensuring the use of proper technique while gripping, lifting, rotating, or participating in any activity that involves your arm and hand should help as well.

If you’d like more information on tennis elbow treatment or would like to set up a consultation appointment, reach out to us at Arora Hand Surgery today.

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Elbows General Hands

Stem Cell Therapy for Hands, Wrists, and Elbows

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There are many forms of therapy for hands, wrists, and elbows.

Stem cell therapy can be an effective method of treating pain in the hands, wrists, or elbows. If you are a candidate for stem cell therapy, you probably have many questions. Our hand surgeon is here to answer them. In the meantime, following are some of the basics about stem cell therapy for hands, wrists, and elbows.

What is Stem Cell Therapy?

Stem cells are cells from which all other cells are generated. Stem cells divide to form “daughter cells,” with either become new stem cells or specialized cells. They can be guided to become specific cells that can be used for medical purposes, such as repairing damaged tissues. Stem cells may also be grown into new tissue for use in transplants and regenerative medicine.

Individuals who may benefit from stem cell therapy include those with spinal cord injuries, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, stroke, osteoarthritis, burns, and cancer.

Stem Cell Therapy for Hands, Wrists, and Elbows

Because stem cells replicate themselves, they can mirror the qualities of healthy cells in order to repair damage. They can decrease inflammation, strengthen the affected area, and repair damaged tissue and tendons.

Stem cell therapy for hands, wrists, and elbows can be used treat trigger finger, joint pain, golfer’s elbow, carpal tunnel, gout, tennis elbow, and arthritis.

  • Cartilage in the wrist specifically has a limited ability to self-repair, and osteoarthritis can lead to a loss of cartilage. Stem cell therapy can help rejuvenate and replenish the cells in the wrist to aid in mobility.
  • Individuals suffering from elbow pain can benefit from stem cell therapy. It enables new, healthy tissue to grow at the site of an injury to reduce pain and repair damage.
  • Pain in the hand and thumb can also be addressed, including arthritis in the fingers.

A board-certified hand surgeon, Dr. Arora and the Arora Hand Surgery team gather stem cells from patients’ own tissue, which can help heal the targeted area without risk of harsh side effects or allergic reactions.

If you are regularly experiencing pain in your hand, wrist, or elbow, contact Dr. Arora to see if stem cell therapy is right for you.

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Conditions Elbows General Hands

Cellphone Overload: How to Avoid Hand and Elbow Pain

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It's important to give your hands a break from cellphone use in order to avoid hand and elbow pain. If you are experiencing pain in your hands, wrists, or fingers, make an appointment to see hand surgeon Dr. Avery Arora.

Have you ever used your cellphone for so long that your hands became numb, your fingers stopped functioning properly, and you gave up on mentally blaming autocorrect? If so, it was probably slightly comical at the time. If this happens repeatedly, however, soon enough it won’t be funny anymore. If you do use your phone frequently, it’s important to know how to hold your phone to avoid hand and elbow pain.

If you don’t, eventually you could be dealing with something worse than just sore thumbs, uncooperative fingers, and a really hot ear.

Ways to Avoid Hand and Elbow Pain when Using Cellphones

1. Try using text-to-speak, at least every now and then.

2. Use a cellphone stand so you can set the phone on a table or desk instead of holding it. When you do, you can use any finger you want to play those games and give the other fingers a break.

3. Make a conscious effort to regularly stretch and flex your fingers, wrists, and elbows.

4. If you talk on the phone for long periods of time, holding the phone up to your ear can cause discomfort at your elbow. To avoid this problem, try using:

  • A headset
  • The speaker option
  • A video calling app like FaceTime
  • Internet calling options such as Skype

What Could Happen: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Cubital Tunnel Syndrome

You might believe that the tingling in your hands due to cellphone use is just a temporary sensation, and it probably is. But if you don’t make conscious efforts to avoid hand and elbow pain when using cellphones, you could end up facing some very real issues.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is the result of swelling and pressure in a “tunnel” in the wrist, which consists of nine tendons and a median nerve.

Causes of this very common condition are unclear, but improper use of keyboards, tools, and even cellphones can increase CTS. Other examples of activities that can increase carpal tunnel syndrome include driving a motorcycle and playing a violin.

Individuals with CTS can experience tingling, a weaker grip, numbness, a tendency to drop things, and pain in the hand and wrist.

Cubital Tunnel Syndrome

Ever wonder why it’s far from funny when something hits your “funny bone”? To the contrary, it’s extremely painful. The truth is that what you feel comes from a nerve that runs behind a bone in the elbow through the “cubital tunnel.”

Pressure on the nerve can affect the blood supply to the nerve, causing arm pain and weakness in the hand. Direct pressure, such as leaning on your elbow, can compress the nerve and cause some of your fingers to “fall asleep.”

Both cubital tunnel syndrome and carpal tunnel syndrome are painful conditions that may lead you to seek medical treatment.

Contact Arora Hand Surgery for More Information

For more information about how cellphone use affects your hands, fingers, wrists, and elbows, explore the Procedures & Conditions pages of our website to learn more about symptoms you may be experiencing. If you’re regularly feeling pain or numbness in your hands or arms, contact one of our Arora Hand Surgery offices by phone or request an appointment online.

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Dr. Aroras office from my first call to schedule my appointment was friendly. Walking in the first day, I felt like I was in a nice atmosphere. Dr. Arora was EXCELLENT in taking great care of my hand injury. He was gentle and very understanding to the concerns I had about my hand. His expertise was admirable and I would recommend anyone with an injury to their hand to his office to be under his care. Because of him, I have healed faster than expected and will make an 100% recovery! Thank you Dr.

Jackie S.

I first thought I was going to have to have painful injections or surgery, but Dr. Arora suggested physical therapy may do the trick. I was doubtful, but I agreed to do it. Now, my pain is gone, and with the help of an ergonomic keyboard at work to keep my hands in the correct position, I am virtually pain free. The therapy strengthened my wrists and shoulders, and built more flexibility into my wrists.

Jerry T.

My experience with this doctor was positive from the outset. Dr. Arora was kind and spent a great deal of time with me. Staff was friendly. The office was nice and bright.

Ariel G.

Very friendly and helpful Great staff!!! Doctor Arora was very professional and did great work. I was very happy with everything!

L B.