Area of Expertise
Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery in Boynton Beach
Your hands and arms are used for nearly everything you do, so numbness, a finger that locks or a painful wrist can affect work, sleep and simple tasks like buttoning a shirt. At Personalized Orthopedics of the Palm Beaches, hand and upper extremity care covers the fingers, hand, wrist and elbow, with non-surgical treatment first and surgery when it is likely to help more.
Dr. Jennifer Tucker is a fellowship-trained, board-certified orthopedic hand and upper extremity surgeon. She works alongside Elise Burger, OTR, an occupational and hand therapist with more than 30 years of experience treating hand injuries. Having the surgeon and hand therapist in the same office means your splint, exercises and follow-up are planned together.
Conditions we treat
Dr. Tucker treats both sudden injuries and conditions that develop over time.
- Nerve compression: carpal tunnel syndrome (numbness and tingling in the thumb and fingers from pressure on the median nerve at the wrist) and cubital tunnel syndrome at the elbow
- Tendon problems: trigger finger, De Quervain's tendonitis on the thumb side of the wrist, and tennis elbow
- Fractures of the wrist and hand, including distal radius (wrist) and scaphoid fractures
- Tendon and nerve injuries from cuts or trauma
- Thumb arthritis, Dupuytren's contracture and ganglion cysts
Dr. Tucker also performs total and reverse shoulder replacement for selected patients with shoulder arthritis.
Non-surgical care first
Many hand and wrist problems improve without an operation. Depending on your diagnosis, treatment may include a custom or prefabricated splint, activity changes, hand therapy exercises and cortisone injections. X-ray is available in our office, and diagnostic ultrasound can help look at tendons and nerves.
Surgery is discussed when symptoms persist, when a nerve shows signs of lasting damage such as constant numbness or muscle weakness, or when a fracture or tendon injury needs repair to heal in good position.
When surgery is recommended
Common procedures include carpal tunnel release, which opens the tight ligament pressing on the median nerve, and trigger finger release, which frees a tendon that catches as the finger bends. Dr. Tucker also repairs wrist and hand fractures, tendons and nerves, and performs wrist and elbow arthroscopy, a technique that uses a small camera through tiny incisions.
Many hand procedures are done as outpatient surgery at area surgery centers, and you go home the same day. Recovery varies: after a trigger finger or carpal tunnel release, many people use the hand for light tasks within days to a few weeks, while fracture and tendon repairs usually take several months.
Hand therapy in the same office
Hand therapy is specialized rehab for the hand and arm. Elise Burger fabricates custom splints and designs exercise programs to restore motion, strength and everyday function after injury or surgery. Because she shares your chart with Dr. Tucker, changes to your plan happen quickly and you do not have to repeat your story to a new office.
What We Treat
Condition
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome is numbness, tingling and weakness in the hand caused by pressure on the median nerve as it passes through the carpal tunnel, a narrow passage on the palm side of the wrist.
Learn More ConditionTrigger Finger
Trigger finger, also called stenosing tenosynovitis, is a condition in which a finger or thumb catches, clicks or locks in a bent position because the tendon that bends it cannot glide smoothly through its tunnel, called the tendon sheath.
Learn More ConditionWrist Fracture
A wrist fracture is a break in one of the bones of the wrist, most often the distal radius (the end of the larger forearm bone near the thumb side) or the scaphoid (a small bone at the base of the thumb).
Learn More ConditionTennis Elbow
Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is pain on the outside of the elbow caused by overuse and small tears in the tendon that attaches the forearm muscles to the bony bump there, called the lateral epicondyle.
Learn More ConditionNerve Injuries
A nerve injury is damage to one of the nerves that carry feeling and movement signals between your brain and your hand, wrist or arm.
Learn More ConditionHand and Wrist Arthritis
Hand and wrist arthritis is the wearing away or inflammation of the joints in your fingers, thumb or wrist, which causes pain, stiffness, swelling and a weaker grip.
Learn MoreHow We Treat It
Surgical
Carpal Tunnel Release
Carpal tunnel release is a short outpatient surgery that relieves pressure on the median nerve at the wrist by cutting the tight ligament that forms the roof of the carpal tunnel.
Learn More SurgicalTrigger Finger Release
Trigger finger release is a short outpatient surgery that opens a tight band of tissue at the base of a finger or thumb so the tendon can glide freely again.
Learn More SurgicalComplex Upper Extremity Fracture Surgery
Complex upper extremity fracture surgery repairs broken bones in the hand, wrist, forearm, elbow or upper arm that cannot heal well in a cast or splint alone.
Learn More SurgicalElbow and Wrist Arthroscopy
Elbow and wrist arthroscopy is minimally invasive surgery in which the surgeon looks inside the joint with a small camera and treats problems through a few small incisions.
Learn More SurgicalTotal Elbow Replacement
Total elbow replacement, also called total elbow arthroplasty, is surgery that replaces the damaged surfaces of the elbow joint with an artificial hinge made of metal and medical-grade plastic.
Learn MoreOur Specialists
Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery: Frequently Asked Questions
Do I always need surgery for carpal tunnel or trigger finger?
No. Splinting, activity changes and a cortisone injection help many people. Surgery is considered when symptoms return, do not improve, or when there are signs of nerve damage such as constant numbness or weakness.
Can a hand problem be related to my job or hobbies?
Yes. Repetitive gripping, vibrating tools and long hours of typing can contribute to several hand and wrist conditions. Tell Dr. Tucker about your work and activities so your plan fits them. If the problem started at work, let our staff know when you call so workers' compensation can be coordinated.
What does a hand therapist do?
A hand therapist is an occupational or physical therapist with advanced training in the hand and arm. At POPB, Elise Burger makes custom splints, guides exercises and helps you regain the use of your hand after injury or surgery.
When should I go to the emergency room for a hand injury?
Go to the emergency room or call 911 for a deformed or badly swollen wrist after a fall, a deep cut with numbness or a finger you cannot bend, or a hand wound with spreading redness and fever. For other hand problems, call our office to schedule.
Location
6056 Boynton Beach Blvd, Suite 215
Boynton Beach, FL 33437
Visit Our Boynton Beach Office
Personalized Orthopedics of the Palm Beaches6056 Boynton Beach Blvd, Suite 215
Boynton Beach, FL 33437
Southwest corner of Boynton Beach Boulevard and El Clair Ranch Road, just east of Jog Road.
- Monday - Friday
- 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM*
- Saturday & Sunday
- Closed
- Phone
- (561) 733-5888
- Physical Therapy
- (561) 733-5888 ext. 6
*Individual physician hours vary. Outside office hours, call our main number to reach our answering service for urgent needs. Easy self-parking in front of and around the building, with easy access to Suite 215. Patients visit us from Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Lake Worth, Wellington, Lantana and West Boynton and across Palm Beach County.
Ready to talk to a specialist?
Call our Boynton Beach office and a real person will help you find the right provider and the earliest opening.