Hand Tendon Injuries Specialist

What are tendons?

Tendons are fibrous cords of tissue connecting your muscles to bone. When a muscle contracts, it makes your tendon move your bone. Your hands have two types of tendons: extensors and flexors.

Extensor tendons

Extensor tendons run from your forearm to your fingers across the back of your hand. These tendons enable you to straighten your fingers.

Flexor tendons

These tendons run from your forearm through your wrist and across the palm of your hand. Flexor tendons make your fingers bend.

When any of these tendons are damaged, it can significantly affect movement in your fingers or thumb.

What causes hand tendon injuries?

Hand tendon injuries occur when one or more tendons in your hand is cut or ruptures. Damage to an extensor tendon leaves you unable to straighten your finger. If you damage your flexor tendons, your fingers can’t bend.

Common causes of hand tendon injuries include:

• Sports injuries
• Animal or human bites
• Cuts across the palm or back of the hand
• Crushing injuries like slamming a finger in a door

Conditions that inflame the tendons, like rheumatoid arthritis, can also lead to tendon injuries

What are the symptoms of hand tendon injuries?

In addition to being unable to straighten or bend your fingers, hand tendon injuries can trigger a variety of symptoms, including:

• Blood under your fingernail
• Numbness in your fingertips
• Pain or tenderness in your hand

If you think you have a hand tendon injury, contact Dr. Kwon as quickly as possible.

How are hand tendon injuries repaired?

Sometimes, extensor tendons can be repaired without surgery using a rigid splint around the hand for support. In other cases, the tendon needs to be stitched back together surgically. Dr. Kwon is a double board-certified hand surgeon offering hand reconstructive techniques as well as microsurgery to restore your hand’s form and function.

Repairing extensor tendons is usually straightforward because they’re easier to reach. These procedures typically require a local anesthetic to numb the treatment site.

Flexor tendons are often more challenging to repair because of their location. Dr. Kwon usually recommends general anesthetic to completely sedate you or a regional anesthetic that numbs your entire arm.

Hand tendons require a lengthy recovery period to heal. Depending on your injury, this can take up to three months.

Call Southwest Hand and Microsurgery or schedule an appointment online today. Our practice serves those in Plano and Dallas, TX.