Ask Dr J

Dr J looks at the possible causes of neck pain and finger numbness (thoracic outlet syndrome, cervical disc bulge), and how the Viking genome causes those pesky lumps in your palm (Dupuytren’s contracture).

In this column we ponder the topic of who has higher bone density, boulderers versus climbers, a case of elbow tendonosis, and whether drinking from your plastic water bottle is making your sperm swim in circles.

Dr J has a squiz at swelling around the wrist (De Quervain’s tenosynovitis), wrist instability and triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) tears.

This month Dr J explains how an itty bitty virus can cause debilitating shoulder pain, and how riding a bike can make your little finger go numb. As well, Dr J looks at one of the more common climbing injuries that can cause palm and/or forearm pain and puts forth the Dr J Test for diagnosing this injury.

Dr J looks at some possible answers for why a finger joint has become inflamed and sore; and what is that lump that has formed in your finger?

This column shed light on that dreaded painful elbow (medial epicondylosis), stress fractures in the ulna bone of the forearm, and what to do with a dislocated biceps tendon. For a more comprehensive look at elbow tendonosis, refer to the articles titled Dodgy Elbows (issue 156), and the more recent update, Dodgy Elbows Revisited (issue 223).

Ever heard of a condition called Trigger Finger (not the George Bush variety)? It will cause your finger to lock into your palm. Dr J also looks at what to do with AC joint separation (AKA shoulder separation), climbers and pulley injuries (A2, A3 and A4), and cartilage (labrum) damage in the shoulder.