SHOULDER + ELBOW + HAND

This refers to the condition where the shoulder joint feels out of its normal position, often leading to pain and an inability to move the shoulder. Instability can occur as a result of a dislocation.

A first-time shoulder dislocation typically occurs due to a significant injury or trauma, while recurrent dislocations happen in a shoulder that has previously dislocated, often with less force or trauma needed for subsequent dislocations.

Labral tears involve damage to the cartilage rim surrounding the shoulder socket. A Bankart lesion is a specific type of labral tear that occurs with shoulder dislocations, where the labrum and attached ligaments detach from the socket. A Hill-Sachs lesion is a compression fracture of the humeral head that often accompanies a shoulder dislocation.

1. Acromial Injuries: Injuries to the acromion, which is the outermost point of the shoulder blade or scapula, can involve fractures, impingement syndromes, or arthritis. These injuries can result from trauma, overuse, or degenerative changes in the shoulder joint.

2. Medial Epicondyle Injuries: These injuries involve the medial epicondyle, a bony prominence on the inside of the elbow. Common in throwing athletes, these injuries can range from inflammation (medial epicondylitis) to fractures, often caused by repetitive stress or acute trauma to the elbow area.

1. Acromial Injuries: Injuries to the acromion, which is the outermost point of the shoulder blade or scapula, can involve fractures, impingement syndromes, or arthritis. These injuries can result from trauma, overuse, or degenerative changes in the shoulder joint.

2. Medial Epicondyle Injuries: These injuries involve the medial epicondyle, a bony prominence on the inside of the elbow. Common in throwing athletes, these injuries can range from inflammation (medial epicondylitis) to fractures, often caused by repetitive stress or acute trauma to the elbow area.

Trigger finger and thumb is a condition where a child’s finger or thumb gets stuck in a bent position, then straightens with a snap, similar to a trigger being pulled and released.

Salter-Harris fractures are injuries to the growth plate area of a child’s bone and are categorised into five types, each varying in severity and impact on future bone growth.

Clavicle fractures, commonly known as broken collarbones, are frequent injuries in children and young adults, often resulting from falls or direct impact to the shoulder area.

Humeral fractures refer to breaks in the humerus, the long bone in the upper arm, and can occur at various points along the bone, often due to falls or direct trauma.

Supracondylar fractures are common elbow injuries in children, involving a break just above the elbow joint, and are often caused by a fall onto an outstretched hand.

Forearm fractures involve a break in one or both of the bones of the forearm (the radius and ulna), typically resulting from falls, sports injuries, or direct trauma to the arm.

Radius and ulna fractures refer to breaks in the two long bones of the forearm, often occurring simultaneously due to direct impact or a fall on an outstretched arm.

Hand fractures or injuries encompass a range of conditions affecting the bones, joints, and soft tissues of the hand, commonly resulting from falls, sports activities, or direct blows.

In pediatrics, ligament injuries related to shoulder dislocation or instability often involve the stretching or tearing of the shoulder ligaments in children, leading to a dislocated joint and compromised joint stability, which can affect their growing musculoskeletal system.

In children, rotator cuff injuries or tears involve damage to the group of muscles and tendons that stabilise the shoulder joint, often resulting from overuse or acute injury, leading to pain, weakness, and limited shoulder movement in paediatric patients.

Nursemaid’s Elbow, also known as “Pulled Elbow”, is a common injury where the radius bone in the elbow becomes partially dislocated, often due to a sudden pull on the child’s extended arm, leading to pain and limited arm movement.

In paediatric patients, tendon injuries such as rotator cuff injuries or tears typically involve damage to the tendons stabilising the shoulder joint. These injuries in children can result from overuse, particularly in sports, or from acute injury, leading to shoulder pain, weakness, and reduced range of motion.

Impingement Syndrome as a tendon injury involves the compression of the tendons in the shoulder between the bones, often due to repetitive overhead activities. This condition can cause pain, swelling, and limited movement in the shoulder area of children.

In children, bicep tendon injuries involve damage to the tendon that attaches the bicep muscle to the bones in the shoulder and elbow. These injuries can occur due to overuse or trauma, leading to pain, swelling, and reduced function in the affected arm.

In children, conditions like Tennis Elbow (lateral epicondylitis) and Golfer’s Elbow (medial epicondylitis) involve inflammation of the tendons in the elbow due to overuse, typically from repetitive wrist and arm motions. These conditions can cause pain and tenderness around the elbow joint.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in children, a condition less common than in adults, involves the compression of the median nerve within the carpal tunnel of the wrist, leading to pain, numbness, and weakness in the hand and fingers.

In children, Ulnar Nerve Compression, often occurring at the elbow or wrist, involves pressure on the ulnar nerve leading to symptoms like pain, numbness, and tingling, primarily in the ring and little fingers, and can affect hand coordination and strength.