When you stop to think about how much you use your thumbs, it's easy to see why the joint where the thumb attaches to the hand can suffer from wear and tear. This joint is called the carpometacarpal or CMC joint. The CMC is the joint that allows you to move your thumb into your palm, a motion called opposition. The CMC joint is sometimes referred to as a "universal joint" because of the wide range of movements possible.

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Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is a condition that affects the hip in teenagers between the ages of 12 and 16 most often. Cases have been reported as early as age nine years old. In this condition, the growth center of the hip (the capital femoral epiphysis) actually slips backwards on the top of the femur (the thighbone).

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If you were to ask how many children are experiencing ongoing (chronic) pain on this day (or during a particular period of time) across the country, you would have determined the prevalence rate. That's what this study does for pain in children and adolescents.

Understanding persistent, recurrent (chronic) pain in children and teens is important. Symptoms of this type can cause them to miss school, become withdrawn and/or depressed, and even develop more symptoms or problems.

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Ever see someone shuffling along without picking up their feet? Wonder what's wrong with that man or that woman in a wheelchair or on a scooter who looks perfectly able bodied? In fact, the body may be fine but it's the feet that are the problem. And without healthy, pain free feet and ankles, it's plenty hard to get around easily.

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Surgeons in China proudly report their early experiences using titanium elastic nails (TENs) in children. Fractures of the proximal humerus (upper arm near the shoulder) are the main focus. Treatment of severe, displaced (separated), or irreducible (bone cannot be lined up) fractures at this site so close to the growth plate can be very challenging. The excellent results in the 25 children presented in this study are very encouraging.

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In today's medical world, physicians are moving more and more toward treatment that is evidence-based. For the patient, this means there is reasonable "proof" that the proposed treatment is going to work. Some treatment is easier to study and evaluate than others.

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Two orthopedic hand surgeons from the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, New York use the example of a 66-year-old man with Dupuytren contracture to look at directions for future research. By asking what is the best treatment for this patient, the authors identified areas where more study is needed. They take a look at the disease itself, the current treatment, and point out where more information could help provide better outcomes.

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Pain along the outside (lateral) knee is sure to get anyone's attention but especially the active athlete preparing for competition. There are a half dozen problems that can cause this type of symptom but the most common is a condition known as the iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS).

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Reviewing 26 studies involving a total of 1500 patients still doesn't answer the question: What factors predict the outcome of surgery for cubital tunnel syndrome? Six of the most commonly used prognostic factors were evaluated. These included age, duration of symptoms, severity of preoperative status, results of preoperative electrodiagnostic testing, type of surgery, and Workers' Compensation status.

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New understanding of Dupuytren disease is changing the way the condition is treated. Surgery is less common now. Injections to dissolve the cords formed by this condition are becoming a preferred treatment. In this article, two hand surgeons from the Boston area review the causes, treatment, complications of treatment, and prognosis for this problem.

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