How do I know if my TFCC is injured?

How do I know if my TFCC is injured?

TFCC tears are often diagnosed using the fovea test, also called the ulnar fovea sign. To do this, your doctor will apply pressure to the outside of your wrist and ask if you feel any pain or tenderness. They’ll do the same to your unaffected wrist for comparison.

What do injuries to the TFCC present as?

Patients with TFCC injury will present with ulnar-sided wrist pain that may present with clicking or point tenderness between the pisiform and the ulnar head. MRI imaging is useful as a preliminary diagnostic tool; arthroscopy is the diagnostic gold standard.

How do you test a piano key?

The Piano Key Sign is a common test performed by physicians as a part of the clinical assessment of the wrist. Simply described, imagine the ulna head as a piano key. The examiner would press on the ulna head and if painful, would indicate a positive Piano Key Sign.

Will TFCC injury heal on its own?

In many cases, a TFCC tear will heal on its own. However, a person will need to avoid using the affected wrist to prevent further injury and to allow it to heal properly. A healthcare professional may also recommend wearing a splint, brace, or cast to protect and immobilize the wrist.

What is TFCC wrist injury?

A TFCC tear is an injury to the triangular fibrocartilage complex, soft tissues in the wrist that cushion and support the carpal bones and help stabilize the forearm. Injuries range from mild to severe, but all can disable the wrist.

What is a TFCC sprain?

A triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) tear or sprain occurs when the triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC), a cartilage structure that joins the end of the forearm to the small wrist bones on the pinkie side, is strained due to an injury or a golf swing.

Where is TFCC located?

The triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) is a network of ligaments, tendons, and cartilage that sits between the ulna and radius bones on the small finger side of the wrist. The TFCC stabilizes and cushions the wrist, particularly when a person rotates their hand or grasps something with it.

What is the piano-key test used for?

Purpose. The Piano-Key Sign Test is a test carried out for the clinical assessment of wrist instability. It is used as an indicator for distal radio-ulnar joint instability and tears of the triangular fibrocartilage complex of the wrist.

How is the piano key sign test done?

The Piano Key Sign is a common test performed by physicians as a part of the clinical assessment of the wrist. Simply described, imagine the ulna head as a piano key. The examiner would press on the ulna head and if painful, would indicate a positive Piano Key Sign.

When to start range of motion after a TFCC tear?

After one week, range of motion exercises can be started. A TFCC tear is a common injury in golf, boxing, tennis, water skiing, gymnastics, pole vaulting and hockey. Golf players and tennis players who suffer from a stable TFCC tear are able to start light activity ball contact at 3 weeks after the arthroscopy.

How does positive ulnar variation affect the TFCC?

Positive ulnar variation can leave the TFCC vulnerable to injury. Ulnar variation will decrease with supination and increase with pronation. Small changes in ulnar length have been shown to have substantial effects on the amount of load to the ulna. Patients will complain of ulnar-sided wrist pain that often gets worse with activity.

Which is better for Central TFCC tears or Degenerative tears?

Debridement has beneficial outcomes for central TFCC tears but has been shown to have worse outcomes in degenerative tears or patients with higher positive ulnar variance. Initial treatment includes rest, physical therapy, and corticosteroid injections.