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Category Archives: Hand & Wrist

When is the right time to have carpal tunnel surgery?

This is a common question I hear from my patients. Surgery is a daunting prospect for anyone, and taking that first step by consulting with a Surgeon can be quite difficult. It may feel like you don't have any other option but to have an operation, but this may not necessarily be the case. Some patients may be better managed with splints, Hand therapy or even targeted cortisone injections. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a result of compression of the main nerve to the hand (median nerve) that ... Read More

April 17, 2018 By Jai Sungaran in corticosteroid, Hand & Wrist, Injections, Nerve injury, Work injury

How does Private Health Insurance affect your treatment.

There has been renewed interest in Private health insurance due to the upcoming increase in premiums as of April 1. Another reason has also been the much criticised changes by BUPA to it's health cover. But do you actually need to have private health insurance to receive treatment in Australia? The simple answer is, no. And that in itself is something we should all be grateful for. Our Health system has many flaws but the fact that every Australian has access to free health care for ANY ... Read More

March 13, 2018 By Jai Sungaran in Arthritis, corticosteroid, Elbow, Hand & Wrist, Injections, Joint pain, lacerations, Nerve injury, Rehabilitation, Sporting injury, Tendon, trauma, Work injury

3-d printing replacement bones – the future is here!

In an article published last month in the Journal of Hand Surgery (Eur), a research group in Switzerland reported on the first use of a 3D printed bone replacement with amazing results. They used a 3D printer to recreate the scaphoid bone made out of alumina ceramic (same material as some hip replacements) and re-implanted it back into the body to undergo testing. Granted the study was performed in a laboratory rather than real life, but the implications for the future are ... Read More

February 25, 2018 By Jai Sungaran in Developments, Hand & Wrist, Robotics

Psychological effects of work-related hand trauma

The hand is a commonly injured part of the body, especially in some occupations. It is critical to both accomplishing tasks and interacting socially so the injured hand becomes an issue in many ways. Our hands are almost always in our line of sight and is also highly visible to others. Therefore it is almost impossible to avoid viewing the disfigured hand, which in itself is a traumatic experience. The psychological effect of hand trauma cannot be ignored when dealing with patients who have ... Read More

January 21, 2018 By Jai Sungaran in Hand & Wrist, lacerations, Nerve injury, Rehabilitation, Sporting injury, Tendon, trauma, Work injury

Smartphone use and thumb pain

How many of us actually do not have a smartphone? This would be a very small number especially given how cheap and available they are. Even our children have toy smartphones that they can play with. On average, we use our Smartphone for almost 4 hours a day, and the increased loads through our thumbs is beginning to take its toll on our bones, joints and tendons. Basically we were never designed to put our thumbs through this level of stress. Opposable thumbs evolved to allow us to grasp ... Read More

September 7, 2017 By Jai Sungaran in corticosteroid, Hand & Wrist, Injections, Joint pain, Tendon, Work injury

What should I do with my clicky finger?

Trigger digits are a common condition that patients present with. Usually it is more a nuisance problem, but sometimes when a finger "locks" and stays in a flexed position it can lead to permanent damage to the joint and reduce the likelihood of regaining the motion in the finger. A trigger finger or thumb is caused by thickening of the covering sheath through which a flexor tendon runs. The A1 pulley thickens and causes friction against the tendon below. This leads to a cycle of ... Read More

June 28, 2017 By Jai Sungaran in corticosteroid, Hand & Wrist, Injections, Joint pain, Tendon, Work injury

Physiotherapy Education Evening

We're right into the finalising process for attendees to this exciting Education session. Once again it will be held at Hazelhurst Regional Gallery in Gymea which is an excellent venue with ample parking on site. And the food is top notch too! The theme for our talks is instability and all 4 Surgeons will be covering different areas of instability. We are fortunate that 2 patients have kindly offered their time to assist us with simulated examinations which will be a valuable learning ... Read More

May 16, 2017 By Jai Sungaran in Developments, Hand & Wrist, History, Joint pain, Rehabilitation, Sporting injury, trauma

The funny bone that isn’t so funny

Why do they call it "hitting your funny bone" when you hit the inside of your elbow? After all, anyone who has done this knows it's not funny at all! The area we're talking about is actually not a bone at all, rather it's the ulnar nerve as it passes behind the end of the humerus. The nerve is very superficial through this region and can be easily compressed or irritated by pressure or trauma. In fact, cubital tunnel syndrome (ulnar nerve) is the second most common nerve compression ... Read More

April 9, 2017 By Jai Sungaran in Elbow, Hand & Wrist, Joint pain, Nerve injury, Work injury

Why do I need to see a Hand Therapist?

Patients often ask whether they can continue their rehabilitation with their own Physio or Chiro. Most of the time this is suitable, and may actually be beneficial as they trust their therapist and have a good working relationship already. However with certain aspects of hand surgery, the rehabilitation is very specific and requires the care of a Hand Therapist. A hand therapist is an occupational or physical therapist who, through advanced continuing education, clinical experience and ... Read More

January 29, 2017 By Jai Sungaran in Hand & Wrist, Joint pain, Rehabilitation, Sporting injury, trauma, Work injury

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

At Southern Hand & Wrist we are thankful for the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of our patients. For the kind words of gratitude and the generous gifts from our patients and allied health team members. Working together, we have been able to relieve pain and restore function and that is always our focus. We wish all our patients, staff and friends a very happy Christmas and a safe holiday period. Dr Sungaran is rostered on call for Orthopaedic trauma at Concord ... Read More

December 23, 2016 By Jai Sungaran in Hand & Wrist

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