Elbow, wrist, and hand injuries
Climbers, racquet sport athletes, throwers, and combat sport athletes know that small injuries to the elbow, wrist, and hand can stop everything. Specialist assessment combines musculoskeletal expertise with knowledge of the demands of your sport.
Climbers, racquet sport athletes, throwers, combat athletes, and gymnasts all know that small injuries to the elbow, wrist, and hand can stop everything. Specialist sport and exercise medicine assessment combines musculoskeletal expertise with knowledge of the demands of your specific sport.
Common elbow, wrist and hand problems we see
Elbow conditions
Tennis and golfer's elbow, and other elbow pain in racquet and throwing sports.
Read more WristWrist injuries
Sprains, scaphoid pain, and wrist injuries after a fall or overload.
Read more HandHand and finger injuries
Finger ligament and tendon injuries common in ball and combat sports.
Read more Young athletesYouth and overhead athletes
Growing-arm injuries in throwers and gymnasts that need early care.
Read more
Elbow conditions
- Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow): load-related extensor tendon problem at the outer elbow
- Medial epicondylitis (golfer's elbow): flexor-pronator tendon problem at the inner elbow
- Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injury: common in throwers and overhead athletes
- Olecranon bursitis: typically traumatic or pressure-related
- Distal biceps tendon rupture: sudden weakness with elbow flexion and supination
Lateral and medial epicondylitis respond to structured loading programmes.
Wrist injuries
- Scaphoid pain or fracture: wrist pain after a fall on outstretched hand should always be assessed; missed scaphoid fractures cause long-term problems
- TFCC injuries: ulnar-sided wrist pain, common in racquet and combat sports
- De Quervain's tenosynovitis: radial-sided wrist pain with thumb use
- Distal radius issues: fractures, malunion, and degenerative changes
- Climbing-related pulley injuries: finger flexor pulley sprains and ruptures
Hand and finger injuries
Finger ligament injuries (such as the ulnar collateral ligament of the thumb, "skier's thumb"), volar plate injuries, and mallet finger are common in field and racquet sports. Climbers know finger pulley injuries intimately. Each has specific management, and getting it right early reduces long-term issues.
Youth and overhead athletes
Throwers, gymnasts, and tennis players in their adolescent years can develop growth-plate-specific conditions like Little Leaguer's elbow (medial epicondyle apophysitis) and capitellar osteochondritis dissecans. These are recognisable patterns where early specialist input changes outcomes meaningfully. See adolescent and youth athletes.
Common questions
Should I have a cortisone injection for tennis elbow?
A specialist can assess your condition and talk through adjunct therapies, including their pros and cons.
How long does climbing finger pulley recovery take?
Recovery time varies with the severity of the injury. A specialist assessment, often with ultrasound, helps guide the right management.
Should my child see a specialist for elbow pain after throwing?
Yes, particularly if pain is persistent or affects throwing mechanics. Several growth-plate conditions are time-sensitive.
