Ligament And Tendon Disorders

Ligament and tendon disorders are caused by tears (known as sprains) to the core parts of your hands or wrists. Common symptoms include pain, swelling, difficulty gripping things and difficulty moving your wrist.

There are lots of different injuries that can happen, but the most common are:

TFCC tear: An injury to the triangular fibrocartilage complex (known as TFCC) – an area in your wrist made up of ligaments, tendons and cartilage. The TFCC helps you stabilise your wrist, grasp things and rotate your arm.
Scapholunate ligament tear or sprain: A tear to the scapholunate ligament, which sits in the middle of your wrist. The ligament helps give you a good range of motion in your wrist. It is important when you are pushing yourself off a chair or doing push ups

It’s also possible to develop ligament disorders in your thumb.

Book an appointment

Diagnosis

If you think you might have damaged your wrist, you can book an initial consultation with Mr Sarker at his clinics in Essex or central London.

During your consultation, Mr Sarker will discuss your symptoms with you and do a physical assessment of your hand and wrist. He might use something called the fovea test, where he puts pressure on the outside of your wrist to see if it’s painful and the Kirk-Watson test to see if there is any damage to the scapholunate ligament. . You may also need an X-ray to rule out any broken bones. He will usually request an MRI scan to help look at the ligaments in detail

Treatment

Treatment depends on how severe your injury is. Mr Sarker will always use non-surgical procedures to treat the damage first, and surgery is a last resort. It’s important to have treatment, as ligament damage can lead to arthritis in the long term.

Hand therapy and wearing a splint

Firstly, Mr Sarker will recommend wearing a splint for a few weeks to help the tear to heal. Mr Sarker will also give you some gentle exercises to rebuild the strength in your wrist, and you may need to work with a physiotherapist.

Steroid injections

Steroid injections can help control pain and swelling in the affected area if normal painkillers aren’t working. Mr Sarker injects the steroids directly into the affected area to provide effective pain relief.

Surgery for ligament and tendon disorders

If wearing a splint doesn’t help, Mr Sarker may recommend surgery to repair the damage. The type of surgery you have depends on your individual needs. It could be a procedure to remove damaged bone, or surgery to repair the structure of the ligament using stitches or wires to hold repaired tissue in place until the injury heals.

He can perform these surgeries either via keyhole surgery or open surgery if needed. He is well versed in the latest arthroscopic techniques. He has received training from some of the most prominent surgeons in Europe and has performed these procedures many times. These procedures are all done as day cases.

If it is needed, Mr Sarker will explain everything in detail, so you’re fully informed about the procedure.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the recovery time for surgery?

It depends from person to person and depends on what surgery you have done. You will generally have to rest it for a couple of weeks but if you have ligament reconstruction, then you will be in a cast or splint for up to 6 weeks. You’ll have regular reviews with Mr Sarker so he can see your progress, but it’ll be a few months before you fully regain movement in your wrist.

Can I use my private medical insurance?

Yes, Mr Sarker is approved by all major medical insurance providers and these treatments are well recognised. You’ll need to make sure your particular insurer provides you with authorisation at each stage of your journey.

Can I pay for my own treatment?

Yes, Mr Sarker is happy to see patients on a self-pay basis. If you’re looking for prompt treatment from an expert hand and wrist consultant, you can book an appointment with Mr Sarker by getting in touch directly. You’ll be made aware of all of the prices for anything you need well ahead of having them, so you can make the right decision for you.

How much is a consultation with Mr Sarker?

An initial consultation is £250, and a follow up consultation is £175. The price of any scans, tests or treatments will depend on the hospital you visit, but you’ll be made aware of any costs well in advance of any procedure, so that you can make an informed choice.

Do I need a referral letter to see Mr Sarker?

Mr Sarker is happy to see you without a referral letter, but if you’re using your insurance, you should check with them as they may request that you get one.