[Winter sports injuries of the hand. 3 problem injuries]

Growing redistribution of injuries has been recordable from winter sport activities, in recent years, with the upper extremity being more often affected than in the past. This prompted the authors to undertake follow-up checks for the purpose of verifying therapeutic success of patients treated earlier for three frequent injuries which had quite often been underestimated or even overlooked, rupture of the ulnar ligament of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the thumb, fracture of the distal radius, and fracture of the scaphoid. Included in the follow-up check were 37 patients with rupture of the ulnar ligament, 34 with fracture of the distal radius, and 11 with scaphoid fracture. All of them had been treated by the authors, in 1982 and 1983. Periods between 4 and 26 months had passed from surgical treatment or beginning of conservative therapy at the time of the follow-up check.