The hand is one of the amazing works intricate design and function in the entire human anatomy. A detailed examination of the human hand will reveal that form follows function and any injury on any part of the hand can lead to a serious handicap. This is why you should seek for medical attention for even the smallest hand injury. Most doctors will start on quick treatment for hand injuries to avoid long term effects.

Basically the hand is made of twenty seven bones including eight wrist bones. There are other structures such as nerves, blood vessels, muscles, tendons, and joint cartilage inside the hand. This makes the hand highly susceptible to a variety of injuries. The susceptibility is reflected on the fact that nearly 10% of all hospital emergency department cases in the United States are related to hand injuries. Half of hand injuries reported in hospitals are due to blunt trauma while 25% are due to sharp objects. Other types of injuries are as a result of lacerations, bruises, fractures, and infections. This high prevalence of hand injuries is least surprising given the numerous functions and activities that rely on the use of hands.

Hand injuries are generally categorized into five groups. The first category involves cuts leading to loss of blood and injury. The second category involves all types of fractures and dislocations on the hand due to a variety of causes including accidents or being hit by a blunt object. The third category involves injuries to the soft tissue including outright amputations. Infections caused by diseases or unattended wounds are considered as the fourth category of hand injuries while burns and their effects on the hand such as scarification make up the fifth category. Hand injuries can also result from sporting activities. In all the above cases, it is essential for the injury to be examined by a medical specialist to avoid the risk of permanent disability.