Our hands serve many purposes. Hands help us eat, dress, write, earn a living, create art, and do many other activities. To do these tasks and activities, our hands require sensation and movement, such as joint motion, tendon gliding, and muscle contraction. When a problem takes place in the hand, care must be given to all the different types of tissues that make function of the hand possible.
Many conditions occur in the upper extremity that can be treated by a hand surgeon.
These conditions include immediate care of an injury, treatment and reconstruction of old injuries, congenital problems, arthritis, infection, and new growths and tumors. Hand surgeons also treat other problems such as nerve compression syndromes, and swelling of tendons. Microsurgery is used for the re-attachment of amputated parts and certain hand reconstructions. Some hand surgeons also take care of problems of the elbow and shoulder. Hand surgery is part of the practice of general surgery, orthopaedic surgery, and plastic surgery.