No matter what line of work you are in, our hands are one of the most used and delicate parts of our bodies. That’s why we have to do the best we can to prevent injuries from occurring with hand therapy in Midtown. Everything has a risk of injuring your hands. Everything from typing on a keyboard to lifting heavy objects, even hobbies like sports and gardening, is risky.

Identifying common hand injuries can help you prevent future damage or learn when hand therapy in Midtown is necessary. If you do get injured, H&D Physical Therapy is here to help! We offer hand therapy in Midtown to help you gain function and mobility back. 

Sudden Injury

Hand therapy in Murray Hill

We can classify hand injuries into two notable groups, sudden injuries and overuse injuries. First, we’ll go over sudden – also known as acute – injuries. Acute injuries occur when a harsh impact hits the hand or wrist. This type of injury often happens during high-impact sports such as football. However, a fall or accident can also cause an acute injury. Some examples of acute hand injuries include:

  • Skier’s thumb – this injury occurs when the thumb is pulled too far to the side, causing the ulnar collateral ligament to tear. As the name suggests, skiers commonly get this injury during a fall while holding onto a ski pole.  
  • Mallet finger – Mallet finger occurs when the tendon in the fingertip gets ruptured. When the tendon gets injured, this causes the fingertip to become unable to bend. Mallet finger can happen when the fingertip is hit with a ball or slammed in a door. 
  • Joint sprains – A joint sprain occurs when the ligaments in the hands are stretched too far and tear. Depending on the intensity of the sprain, hand therapy in Midtown may be necessary. 
  • Broken bones – Playing high-impact sports has a higher chance of potentially breaking bones in your hands or wrist. Wearing protective gear while you are playing can help reduce that risk. 
  • Dislocations – When the joint is suddenly twisted, a fall occurs, or a direct blow to the joint can cause a finger to be pulled out of its socket.

Overuse Injuries

The second type of hand injury is called overuse injuries. These issues occur when too much stress is placed on a joint or muscle over time. Overdoing or repeating the same activity can cause overuse injuries.

These types of injuries usually happen in the workplace. Lifting heavy objects and repeating the same movements can contribute to overuse injuries.

Hand therapy in Midtown is highly effective for treating these types of problems. Some examples of overuse injuries include:

  • Carpal tunnel syndrome – As the median nerve in the wrist becomes overused, swelling may occur. This swelling will put more pressure on the nerve. Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by any repetitive movement of the wrist, including typing on a keyboard. If you have carpal tunnel syndrome, you may feel pain and numbness in your wrist and fingers.
  • Tendonitis – Tendonitis is the most common type of overuse hand injury. This issue occurs when tendons in the hands become inflamed. There are different types of tendonitis depending on where the tendon is inflamed. Tendonitis in the hands often makes it painful to move your fingers and may lead to stiffness in the hands. 
  • De Quervain’s tenosynovitis – De Quervain’s tenosynovitis is when the thumb and wrist tendons become irritated. Any job that requires twisting the wrist or activities such as knitting can cause de Quervain’s tenosynovitis.
  • Stenosing tenosynovitis – Stenosing tenosynovitis is also known as trigger finger. It is caused by the tendons on the palm side of your hand swelling. Because of the inflammation, the finger may stay in the bent position. Putting stress on your fingers can cause this condition.  

How Hand Therapy in Midtown Can Help

If you have any of the injuries listed above, hand therapy in Midtown is more helpful than you think! At H&D Physical Therapy, we can use various techniques to help reduce pain and increase mobility. The type of treatment depends on the type of injury you have, but some examples of the treatments we offer include:

  • Custom orthosis fabrication and taping
  • Wound management
  • Manual therapy to increase mobility
  • Neuromuscular reeducation
  • Paraffin bath

To learn more about hand therapy in Midtown and a complete list of the hand injures we treat, visit our website! Don’t hesitate to contact us anytime if you have any questions or if you want to make an appointment. We want you to live your life free from any pain; let us help you!


Hand injuries happen in many different ways. The most common kinds of hand injuries are fractures, dislocations, laceration or avulsion, and burns. Here at H&D Physical Therapy, hand therapy in Midtown, we offer many services to treat an abundance of hand injuries. 

Types Of Hand Injuries That Require Hand Therapy in Midtown:

Fractures are when a bone is broken due to some kind of force impacting it. A hand fracture is called a broken hand or a boxer’s fracture. A hand fracture can happen if you punch something hard with your fist. When this happens, the thumb and index finger bones (called the metacarpals) break and stick out through the skin on the palm side of your hand.

Dislocations are when a bone comes out of its socket at a joint.

 A hand dislocation is called an “open” dislocation. An open or complete dislocation can happen if you fall on your hand and the bones of the palm push up into your wrist. This might also happen if you quickly hit something hard with your hand, like a baseball bat. When this happens, the thick bone that connects to your pinky finger (called the trapezium) dislocates (pops out of the socket at the base of your hand).

A laceration is when you cut or tear your skin. A laceration on the palm is called a palm laceration. To get a palm laceration, something has to hit or scrape across your palm, like a fall on the pavement. Your palm might also get scratched if you use your hand to protect yourself from something sharp or rough hitting or scraping across it.

Risk Factors:

Some risk factors of hand injuries are :

  • Being a man between the ages of 16 and 35 years old.
  • Having a home business with tools around, like a carpenter or mechanic.
  • Being an alcoholic.
  • Participating in sports that can injure the hands, such as boxing or skiing.
  • Ways you might prevent hand injuries are:  
  • Protecting your hands with gloves while doing things that can injure them.
  • Not taking part in sports that would injure the hands, like boxing or skiing.
  • Wearing protective gear when driving (such as gloves).

Always seek medical attention for any open (complete) fractures or dislocations that you have. These kinds of hand injuries can be dangerous because they can damage blood vessels and nerves in your hand, leading to loss of function of your hand.

Treatment:

Treatment options for hand injuries are :

  • Ibuprofen or acetaminophen for any pain. You can also put ice on the area to help reduce swelling.
  • Hand therapy in Midtown
  • If your hand is cut, it might need stitches. A broken bone might need a cast, splint, surgery,or other treatment. Before getting medical treatment for your hand injury, make sure that you tell the doctor about all of your symptoms and medical history.
  • Other things to think about:
  • Always be sure to wear protective gear when doing sports or driving that might injure the hands (gloves).
  • If you do not wear gloves to protect yourself, make sure that you are using tools correctly and carefully.
  • Do not drink alcohol before doing any sports or driving that might injure the hands.
  • Do not take part in boxing or skiing as those can easily injure your hand.

Contact Us: Hand Therapy in Midtown

As you can see, hand injuries are very common but can still be very severe. Our staff knows all the ins and outs of hand injuries. They are both educated and experienced in this field; and are eager to help you. Contact us today to make an appointment with us.


Your hands are a vital part of your everyday life, but when you begin to experience pain and stiffness in your fingers, normal activities become challenging. Our team at H&D Physical Therapy understands the intricacies of hand injuries and can treat your hand pain at the source. Contact our hand therapy in Midtown for treatment for hand injuries.

Hand Injuries

DeQuervain’s Syndrome

DeQuervain’s Syndrome is most commonly caused by overuse of the tendon and/or tendons that bend and move your thumb. This condition causes pain on the back of the wrist, movement problems, and swelling at the base of your thumb. Often you can see an “orange peel” appearance on the thumb side of the wrist.

DeQuervain’s Syndrome is characterized by pain and stiffness in the thumb, index finger, and middle finger when you hold something or grip it tightly. It also hurts to bend your wrist. You may notice some weakness when grabbing things or carrying objects. 

hand therapy in Midtown

Most people feel pain while performing activities that require grasping with the hand or moving the wrist in an upward or downward direction. Symptoms tend to worsen when you are repeatedly gripping something tightly with your fingers, for example, when using a screwdriver.

DeQuervain’s Syndrome can be caused by overuse of your thumb, such as playing an instrument. When you play certain instruments — including the piano, guitar, flute, and violin — you grip the instrument with your thumb and fingers. This puts pressure on your tendons, which sometimes leads to irritation and swelling. 

Treatment includes stopping any activity that is making your symptoms worse, resting your thumb and wrist, applying cold packs to reduce swelling, over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication can be helpful.

Hand Arthritis 

Hand arthritis is another common issue people deal with every day. Arthritis is a condition that affects the joints and makes them stiff, swollen, and painful to move. There are many forms of arthritis, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gouty arthritis. All can affect your hands as well as other parts of your body. 

Osteoarthritis is very common in people’s hands and is sometimes called degenerative arthritis. It happens as a result of aging, loss of cartilage due to injury or overuse, and causes pain, swelling, and stiffness that can make it difficult to move your hand. Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune disease that affects the entire body, including the joints in your hands. As a result, your joints become inflamed and painful, which can make it difficult to move your hand.

In gouty arthritis, uric acid builds up in the fluid of a joint and causes inflammation. Gout most often affects the great toe but can also affect other joints–including those of the hand.

General Damage

Lacerations are another common hand injury. Lacerations are tears or openings in your skin. Trauma to the hand can cause lacerations, which may occur when you hit your hand on something sharp like a table corner, doorknob, or glass window pane. These injuries commonly happen during sports activities and can also result from falls that involve hitting an outstretched hand against the ground.

Abrasions are another common hand injury. Abrasions are scrapes, scratches, or rubbing away of the top layer of your skin. These types of injuries commonly happen when playing sports and falling on an outstretched hand.

Trigger Finger

Another common hand injury our team can treat is Trigger Finger. Trigger Finger is a condition that affects the tendons and ligaments in your fingers. It usually occurs when a finger becomes stuck in a bent position and cannot move properly.

Symptoms of trigger finger include waking up with your finger or fingers “stuck” in a bent position, pain, swelling, and stiffness. You may not be able to fully straighten your finger or thumb. Trigger finger most often affects the thumb and may be accompanied by a lump on the palm side of your hand.

Treatment for trigger finger includes avoiding activities that make your symptoms worse, icing to reduce swelling, and medication such as over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications or pain relievers. Surgery is an option if you’re not relieved by non-surgical treatments.

As with any injury, it is essential to avoid further injury or harm after a hand injury has occurred. Keep your hand elevated above heart level and use an ice pack to reduce swelling. It is also crucial for you to check your symptoms with a doctor as soon as possible.

Hand Therapy in Midtown

Our team at H&D Physical Therapy can alleviate your hand pain through the use of physical therapy. Learn all the ways we can help you on our website. Contact our hand therapy in Midtown today for treatment for hand pain.