Hand and upper extremity care

A condition caused by pressure on the median nerve on your wrist which may cause pain or numbness in your thumb and fingers. The condition needs prompt medical attention to preserve your hand's functionality.

Consult with a physician about your condition. They may suggest relieving mild symptoms at home, such as applying ice to the wrist or using a wrist splint to relieve pressure. If your numbness does not improve after exhausting these and other noninvasive methods, we offer minimally invasive procedures may be performed to reduce the pressure on the median nerve.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder that causes chronic inflammation in the lining of your joints. If RA goes untreated, it may result in permanent joint deformity or bone erosion. Usually, symptoms start in your hands or feet and can spread to other parts of your body.

At your doctor's discretion, medication and therapy can relieve symptoms and protect your joints. However, we also offer a range of surgeries, from minor procedures to joint replacements, if needed to treat your RA.

Before recommending hand, elbow, shoulder or wrist surgery, we will exhaust all nonsurgical treatment options. If a procedure becomes necessary, we use minimally invasive surgery whenever possible.

Shoulder replacement surgery

Joint damage, caused by injury, disease or wear and tear, can make repetitive shoulder motions severely painful. A shoulder replacement involves resurfacing bone that has lost collagen or replacing damaged shoulder joints with a prosthesis or an artificial component.

Through shoulder replacement surgery, our orthopedic surgeons resurface the collagen and may replace all or part of the shoulder's ball and socket joint. The surgery alleviates pain and restores your range of motion.

If you require an amputation, we offer advanced limb preservation treatments to help you heal. This includes targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR). In this procedure, we connect nerves together in the area of the amputation. It can reduce pain in the limb, including phantom limb pain.

Your orthopedic specialist may consult with our physical therapy and rehabilitation teams concerning your care either as a treatment or as part of postoperative care. If physical therapy is part of your care plan, our therapists will personalize a therapy regimen to help you restore function, strength and movement to the affected area.

As much as possible, our physicians try nonsurgical treatments first, including:

• Braces
• Compression
• Corticosteroid injections
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Physical therapy and rehabilitation services

Our limb preservation experts are fellowship-trained physicians who provide care for many joint- or limb-threatening conditions, including bone cancers. We also work with local partners to more effectively treat complex limb preservation issues. For conditions such as bone tumors, soft tissue sarcomas, bone infections or blood flow issues, we can refer you to our partners at Colorado Limb Consultants.

Whether you're a weekend warrior or a professional athlete, our sports medicine specialists can help. They have additional training to address the unique needs of both child and adult athletes. Our holistic approach to treating your injury or condition will include rehabilitation services that work to restore your function and get you back to your desired performance level.