Typically, Dupuytren's contracture first presents as a thickening or nodule in the palm, which initially can be with or without pain. Later in the disease process, there is painless increasing loss of range of motion of the affected fingers. The earliest sign of a contracture is a triangular “puckering” of the skin of the palm as it passes over the flexor tendon just before the flexor crease of the finger, at the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint. Generally, the cords or contractures are painless, but, rarely, tenosynovitis can occur and produce pain. The most common finger to be affected is the ring finger; the thumb and index finger are much less often affected. The disease begins in the palm and moves towards the fingers, with the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints affected before the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints.

In Dupuytren's contracture, the palmar fascia within the hand becomes abnormally thick, which can cause the fingers to curl and can impair finger function. The main function of the palmar fascia is to increase grip strength; thus, over time, Dupuytren's contracture decreases a person's ability to hold objects. People may report pain, aching and itching with the contractions. Normally, the palmar fascia consists of collagen type I, but in Dupuytren sufferers, the collagen changes to collagen type III, which is significantly thicker than collagen type I.

People with severe involvement often show lumps on the back of their finger joints (called “Garrod's pads”, “knuckle pads”, or “dorsal Dupuytren nodules”) and lumps in the arch of the feet (plantar fibromatosis or Ledderhose disease). In severe cases, the area where the palm meets the wrist may develop lumps. Severe Dupuytren disease may also be associated with frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis of shoulder), Peyronie's disease of the penis, increased risk of several types of cancer, and risk of early death, but more research is needed to clarify these relationships.

Burn scar contracture refers to the tightening of the skin after a second or third degree burn. When skin is burned, the surrounding skin begins to pull together, resulting in a contracture. It needs to be treated as soon as possible because the scar can result in restriction of movement around the injured area.

Finger injuries are usually diagnosed with x-ray and can get to be considerably painful. The majority of finger injuries can be dealt with conservative care and splints. However, if the bone presents an abnormal angularity or if it is displaced, one may need surgery and pins to hold the bones in place.

Arthritis of the hand is common in females. Osteoarthritis of the hand joints is much less common than rheumatoid arthritis. As the arthritis progresses, the finger gets deformed and lose its functions. Moreover, many patients with rheumatoid arthritis have this dysfunction present in both hands and become disabled due to chronic pain. Osteoarthritis is most common at the base of thumb and is usually treated with pain pills, splinting or steroid injections.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common disorder of the hand. This disorder results from compression of an important nerve in the wrist. Disorders like diabetes mellitus, thyroid or rheumatoid arthritis can narrow the tunnel and cause impingement of the nerve. Carpal tunnel syndrome also occurs in people who overuse their hand or perform repetitive actions like using a computer key board, a cashiers machine or a musical instrument. When the nerve is compressed, it can result in disabling symptoms like numbness, tingling, or pain in the middle three fingers. As the condition progresses, it can lead to muscle weakness and inability to hold objects. The pain frequently occurs at night and can even radiate to the shoulder. Even though the diagnosis is straightforward, the treatment is not satisfactory.

Dupuytren's contracture is another disorder of the fingers that is due to thickening of the underlying skin tissues of the palm. The disorder results in a deformed finger which appears thin and has small bumps on the surface. Dupuytren's contracture does run in families, but is also associated with diabetes, smoking, seizure recurrence and other vascular disorders. Dupuytren's does not need any treatment as the condition can resolve on its own. However, if finger function is compromised, then surgery may be required.

Ganglion cysts are soft globular structures that occur on the back of the hand usually near the junction of the wrist joint. These small swellings are usually painless when small but can affect hand motion when they become large. The cysts contain a jelly like substance and usually do disappear on their own. If the ganglion cyst is not bothersome, it should be left alone. Just removing the fluid from the cyst is not curative because fluid will come back in less than a week. Surgery is often done for large cysts but the results are poor. Recurrences are common, and there is always the possibility of nerve or joint damage.

Tendinitis is disorder when tendons of the hands become inflamed. Tendons are thick fibrous cords that attach small muscles of the hand to bones. A Tendon is useful for generation of power to bend or extend the finger. When repetitive action is performed, tendons often get inflamed and present with pain and difficulty for moving the finger. In most cases, tendinitis can be treated with rest, ice and wearing splints. In some cases, an injection of corticosteroid may help. Tendinitis is primarily a disorder from overuse but if not treated properly, can become chronic.

Trigger finger is a common disorder which occurs when the sheath through which tendons pass, become swollen or irritated. Initially, the finger may catch during movement but symptoms like pain, swelling and a snap may occur with time. The finger often gets locked in one position and it may be difficult to straighten or bend the finger. Trigger finger has been found to be associated with diabetes, gout and rheumatoid arthritis.

Stenosing tenosynovitis often presents with a painful and swollen thumb with limited range of motion, or a ring finger or middle finger with similarly limited motion. There is often a feeling of catching when the thumb is flexed. In the ring and middle fingers, often a nodule can be felt when you press the area of the hand where the palm meets the finger.

On weightbearing projectional radiography, pes cavus can be diagnosed and graded by several features, the most important being medial peritalar subluxation, increased calcaneal pitch (variable) and abnormal "talar-1st metatarsal angle" (Meary's angle). Medial peritalar subluxation can be demonstrated by a medially rotated talonavicular coverage angle.

Stenosing tenosynovitis (also known as trigger finger or trigger thumb) is a painful condition caused by the inflammation (tenosynovitis) and progressive restriction of the superficial and deep flexors fibrous tendon sheath adjacent to the A1 pulley at a metacarpal head. Repetitive forceful compression, tensile stress, and resistive flexion, causes inflammation, swelling, and microtrauma, that results in thickening (commonly a nodular formation) of the tendon distal to the pulley and stenosis of the tendon sheath leading to a painful digital base, limitation of finger movements, triggering, snapping, locking, and deformity progressively.

Patients report a popping sound at the proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP), morning stiffness with/without triggering, delayed and sometimes painful extension of the digit, and when more advanced, a locking position that requires manipulation to extend the affected finger. This condition more commonly affects the middle and ring fingers (occasionally the thumb), and the flexor rather than extensor tendons in the hand.

In rheumatic trigger finger (or in diabetes), more than one finger may be involved. Cases of stenosing peroneal tenosynovitis, have been reported where the patient presents with pain over the lateral malleolus, both with active and passive range of motion and no physical of radiographic evidence of instability.

Any fracture in elbow region or upper arm may lead to Volkmann's ischemic contracture, but it is especially associated with supracondylar fracture of the humerus.

Volkmann's contracture results from acute ischaemia and necrosis of the muscle fibres of the flexor group of muscles of the forearm, especially the flexor digitorum profundus and flexor pollicis longus. The muscles become fibrotic and shortened.

The condition is caused by obstruction on the brachial artery near the elbow, possibly from improper use of a tourniquet, improper use of a plaster cast, or compartment syndrome. It is also caused by fractures of the forearm bones if they cause bleeding from the major blood vessels of the forearm.

As with certain cases of flat feet, high arches may be painful due to metatarsal compression; however, high arches— particularly if they are flexible or properly cared-for—may be an asymptomatic condition.

People with pes cavus sometimes—though not always—have difficulty finding shoes that fit and may require support in their shoes. Children with high arches who have difficulty walking may wear specially-designed insoles, which are available in various sizes and can be made to order.

Individuals with pes cavus frequently report foot pain, which can lead to a significant limitation in function. The range of complaints reported in the literature include metatarsalgia, pain under the first metatarsal, plantar fasciitis, painful callosities, ankle arthritis, and Achilles tendonitis.

There are many other symptoms believed to be related to the cavus foot. These include shoe-fitting problems, lateral ankle instability, lower limb stress fractures, knee pain, iliotibial band friction syndrome, back pain and tripping.

Foot pain in people with pes cavus may result from abnormal plantar pressure loading because, structurally, the cavoid foot is regarded as being rigid and non-shock absorbent and having reduced ground contact area. There have previously been reports of an association between excessive plantar pressure and foot pathology in people with pes cavus.

Volkmann's contracture is a permanent flexion contracture of the hand at the wrist, resulting in a claw-like deformity of the hand and fingers. Passive extension of fingers is restricted and painful.

Classification of radial dysplasia is practised through different models. Some only include the different deformities or absences of the radius, where others also include anomalies of the thumb and carpal bones. The Bayne and Klug classification discriminates four different types of radial dysplasia. A fifth type was added by Goldfarb et al. describing a radial dysplasia with participation of the humerus. In this classification only anomalies of the radius and the humerus are taken in consideration. James and colleagues expanded this classification by including deficiencies of the carpal bones with a normal distal radius length as type 0 and isolated thumb anomalies as type N.

Type N: Isolated thumb anomaly

Type 0: Deficiency of the carpal bones

Type I: Short distal radius

Type II: Hypoplastic radius in miniature

Type III: Absent distal radius

Type IV: Complete absent radius

Type V: Complete absent radius and manifestations in the proximal humerus

The term absent radius can refer to the last 3 types.

Garrod's pads (also known as "violinist's pads") are a cutaneous condition characterized by calluses on the dorsal aspect of the interphalangeal joints, i.e. the back side of the finger joints. They are often seen in violin, viola, and cello players, along with fiddler's neck and other dermatologic conditions peculiar to string musicians. Although Garrod’s pads are conventionally described as appearing on the proximal interphalangeal joint, Rimmer & Spielvogel document an instance on the distal interphalangeal joint of a cellist.

Garrod's pads are named after Archibald Garrod who first documented them in 1904 in association with Dupuytren's contracture. H.A. Bird described them as an incidental finding in a professional violinist and proposed that they arise in such cases due to repeated extreme tension of the extensor tendons over the interphalangeal joints. Bird noted that violin players use the left hand for a markedly different task than the right hand, with the extensor tendons in the left hand subjected to considerable tension, and that Garrod’s pads only arise on the left hand in such cases. This unilateral finding differentiates the occupational hazard of Garrod’s pads from more significant disorders. Among violinists and violists, Garrod’s pads apparently arise as a protective mechanism for the skin and subcutaneous tissues above the tendons; Bird notes that they do not protect against external trauma unlike most calluses.

Patients with Dupuytren's contracture are four times more likely to have coexisting Garrod's pads.

Radial dysplasia, also known as radial club hand or radial longitudinal deficiency, is a congenital difference occurring in a longitudinal direction resulting in radial deviation of the wrist and shortening of the forearm. It can occur in different ways, from a minor anomaly to complete absence of the radius, radial side of the carpal bones and thumb. Hypoplasia of the distal humerus may be present as well and can lead to stiffnes of the elbow. Radial deviation of the wrist is caused by lack of support to the carpus, radial deviation may be reinforced if forearm muscles are functioning poorly or have abnormal insertions. Although radial longitudinal deficiency is often bilateral, the extent of involvement is most often asymmetric.

The incidence is between 1:30,000 and 1:100,000 and it is more often a sporadic mutation rather than an inherited condition. In case of an inherited condition, several syndromes are known for an association with radial dysplasia, such as the cardiovascular Holt-Oram syndrome, the gastrointestinal VATER syndrome and the hematologic Fanconi anemia and TAR syndrome. Other possible causes are an injury to the apical ectodermal ridge during upper limb development, intrauterine compression, or maternal drug use (thalidomide).

Burn scar contractures do not go away on their own, although may improve with the passage of time, with occupationaltherapy and physiotherapy, and with splinting. If persistent the person may need the contracture to be surgically released. Techniques may include local skin flaps (z-plasty) or skin grafting (full thickness or split thickness). There are also pharmacy and drug-store treatments that can be used to help scar maturation, especially silicone gel treatments. Prevention of contracture formation is key. For instance, in the case of a burned hand one would splint the hand and wrap each finger individually. In the instance of burns on the neck, hyperextension of the neck (i.e. no use of pillows) should be maintained during the healing process. Carbon dioxide laser therapy is now also used to aid in the loosening of surrounding skin, although is yet to form as part of an official global rehabilitation program.

A hypertrophic scar is a cutaneous condition characterized by deposits of excessive amounts of collagen which gives rise to a raised scar, but not to the degree observed with keloids. Like keloids, they form most often at the sites of pimples, body piercings, cuts and burns. They often contain nerves and blood vessels. They generally develop after thermal or traumatic injury that involves the deep layers of the dermis and express high levels of TGF-β.

Mechanical tension on a wound has been identified as a leading cause for hypertrophic scar formation.

When a normal wound heals, the body produces new collagen fibres at a rate which balances the breakdown of old collagen. Hypertrophic scars are red and thick and may be itchy or painful. They do not extend beyond the boundary of the original wound, but may continue to thicken for up to six months. They usually improve over one or two years, but may cause distress due to their appearance or the intensity of the itching; they can also restrict movement if they are located close to a joint.

Some people have an inherited tendency to this type of scarring, for example, those with Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, classic type. It is not possible to completely prevent hypertrophic scars, so those with a history of them should inform their doctor or surgeon if they need surgery. Scar therapies may speed up the process of change from a hypertrophic scar to a flatter, paler one.

The following factors may be involved in causing this deformity:

- Inherent laxity of the knee ligaments

- Weakness of biceps femoris muscle

- Instability of the knee joint due to ligaments and joint capsule injuries

- Inappropriate alignment of the tibia and femur

- Malunion of the bones around the knee

- Weakness in the hip extensor muscles

- Gastrocnemius muscle weakness (in standing position)

- Upper motor neuron lesion (for example, hemiplegia as the result of a cerebrovascular accident)

- Lower motor neuron lesion (for example, in post-polio syndrome)

- Deficit in joint proprioception

- Lower limb length discrepancy

- Congenital genu recurvatum

- Cerebral palsy

- Multiple sclerosis

- Muscular dystrophy

- Limited dorsiflexion (plantar flexion contracture)

- Popliteus muscle weakness

- Connective tissue disorders. In these disorders, there are excessive joint mobility (joint hypermobility) problems. These disorders include:

- Marfan syndrome

- Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

- Benign hypermobile joint syndrome

- Osteogenesis imperfecta disease

Genu recurvatum is a deformity in the knee joint, so that the knee bends backwards. In this deformity, excessive extension occurs in the tibiofemoral joint. Genu recurvatum is also called knee hyperextension and back knee. This deformity is more common in women and people with familial ligamentous laxity. Hyperextension of the knee may be mild, moderate or severe.

The normal range of motion (ROM) of the knee joint is from 0 to 135 degrees in an adult. Full knee extension should be no more than 10 degrees. In genu recurvatum (back knee), normal extension is increased. The development of genu recurvatum may lead to knee pain and knee osteoarthritis.

Camptodactyly is a medical condition that causes one or more fingers to be permanently bent. It involves fixed flexion deformity of the proximal interphalangeal joints. The fifth finger is always affected.

Camptodactyly can be caused by a genetic disorder. In that case, it is an autosomal dominant trait that is known for its incomplete genetic expressivity. This means that when a person has the genes for it, the condition may appear in both hands, one, or neither. A linkage scan proposed that the chromosomal locus of camptodactyly was 3q11.2-q13.12.

A muscle contracture is a permanent shortening of a muscle or joint. It is usually in response to prolonged hypertonic spasticity in a concentrated muscle area, such as is seen in the tightest muscles of people with conditions like spastic cerebral palsy.

Contractures are essentially muscles or tendons that have remained too tight for too long, thus becoming shorter. Once they occur, it is often argued that they cannot be stretched or exercised away (they must be released with orthopedic surgery). Most of the physical therapy, occupational therapy, and other exercise regimens targeted towards people with spasticity focuses on trying to prevent contractures from happening in the first place. However, research on sustained traction of connective tissue in approaches such as adaptive yoga has demonstrated that contracture can be reduced, at the same time that tendency toward spasticity is addressed.

Contractures can also be due to ischemia, as in Volkmann's contracture.

Excessive matrix metalloproteinase and myofibroblast accumulation in the wound margins can result in contracture.

Dead arm syndrome starts with repetitive motion and forces on the posterior capsule of the shoulder. The posterior capsule is a band of fibrous tissue that interconnects with tendons of the rotator cuff of the shoulder. Four muscles and their tendons make up the rotator cuff. They cover the outside of the shoulder to hold, protect and move the joint.

Overuse can lead to a buildup of tissue around the posterior capsule called hypertrophy. The next step is tightness of the posterior capsule called posterior capsular contracture. This type of problem reduces the amount the shoulder can rotate inwardly.

Over time, with enough force, a tear may develop in the labrum. The labrum is a rim of cartilage around the shoulder socket to help hold the head of the humerus (upper arm) in the joint. This condition is called a superior labrum anterior posterior (SLAP) lesion. The final outcome in all these steps is the dead arm phenomenon.

The shoulder is unstable and dislocation may come next. Dead arm syndrome will not go away on its own with rest—it must be treated. If there is a SLAP lesion, then surgery is needed to repair the problem. If the injury is caught before a SLAP tear, then physical therapy with stretching and exercise can restore it.

It is common among baseball pitchers as they age, and it can also occur with quarterbacks in football and handball players also as they age.

The name is derived from the ancient Greek words "kamptos" ("bent") and "daktylos" ("finger").

Arthrofibrosis (from Greek: "arthro-" joint, "fibr-" fibrous and "-osis" abnormality) is a complication of injury or trauma where an excessive scar tissue response leads to painful restriction of joint motion, with scar tissue forming within the joint and surrounding soft tissue spaces and persisting despite rehabilitation exercises and stretches. Scarring adhesions has been described in most major joints, including knees, shoulders, hips, ankles, and wrists as well as spinal vertebrae.

The first symptom of compartment syndrome is pain. Loss of function and decreased pulses or pulselessness, however, are late signs. According to Shears, paresthesia in the distribution of the nerves transversing the affected compartment has also been described as relatively early sign of compartment syndrome, and later is followed by anesthesia (Shears, 2006).

- Pain is often reported early and almost universally. The description is usually of deep, constant, and poorly localized pain out of proportion with the findings on physical examination (often incorrectly described as pain out of proportion to the injury). The pain is aggravated by passively stretching the muscle group within the compartment or actively flexing it (though this finding is not specific to compartment syndrome alone) and is not relieved by analgesia up to and including morphine.

- Paresthesia (altered sensation e.g., "pins & needles") in the cutaneous nerves of the affected compartment is another typical sign.

- Paralysis of the limb is usually a late finding. The compartment may also feel very tense and firm (pressure). Some find that their feet and even legs fall asleep. This is because compartment syndrome prevents adequate blood flow to the rest of the leg.

- A lack of pulse rarely occurs in patients, as pressures that cause compartment syndrome are often well below arterial pressures and pulse is only affected if the relevant artery is contained within the affected compartment.

- Tense and swollen shiny skin, sometimes with obvious bruising of the skin.

- Congestion of the digits with prolonged capillary refill time.