The triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC), located on the same side of your wrist as your pinky finger, stabilizes your wrist bones so that you can rotate and move your wrist freely. It is made up of ligaments that connect the bones and cartilage that provides cushion and hydration between the bones. Ligaments and cartilage in TFCC are prone to rupture. A minor TFCC injury may be a wrist sprain but a TFCC injury can be more serious and treatment can be difficult due to poor blood flow to the area, resulting in improper healing.
If you have any of the following symptoms, you should seek medical treatment: pain when turning your palm up, like opening a door; Wrist weakness. Instability in the wrist. A crackling or popping sound in your wrists.
Your doctor will likely take an X-ray, MRI, or MRI with an injected dye to diagnose your condition (called an arthrogram). If your doctor is unable to diagnose you based on the results of these tests, you may need to undergo surgery where a small camera is inserted to see if there are any tears in the ligaments or cartilage (called arthroscopy).
The injury to TFCC can be attributed to your job. Examples of work-related TFCC injuries include:
A worker who slips, falls and lands with an outstretched hand.
A worker using a drill bit becomes stuck, causing the wrist to rotate forcefully.
– Decay over time from repetitive tasks such as constantly twisting and dragging an item on an assembly line.
In Illinois, if your TFCC injury was caused by, exacerbated or accelerated by your job, you are entitled to benefits under the Illinois Workers Compensation Act. This means that regardless of a pre-existing condition, if your injury is in any way related to your work activities, you should be able to receive workers compensation benefits.
Therefore, your treatment costs must be covered or at least supplemented with workers’ compensation if you sustain an injury due to your job. Treatment usually includes wearing a brace or bandage to keep your wrist still, as well as anti-inflammatory medications (Advil, Motrin) or even prescription pain medications. Other ways to relieve pain and inflammation include ice and cortisone injections.
If none of the above relieves your symptoms, your doctor may recommend arthroscopic surgery, using the same diagnostic method described above but where debridement (smoothing and shaving) of meniscus tears is done.
If your TFCC injury is work-related, you must hire a workers compensation attorney to ensure that you receive all the benefits to which you are entitled. If you are concerned about the cost of an attorney, keep in mind that your attorney must work on an emergency basis. This means that you pay nothing, unless you get something. All fees, costs, and expenses will come from the amount you recover and should be only a percentage of that total amount. But if you don’t get anything, you owe something.
A work injury can cause a great deal of physical and mental stress. You don’t have to incur the expenses either. An experienced workers compensation attorney will help you through the process and ensure that you get the maximum benefits. Consider your legal rights and summon a highly experienced workers compensation attorney as soon as possible.
To learn more, visit http://www.findgreatlawyers.com/tfcc-tears-illinois-work-injuries.htm