Sports Trauma: Wrist and Hand

Wrist and hand injuries are very common in sports trauma, particularly in many contact and ball sports. However, they are often missed or treated as simple sprains. A high index of suspicion is needed when symptoms and signs persist, particularly, if the athlete continues to compete with a painful wrist or swollen finger, which can lead to further injury of the secondary stabilizers and articular surfaces. Unfortunately, these late presentations are a much greater challenge to manage. It is too late to simply reduce the joint or the fracture, so a salvage procedure such as a fusion may be required. This chapter presents and discusses different scenarios of wrist and hand injury in sports practice, clinical and radiological evaluation, as well as therapeutic approaches.