BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuClaw handUlnar nerve palsy - claw hand; Ulnar nerve dysfunction - claw hand; Ulnar clawClaw hand is a condition that causes curved or bent fingers. This makes the hand appear like the claw of an animal. Considerations Someone can be born with claw hand (congenital), or they can develop it because of certain disorders, such as a nerve injury. Causes Causes may include:Congenital abnormality Genetic diseases, such as from Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease Charcot-Marie-Tooth diseaseCharcot-Marie-Tooth disease is a group of disorders passed down through families that affect the nerves outside the brain and spine. These are calle...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Nerve damage in the arm Nerve damageUlnar nerve dysfunction is a problem with one of the nerves that travel from the shoulder to the hand, called the ulnar nerve. It helps you move you...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Scarring after a severe burn of the hand or forearm Rare infections, such as leprosyLeprosyLeprosy is a disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae. This disease causes skin sores, nerve damage, and muscle weakness that gets worse...Read Article Now Book Mark Article When to Contact a Medical Professional If the condition is congenital, it is usually diagnosed at birth. If you notice claw hand developing, contact your health care provider. What to Expect at Your Office Visit Your provider will examine you and look closely at your hands and feet. You will be asked questions about your medical history and symptoms. The following tests may be done to check for nerve damage: Electromyography (EMG) to check the health of the muscles and the nerves that control the muscles EMGElectromyography (EMG) is a test that checks the health of the muscles and the nerves that control the muscles.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Nerve conduction studies to check how fast electrical signals move through a nerveNerve conduction studiesNerve conduction velocity (NCV) is a test to see how fast electrical signals move through a nerve. This test is done along with electromyography (EM...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment depends on the cause. It may include:Splinting Surgery to fix problems that may be contributing to the claw hand, such as nerve or tendon problems, joint contractures, or scar tissue Joint contracturesA contracture develops when the normally stretchy (elastic) tissues are replaced by nonstretchy (inelastic) fiber-like tissue. This tissue makes it ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Tendon transfer (graft) to allow movement of the hand and wrist Hand therapy to straighten the fingersOpen ReferencesReferencesDavis TRC. Tendon transfers for median, radial, and ulnar nerve palsy. In: Wolfe SW, Pederson WC, Kozin SH, Cohen MS. Green's Operative Hand Surgery. 68h ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 31.Feldscher SB. Therapy management of tendon transfers. In: Skirven TM, Osterman AL, Fedorczyk JM, Amadio PC, Feldscher SB, Shin EK, eds. Rehabilitation of the Hand and Upper Extremity. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 44.Sapienza A, Green S. Correction of the claw hand. Hand Clin. 2012;28(1):53-66. PMID: 22117924 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22117924/.AllVideoImagesTogClaw hand - illustration Claw hand is a hand characterized by curved or bent fingers, making the hand appear claw-like.Claw handillustrationClaw hand - illustration Claw hand is a hand characterized by curved or bent fingers, making the hand appear claw-like.Claw handillustrationRelated Information Claw foot(Symptoms) Review Date: 9/20/2022 Reviewed By: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Claw handUlnar nerve palsy - claw hand; Ulnar nerve dysfunction - claw hand; Ulnar clawClaw hand is a condition that causes curved or bent fingers. This makes the hand appear like the claw of an animal. Considerations Someone can be born with claw hand (congenital), or they can develop it because of certain disorders, such as a nerve injury. Causes Causes may include:Congenital abnormality Genetic diseases, such as from Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease Charcot-Marie-Tooth diseaseCharcot-Marie-Tooth disease is a group of disorders passed down through families that affect the nerves outside the brain and spine. These are calle...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Nerve damage in the arm Nerve damageUlnar nerve dysfunction is a problem with one of the nerves that travel from the shoulder to the hand, called the ulnar nerve. It helps you move you...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Scarring after a severe burn of the hand or forearm Rare infections, such as leprosyLeprosyLeprosy is a disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae. This disease causes skin sores, nerve damage, and muscle weakness that gets worse...Read Article Now Book Mark Article When to Contact a Medical Professional If the condition is congenital, it is usually diagnosed at birth. If you notice claw hand developing, contact your health care provider. What to Expect at Your Office Visit Your provider will examine you and look closely at your hands and feet. You will be asked questions about your medical history and symptoms. The following tests may be done to check for nerve damage: Electromyography (EMG) to check the health of the muscles and the nerves that control the muscles EMGElectromyography (EMG) is a test that checks the health of the muscles and the nerves that control the muscles.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Nerve conduction studies to check how fast electrical signals move through a nerveNerve conduction studiesNerve conduction velocity (NCV) is a test to see how fast electrical signals move through a nerve. This test is done along with electromyography (EM...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment depends on the cause. It may include:Splinting Surgery to fix problems that may be contributing to the claw hand, such as nerve or tendon problems, joint contractures, or scar tissue Joint contracturesA contracture develops when the normally stretchy (elastic) tissues are replaced by nonstretchy (inelastic) fiber-like tissue. This tissue makes it ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Tendon transfer (graft) to allow movement of the hand and wrist Hand therapy to straighten the fingersOpen ReferencesReferencesDavis TRC. Tendon transfers for median, radial, and ulnar nerve palsy. In: Wolfe SW, Pederson WC, Kozin SH, Cohen MS. Green's Operative Hand Surgery. 68h ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 31.Feldscher SB. Therapy management of tendon transfers. In: Skirven TM, Osterman AL, Fedorczyk JM, Amadio PC, Feldscher SB, Shin EK, eds. Rehabilitation of the Hand and Upper Extremity. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 44.Sapienza A, Green S. Correction of the claw hand. Hand Clin. 2012;28(1):53-66. PMID: 22117924 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22117924/.