Pediatric hand surgeons in Denver

With gentleness and care, we build a relationship with you and your child to deliver advanced treatments for orthopedic hand and arm conditions.

In Colorado's Rocky Mountain Region, at Rocky Mountain Pediatric OrthoONE, our pediatric orthopedists have many years of experience diagnosing and treating children's upper extremity conditions. We understand how your child's growing bones and muscles impact their hands and arms. It is our hope that this extensive knowledge and our comprehensive approach to your child's treatment will help you feel confident in partnering with us for their care.

Pediatric orthopedic conditions we treat

Our pediatric orthopedists can treat children's acute and chronic injuries as well as congenital conditions of the hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder, including:

  • Amniotic band syndrome
  • Bifid thumb (duplicated thumb)
  • Brachydactyly (shortened fingers)
  • Breaks and fractures
  • Bursitis
  • Cleft hand
  • Finger dislocation
  • Fingertip injuries
  • Fractured and broken bones
  • Ganglion cysts
  • Growing pains
  • Hyperextension injury of the elbow
  • Lateral and medial epicondylitis
  • Ligament sprains and injuries
  • Loose shoulder (multidirectional instability)
  • Osteochondritis dissecans of the elbow
  • Polydactyly (one or more extra fingers)
  • Radial head subluxation (Nursemaid’s elbow)
  • Swan neck deformity
  • Syndactyly (webbed fingers)
  • Tendinitis and tendon injuries
  • Trigger thumb
  • Other congenital hand and upper extremity conditions

Our pediatric hand and upper extremity care

Our physicians provide extensive treatments and services for children, giving them thoughtful care in a kid-friendly manner.

Find a Pediatric Hand Specialist

Congenital hand and arm abnormalities

The hand has a complex, delicate structure. If your child was born with a congenital difference — sometimes called a birth abnormality — it is crucial to find a pediatric orthopedic doctor. Our physicians understand the intricacies of treating a child's growing bones, muscles and ligaments, and how this affects the hand's intricate form. Our expertise ensures your child will receive the highly individualized treatment they need.

We approach care by evaluating your child's specific needs while addressing your concerns and questions as a parent. We can perform various surgeries, including ligament transfer, web space reconstruction and skin grafting.

Other services and treatments we offer include:

  • Adaptive prosthetics
  • Bifid thumb surgery
  • Hand therapy
  • In-office joint manipulation
  • Opponensplasties
  • Surgical excision of the constricting scar
  • Trigger thumb surgery
  • Web space reconstruction

Pollicization surgery for thumb hypoplasia

Our pediatric hand surgeons also perform pollicization surgery to treat severe thumb hypoplasia (very small or missing thumb). During pollicization surgery, the surgeon moves and rotates the index finger, repositioning it as a new thumb. Since this surgery requires some "rewiring" of the brain, it is best performed before the age of two, allowing the body and mind to adapt.

Our surgeons aim to make your child's hand functional, while also considering cosmetic outcomes. Those who receive this surgery grow up to report that people rarely notice they only have three fingers and a thumb. This intricate procedure is an example of the specialized care your child can receive at our practice.

Hand and arm injuries

Childhood is filled with bumps and scrapes as kids grow and play. But if your child sustains a more serious injury to the hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder, our physicians have the knowledge and experience to help them heal as quickly and fully as possible. From wrist sprains and dislocated elbows to fractures and breaks, we treat your child's injury so they can get back to the best parts of being a kid.

Nursemaid's elbow treatment

A common injury among children is Nursemaid's elbow, also called slipped elbow, pulled elbow or toddler's elbow. It occurs when a sudden pull on the extended arm causes a dislocation of the radial head near the elbow joint. The causes include pulling a child quickly before running into danger or swinging them by the arms.

Nursemaid’s elbow can be treated in our office. The affected arm must be held while the forearm is derotated and the elbow is flexed until the hand touches the shoulder. The physician will usually feel a "click" if the maneuver is done properly, the child will feel momentary pain which subsides over the next 5 minutes. If this maneuver is performed within the same day as the injury, the child will use the arm in a typical, painless manner.

Youth sports medicine program

Our doctors know that young athletes want to stay in the game and not let an injury hold them back. The specialists in our pediatric sports medicine program understand the difference between a child's growing musculoskeletal system and an adult's fully developed one. We offer various services and treatments, including surgical and nonsurgical options, casting, bracing and physical therapy.

Some sports injuries affecting the hands and arms that we treat include:

  • Burners and stingers
  • Condylar fractures of the finger
  • Stress fractures in the upper extremities
  • Tendonitis (shoulders, elbows and wrists)
  • Wrist sprains