Hand injuries in sports medicine.

Many athletic injuries of the hand commonly present to, and can be managed by, primary care physicians. Knowing when to refer is also obviously important. This article is not meant to be an exhaustive list of all possible hand injuries. Rather, it is meant to serve as a useful guide to the primary care physician. For the busy primary care physician, a thorough assessment of the hand or wrist complaint includes a focused history and physical and the judicious use of supportive diagnostic testing. Know your anatomy and sport. This will set the foundation clinically for the best possible outcome. Ultimately,the goals of assessment and management are to restore, maximize, and preserve function.