Conditions & Diagnoses: A-Z

Ask A PT

Ulnar Nerve Injury

Definition:
Damage, harm, or loss to the ulnar nerve particularly as the result of external force.
Symptoms:
  • Abnormal sensations in the little finger and part of the ring finger, usually on the palm side
  • Loss of coordination of the fingers
  • Numbness, decreased sensation
  • Pain
  • Tingling, burning sensation
  • Weakness and clumsiness of the hand
  • Pain or numbness may awaken you from sleep
  • "Claw-like" deformity (in severe cases)
  • Difficulty moving the fingers
  • Wasting of the hand muscles (in severe cases)
  • Weakness of hand flexing
Causes:
  • An illness in the whole body that damages a single nerve
  • Direct injury to the nerve
  • Long-term pressure on the nerve
  • Pressure on the nerve caused by swelling or injury of nearby body structures
  • Cubital tunnel syndrome
  • Fracture of the medial epicondyle
  • Stab wound
  • Guyon canal cyst
Treatment:
  • ROM and stretching
  • Hand intrinsic muscle strengthening
  • Upper extremity strengthening