What are they:
Tendons are the tool by which the muscles can flex and extend the wrist and hand; they fit onto the bones and can be compared to smooth, flexible but very resistant ropes. Even just a shallow cut can cause a tendon injury, especially in some regions of the wrist where the tendons pass very close to the skin surface. Less frequently it can be caused by a sudden traumatic event that tears the tendon from its base.
Recommended treatment:
The treatment is surgery and is aimed at restoring the continuity of the tendon and returning its function. Early treatment gives better guarantees of success. The type of surgery depends on the type of injury. If a tendon is completely cut off, the head connected to the muscle can retract as if it were a rubber band: for this reason, it is sometimes necessary to explore the wound, expanding its size; the two items are then stitched together.
If the tendon has instead been torn, it is necessary to fix it again to the bone. The operation is performed with regional anaesthesia of the upper limb. In post-surgery, following a period of immobilization, physiotherapeutic treatment with dynamic tutors and exercises aimed at preventing stiffness and adhesions between tendons and surrounding structures is of fundamental importance. In particular, adhesions, a result of the physiological healing process, are a possible cause of surgical treatment failure and their removal may require further surgery.
