Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) Chronic Pain is one of the fastest growing medical conditions in Australia, currently 1 in 5 Australians live with Chronic Pain. Complex reginal pain syndrome (CRPS) is a form of chronic pain that normally effects an arm or leg and typically develops after an injury or surgery. Pain in the area is more severe than that of the initial injury, and lasts for a longer period of time than would usually be expected. Signs & Symptoms: Sensitivity to touch Swelling in the affected area Continuous throbbing or burning Changes in skin temperature, texture and ..read more

What is Dystonia? Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder that makes it difficult for people to control their muscles. Common symptoms include abnormal position in part of the body, muscle spasms & cramps as well as pain. The cause of dystonia is often unknown, it some cases it is genetic or can be acquired from a brain injury. High levels of stress and repetitive actions can also cause an onset of dystonic movements. One form of dystonia is Focal Dystonia which affects one part of the body including the hands or arms. Common focal dystonia that impacts the hand and arm include write ..read more

Osteoarthritis at the base of thumb joint, known as the 1st CMC joint, is common and is often part of the aging process. Most people in their 30’s and 40’s will have signs of degeneration in this joint, however it may not become painful until later in life.  The 1st CMC joint is highly mobile which makes it so functional. As a result of this mobility it is more at risk of degenerative changes, which is why it is one of the most common joints in the hand affected by osteoarthritis. Arthritis at the 1st CMC joint can lead to pain, reduced range of motion and reduced strength.  Often pe ..read more

Condition and cause Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis or epiconydlalgia, is an overuse injury of the muscles and tendons in the back of the forearm. This causes inflammation, and in some cases micro-tearing, of the tendons in the outer (lateral) elbow. This leads to pain and tenderness in the outer elbow, increased muscle tension and tightness, and can become functionally disabling if it isn’t taken care of or managed. It is common in those between the ages of 35-55 years. Tennis elbow is becoming more prevalent in workplaces that require intense physical labor due to forceful ..read more

You may have heard the saying “use it or lose it”.  There is some truth in this statement and it encapsulates Wolff’s law, a rule that can describe how bone grows and changes over time, depending on the demands placed on that bone. Wolff’s law was developed by a German anatomist and surgeon, Julius Wolff, who recognised that our skeleton is constantly changing. When stress is applied to our bones, they remodel themselves to adapt to that stress. According to Wolf’s law “bone is laid down where it is needed and resorbed where it is not.” Our bones become thicker and stronger over time to r ..read more

Wrists are highly complex regions of the upper limb. Our wrists are responsible for positioning our hands to facilitate function and tolerating heavy loads that allow us to lift, carry, push and weight bear through our arms. Heavy demands are placed on our wrists every day and in order to do their job properly, wrists need to be strong and stable. The concept of stability is important – our wrists need to be able to move through their normal planes of movement while still maintaining correct alignment and support when loads are applied to them. When wrists are unstable, this usually results in ..read more

Sometimes our littlest of hands get overlooked when thinking about hand conditions. Congenital hand conditions are wide and varied, causing anything from additional or missing digits, to webbed or curved digits, or abnormal growth of bones. A different condition that can occur to our youngest of patients is called a Paediatric Trigger Thumb and affects the ability of a child to straighten their thumb. In paediatric trigger thumb, the end joint of the thumb (the interphalangeal joint / IPJ) becomes stuck in a bent position. Paediatric trigger thumb can often go unseen as typically infants will ..read more

When you injure yourself, most of the time the first thought that pops into your head is “Oh no, I hope I haven’t broken it!” It’s common to think that breaking a bone is the most severe injury you can sustain and one that will put you out of action for the longest period of time. But is breaking a bone really the worst thing that could happen? Not always. For example, here are two different xrays of two separate finger injuries. The left xray shows a fracture of the proximal phalanx of the little finger. The xray on the right shows a finger with no fractures. From looking at these xrays alone ..read more