What does a hand surgeon actually treat?
In short
A hand surgeon treats the hand, the wrist and the elbow, which covers bone, joint, tendon and nerve problems: carpal tunnel and cubital tunnel, trigger finger, thumb and wrist arthritis, ganglion cysts, Dupuytren's disease, tendon and ligament tears, and fractures. Much of that work is treated without surgery.
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What a hand surgeon is
Look at your own forearm and work upward from the fingertips. Between the tips and the elbow there are twenty-seven bones in the hand alone, plus the joints between them, plus the tendons running out to every finger through sleeves the way a cable runs through its housing, plus three nerves carrying feeling and power down the same tight corridors. A hand surgeon is a surgeon who completed fellowship training in hand and upper extremity surgery after residency, so that whole region is the one thing they work on.
Read the condition-specific pages for treatment information. The Hand and Wrist Institute is one surgeon, Dr. John T. Knight, MD, fellowship trained in hand and upper extremity surgery, and the practice treats the hand, the wrist and the elbow only.
Hand surgeon or general orthopedic surgeon?
The difference is scope of training and scope of practice, not seniority. A general orthopedic surgeon is trained across the whole musculoskeletal system, hips and knees and shoulders included. A hand surgeon has taken additional fellowship training in the hand and upper extremity.
Here is the test you can apply yourself. Ask whether the surgeon completed a fellowship in hand and upper extremity surgery. Look at what else the practice treats, because one that also lists knees and hips is a different kind of practice from one listing only hand, wrist and elbow. Then at the visit, notice whether the non-surgical options come up before the surgical ones. All three answers are verifiable.
What comes through the door
| Region | Conditions commonly treated |
|---|---|
| Fingers and hand | Trigger finger, or what we call stenosing tenosynovitis2; Dupuytren's disease, where cords form in the palm and pull the fingers down3; ganglion cysts; mallet finger; flexor tendon injuries; hand and finger fractures |
| Wrist | Carpal tunnel syndrome, where the median nerve is compressed at the wrist1; broken wrists, or what we call distal radius fractures4; scaphoid fractures; wrist sprains; cartilage and ligament tears including TFCC tears; thumb and wrist arthritis |
| Elbow | Tennis elbow and golfer's elbow; cubital tunnel syndrome, where the ulnar nerve is compressed behind the inside of the elbow5; radial tunnel syndrome |
Treatment information is specific to each condition. See the original pages for carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger and cubital tunnel syndrome.
When to call us
- Numbness or tingling in the fingers that wakes you at night, or that is now there during the day
- A finger that catches, clicks or locks down and has to be straightened with the other hand
- A lump or cyst on the hand or wrist that is growing, painful, or getting in the way
- Hand, wrist or elbow pain after an injury, especially with swelling, bruising or a change in shape
- Grip or pinch strength that has dropped enough to change how you work or drive
What else do patients ask about this?
What is a doctor who specializes in the hand called?
A hand surgeon, or a hand and upper extremity surgeon. The training route is a surgical residency followed by a fellowship in hand and upper extremity surgery.
What doctor should I see if my hand hurts?
For pain after an injury, or numbness, locking, weakness or a lump that is not settling, a hand surgeon can examine it, image it and treat it in the same visit.
Does a hand surgeon treat the elbow too?
Yes. The nerves and tendons that serve the hand start at or pass through the elbow, so tennis elbow, golfer's elbow and cubital tunnel syndrome all sit inside the specialty.
Does seeing a hand surgeon mean I will need surgery?
Treatment options are described on each condition’s page. Discuss the options for your condition with Dr. Knight.
Sources
- OrthoInfo, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Read 2026-09-04.
- OrthoInfo, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Trigger Finger Read 2026-09-04.
- OrthoInfo, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dupuytren's Disease Read 2026-09-04.
- OrthoInfo, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Distal Radius Fractures (Broken Wrist) Read 2026-09-04.
- OrthoInfo, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Ulnar Nerve Entrapment at the Elbow Read 2026-09-04.