Common Children’s Hand & Wrist Injuries
While the holiday season brings excitement with new toys and sporting equipment, Dr. Uzma Rehman’s Oakland County hand surgery practice often sees an increase in pediatric hand and wrist injuries during the weeks following Christmas. Understanding common injury risks associated with popular holiday gifts can help parents implement proper safety measures while still allowing children to enjoy their new presents.
The good news is that the majority of children with hand and wrist injuries do very well, provided they receive prompt and thorough medical care from a skilled hand and wrist doctor.
Causes of Children’s Hand & Wrist Injuries
Hoverboards and electric scooters, consistently popular holiday gifts, frequently lead to hand and wrist trauma when children fall while learning to balance. These injuries commonly include scaphoid fractures and growth plate injuries of the distal radius, which require prompt medical attention to prevent long-term complications. Dr. Rehman recommends proper protective gear, including wrist guards and gloves, for children using these devices.
New bicycles, skateboards, and roller skates often result in FOOSH (Fall On OutStretched Hand) injuries. The natural instinct to catch oneself during a fall can lead to various injuries including buckle fractures of the wrist, sprains of the triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC), and ligament injuries around the thumb. These injuries are particularly concerning in children due to the presence of growth plates.
Gaming systems and handheld electronic devices, while not typically associated with acute injuries, can lead to repetitive stress conditions such as De Quervain’s tenosynovitis or trigger thumb in children who spend extended periods gaming.
And even new sports equipment like baseball gloves, basketball hoops, and tennis rackets can contribute to specific hand and wrist injuries when used without proper technique or adequate warm-up. Finger jams, mallet finger injuries, and sprains commonly occur during the initial excitement of trying new sports equipment.
Most Common Children’s Hand & Wrist Injuries
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Distal Radius Fractures In Children
Distal radius fractures are the most common pediatric fractures. The radius is the larger of the two bones of the forearm. The end of the radius bone near the wrist is called the distal end. A fracture of the distal radius is when the radius bone breaks near the wrist.
Distal radius fractures are the most common fracture in children. Fractures of the forearm account for more than 40% of all childhood fractures, and three out of four forearm fractures in children are distal radius fractures.
Distal radius fractures often occur when children are playing on the playground or participating in sports. The highest rate of distal radius fracture occurs in boys between 13.5 and 14.5 years of age and in girls between 11.5 and 12.5 years of age
Phalangeal Fractures (“broken fingers”) in Children
Phalangeal fractures – or “broken fingers” – are the second most common fracture type in children. Of all phalangeal fractures, proximal phalanx fractures are most common. The proximal phalanges are the bones that are found at the bottom of the finger, next to the hand.
Fractures of the proximal phalanx can be complicated because of number of muscles and tendons in the fingers, and the force and pressure they put on the finger bones as they try to heal after a break.
For this reason, it is important to see a qualified hand doctor for both proper splinting, as well as correct physical therapy, to ensure that the child regains their range of motion, grip and pinch strength, and does not develop a finger deformity due to improper healing.
Distal Phalanx Fractures (“broken fingertip”) in Children
Distal phalanx fractures in childhood are also extremely common. The distal phalanx is the fingertip bone at the end of the hand.
On average, this type of injury affects younger children the most frequently. Often a distal phalanx fracture results when a child’s finger is slammed in a door, or accidentally shut in a car door. Because a young child’s fingers are smaller, they are more prone to being crushed or fractured when these accidents occur.
Fingertip crush injuries can also often result in injury to the nailbed, if not properly addressed.
Top Oakland County Hand Doctor
It’s a fact of childhood that hand wrist injuries are extremely common in children, as kids tryout their new Christmas presents and explore, climb, play and participate in sports and other activities.
If hand and wrist injuries are unrecognized, ignored or improperly treated in children they can end up with pain, long-term limitation in function and even deformity. But with early recognition and proper treatment by an experienced hand doctor, children’s hands, wrists and fingers can heal completely without complications.
If your child is suffering from any injury or pain in their fingers, wrist, elbow or arm, contact board certified Oakland County hand surgeon Doctor Rehman for a comprehensive evaluation and consultation. As with any childhood injury, early detection and a prompt and comprehensive treatment plan is the most effective way to ensure that your child recovers as fast as possible – without long-term complications.
Doctor Rehman will assess your child’s condition, and prescribe the treatments that are best for their condition to make a speedy and full recovery.