Pediatric hand injuries: essentials you need to know.

The hand is a common site of injury in children and adolescents. The most common mechanism of injury in younger children is crush injury resulting from the hand caught in a closing door while most fractures in teenagers result from recreational sports. Accurate diagnosis of hand fractures is a requisite for timely management of these injuries in order to restore normal function and achieve a satisfactory outcome since poorly treated injuries can have significant functional consequences. Metacarpal and phalangeal fractures can be difficult to diagnose at radiography due to their relatively small size leading to potential delays in treatment. Recognition of common fracture locations and patterns is essential in ensuring prompt and appropriate treatment.