Dislocations (Subscribe)  

The human wrist joint is a complex arrangement of small bones and ligaments that form a mobile yet stable link from the powerful forearm to the hand. The normally functioning carpus can position the hand precisely relative to the forearm and provides remarkably stable transmission of forces. Motion and stability...

Gamekeeper's thumb was originally described by Campbell in 1955 when he reported chronic laxity of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) of the thumb in 24 Scottish gamekeepers. The injury occurred as gamekeepers sacrificed wounded rabbits and other small game by breaking their necks between the ground and their thumbs and...

* dislocation of 1st MCP joint
o +/- avulsion fx
* rupture of ulnar collateral ligament
* gamekeeper twists + pulls off head of cute little animals
* now seen d/t ski-pole injuries

There are a variety of techniques to repair traumatic instability of the ulnar collateral ligament of the thumb, commonly called gamekeeper's thumb or skier's thumb.
Illustrations of the surgery

Campbell originally coined the term gamekeeper's thumb in 1955,1 because this condition was most commonly associated with Scottish gamekeepers, especially rabbit keepers, in whom the injury was work related. The injury occurred as the men sacrificed game such as rabbits; the animals' necks were broken between the ground and the...

Phalangeal fractures are common injuries that may significantly affect hand function if not managed appropriately. Closed treatment has been the mainstay of treatment. Percutaneous pinning allowed the conversion of more unstable fracture patterns to stable configurations capable of tolerating early motion. More recently, minifragment screws and plates were developed to...

Interphalangeal (IP) joint dislocations of the fingers and toes are common. Typically associated with forced hyperextension or hyperflexion of the digit, they require immediate reduction. The IP joint is a hinge joint that allows only flexion and extension and consists of several ligamentous complexes. The volar plate provides stability against...

Dislocation of a joint occurs when traumatic forces cause complete loss of continuity between the joint’s 2 articulating surfaces. Subluxation, on the other hand, occurs when the loss of continuity between the joints is only partial. A dislocation may or may not involve a fracture. Dislocations of the finger joints...

Despite the inherent stability of the joints of the thumb, the vulnerable anatomic position of the first phalangis often subjects the joints to mechanical strain that leads to subluxation or dislocation of the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) and interphalangeal (IP) joints.
Despite the inherent stability of the joints of the thumb, the vulnerable...

Sprains and dislocations of the metacarpophalangeal joint (MPJ) of the finger are relatively rare due to the protected position of this joint in the hand. Injuries to the MPJ of the thumb are more common, although these usually consist of collateral ligament injuries rather than dorsal or palmar dislocations.
Synonyms and...

Perilunate dislocations and perilunate fracture dislocations are the most devastating closed injuries of the wrist.1, 2, 3 They are often missed on initial evaluation, leading to devastating complications. These injuries occur as the final stage of a spectrum of injuries progressing around the wrist in a radial-to-ulnar direction. In the...

Full text article in Australian Journal of Physiotherapy 1995 41:29-33

Injuries to the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) of the thumb were first recognized as an occupational condition in European gamekeepers. By repetitively wringing the necks of game (eg, chickens) between their thumb and index finger, these workers produced a chronic stretching of the UCL that resulted in instability at the...

In his now classic 1962 article, Bertil Stener described a distinct, surgically correctable anatomic lesion that could account for the chronic instability found in the thumbs of some gamekeepers and skiers. CS Campbell first coined the term gamekeeper's thumb in 1955, when he described insufficiency in the ulnar collateral ligament...