Upper Body

These injections help your doctor find or treat pain in the facet joints of your neck. Facet joints are found on both sides of your spine. Your vertebrae connect at these joints.

This is a common neck injury. It happens when your neck jerks back and forth quickly and violently. Your spine bends past its normal range of motion. This can injure the vertebrae of your cervical spine. It can damage the supporting ligaments and muscles in your neck.

If you have whiplash, platelet rich plasma therapy may help. It uses parts of your own blood to help your body heal itself. PRP can help your neck feel better and work better.

If you have whiplash, platelet rich plasma therapy may help. It uses parts of your own blood to help your body heal itself. PRP can help your neck feel better and work better.

Watch this to learn some answers to common concerns about shoulder joint replacement.

Our shoulders are the most movable joints in the body. They give our arms great range of motion. They allow us to lift and control heavy loads. Shoulder pain is a problem many of us feel at some time in our lives. Let's learn about shoulder pain, and what you can do about it.

This arthritis affects a joint at the top of your shoulder. It's where the shoulder blade's bony protrusion (called the "acromion") meets the clavicle. This joint acts as a pivot point when you raise your arm above your head.

This surgery repairs a severe separation injury of the AC joint in your shoulder. This is where your clavicle meets your scapula. With a severe separation injury, the ligaments that connect these bones are torn. The clavicle shifts out of position.

The shoulder is a complex structure made of three separate joints. They work together to give the shoulder a tremendous range of motion. Let's take a closer look at the main parts of the shoulder's anatomy.

This surgery treats shoulder instability. That's a condition we call "loose shoulder." It's when the tissues around the shoulder joint don't give enough support. The surgery tightens these joint capsule tissues.

This surgery treats adhesive capsulitis. That's a condition we also call "frozen shoulder." It's when the the capsule of connective tissue that surrounds the shoulder joint becomes thick and tight. This surgery releases it to improve the motion of your shoulder.

If you have a painful shoulder, you may have a torn labrum. That's a tear of the thick band of tissue around your shoulder socket. A torn labrum can be fixed with a procedure called a "Bankart repair."

Tendons are strong bands of tissue that connect muscle to bone. With this injury, one of the tendons anchoring your biceps muscle is torn. It may be torn partially or completely. Because the biceps is attached with two separate tendons, you may find that you can still use your biceps muscle even if one tendon is completely torn.

This is a problem with a tendon in your shoulder. Most often, it's the "long head of biceps" tendon. It travels from the front of your upper arm to the top of your shoulder socket. With this condition, the tendon becomes painfully inflamed or irritated.

This surgery repairs a biceps tendon in your shoulder. It fixes a tendon that is partially torn, or completely torn, from the bone.

This is a swelling of a fluid-filled sac called the "subacromial bursa." It's in the shoulder, between a bony protrusion called the "acromion" and the rotator cuff. You have similar sacs near other large joints throughout your body. They act as cushions between your bones and your soft tissue. Normally they have a small amount of fluid inside them. But sometimes they can swell. We call that "bursitis."

This painful condition occurs when calcium deposits form in tendons of the rotator cuff. These tendons and surrounding tissues in the shoulder become inflamed. This condition typically affects adults.

This painful condition occurs when calcium deposits form in tendons of the rotator cuff. These tendons and surrounding tissues in the shoulder become inflamed. Reactive calcification often develops in young people, but it can affect people of all ages.

This is a common shoulder injury. It's a break of the bone that rests between the shoulder blade and the sternum. We call it the "collarbone." Your collarbones help connect your arms to your body.

This outpatient procedure is a minimally-invasive surgical technique commonly used to identify problems in the shoulder joint. It is performed with the aid of a specialized camera called an arthroscope.

This surgery treats a painful pinching in the shoulder's acromioclavicular joint. It fixes the space between your clavicle (that's your collarbone) and your shoulder blade bone. This surgery removes the end of the clavicle.

This is a fracture of a part of the shoulder blade called the "glenoid." This is the socket that holds the head of the humerus (the bone of the upper arm). A glenoid fracture can allow the head of the humerus to slip out of the socket.

This is a shoulder injury. It's a break of the bony bump on the outer side of the humerus. That's the bone of your upper arm. The greater tuberosity is the place where three muscles of the rotator cuff attach. So a fracture here hurts your shoulder's stability and movement.

This condition is a break of the scapula, the large, flat, triangular bone that contains the shoulder socket. Because the scapula is well protected by the muscles of the shoulder, scapula fractures are uncommon.

Frozen shoulder is a painful condition that usually results in decreased range of motion of the shoulder joint. It may develop gradually or suddenly and severely. This video offers information on how frozen shoulder occurs, who's at risk, and what treatments are available.

This is stiffening of your shoulder. It happens over time, and you may not know what caused it. With a frozen shoulder, it can be hard for you to be as active as you like.

This surgery treats damage in your shoulder joint. It removes debris and loose tissue. It may relieve pain and improve your range of motion.

If you have pain in your shoulder, you may have a torn labrum. That's the thick band of tissue that goes around your shoulder socket. It helps make the socket deeper. It cushions the bone of your upper arm and keeps it from slipping.

This procedure uses a small, metal, cap-like implant to cover damaged or missing articular cartilage in the shoulder joint. Articular cartilage covers the joint surfaces of bones, allowing them to glide smoothly against each other. In the shoulder, arthritis or an injury may result in loss or damage of the cartilage on the round humeral head, causing pain and limited motion. Resurfacing this damaged area can help relieve pain and improve motion.

This is a shoulder injury. It's a compression fracture that creates a dent in the head of the humerus. That's the ball of the arm bone that fits into your shoulder socket. The dent interferes with the motion of your shoulder.

This is an injection of anesthetic into a network of nerves called the brachial plexus. The injection numbs your shoulder and arm. It can block the pain of shoulder surgery.

This is an injection of medicine into the shoulder joint. It relieves pain and inflammation. It helps us manage conditions like arthritis and adhesive capsulitis.

This outpatient injection procedure relieves pain in the shoulder and arm caused by arthritis, injury or disorder.

This surgical procedure modifies your shoulder socket. It helps keep the head of the humerus from slipping out of the glenoid. You may benefit from this procedure if you have frequent shoulder dislocations.

This condition, commonly called tennis elbow, is an inflammation of the tendons that connect the muscles of the forearm to the elbow. The pain is primarily felt at the lateral epicondyle, the bony bump on the outer side of the elbow.

This surgical procedure is used to inspect and reattach torn tendons in the shoulder's rotator cuff. The initial part of the surgery is performed arthroscopically through small tubes. An open incision may be needed if the damage is severe.

Some of the muscles in your shoulder have opposing roles. When you move your arm, certain muscles contract while their opposing muscles relax. But when a muscle becomes much stronger than its opposing muscle, your shoulder can become unstable. You may have trouble moving it normally. We call this a "muscle imbalance."

This surgical procedure repairs a break in the proximal end of the humerus. ORIF stands for Open Reduction Internal Fixation. During this procedure, an incision will be made and a metal plate will be attached to the humerus to hold the bone in place while it heals.

This condition is a fracture of the head of the humerus - the "ball" of the shoulder's ball-and-socket.

If you have shoulder pain, platelet rich plasma therapy may help. It uses parts of your own blood to help your body heal itself. PRP can help your shoulder feel better and work better.

If you have shoulder pain, platelet rich plasma therapy may help. It uses parts of your own blood to help your body heal itself. PRP can help your shoulder feel better and work better.

The tendons of four muscles in the upper arm form the rotator cuff, blending together to help stabilize the shoulder. The rotator cuff tendons allow you to raise and rotate your arm. This video discusses what happens when these tendons are damaged.

Having shoulder pain or problems lifting your arms over your head? You may have tendonitis or a tear in the muscles and tendons that hold your shoulder in place, called the rotator cuff. This video explains symptoms of this syndrome, possible treatments, and ways you can prevent shoulder injuries.

The rotator cuff muscles and tendons hold your upper arm bone in your shoulder socket. A hard fall, repetitive arm motions or problems with the structure of your shoulder can injure the rotator cuff.

This surgery repairs a tear of the rotator cuff in your shoulder. The rotator cuff is group of muscles and tendons. It holds the head of the humerus in the shoulder socket.

This surgical procedure is used to repair a torn supraspinatus tendon, one of the tendons that forms the rotator cuff of the shoulder. During this procedure, the tendon is reattached firmly to the head of the humerus.

The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons in each shoulder. It holds your upper arm bone in your shoulder socket. It keeps your arm stable while allowing it to lift and rotate. Too much stress on the rotator cuff can cause a tear. This can be a painful injury.

Osteoarthritis of the AC joint in the shoulder is common in middle-aged or older adults. This video explains how this condition develops and how you can minimize its effects.

Watch this video to learn about shoulder replacement, and how to prepare for your surgery.

The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint. The ball of your upper arm bone fits into a socket in your shoulder blade. If the ball slips out, your shoulder has "dislocated."

This is a painful pinching of soft tissues in your shoulder. It happens when these tissues rub and press against a part of your shoulder blade called the "acromion." This can irritate your rotator cuff tendons, and also a soft sac called the "subacromial bursa."

This is a looseness of the shoulder joint. With it, your arm slides around too much in the socket. It may slip out of the socket easily. Instability can happen because the ligaments that hold your shoulder together aren't tight enough. Or, the cartilage around your shoulder socket may be damaged.

This surgery replaces the damaged or diseased part of the humerus head (also known as the ball) with a metal implant.

This is an injury of the acromioclavicular joint (commonly called the "AC" joint). This is the joint where the clavicle meets the scapula. A shoulder separation is a stretching or a tearing of the ligaments that support these bones. This allows the bones to move out of position.

This surgery treats an injury in your shoulder. It repairs a tear of the labrum. That's a ring of cartilage around the shoulder socket. The injury happens where the biceps tendon meets the labrum. We call this injury a "SLAP" tear.

This is a shoulder injury. It's a tear of the labrum. That's a ring of cartilage that surrounds the shoulder socket and helps hold the head of the humerus in place. This type of tear happens where the biceps tendon attaches to the labrum.

This is a problem that involves the scapula. That's the bone we call the "shoulder blade." With this condition, you have a shoulder blade that catches when you lift or move your arm. You may find this only slightly irritating, or it may be very painful.

This injection treats shoulder bursitis. That's an inflammation of a fluid-filled sac called a "bursa" in your shoulder. You have these sacs throughout your body. They are a cushion between bones and soft tissues. An inflamed bursa is painful.

If you injure your shoulder, or if you have tendons or ligaments that have become inflamed, stem cell therapy may help. It uses your body's own stem cells to help heal shoulder damage. It may help you avoid surgery.

This surgery treats subacromial impingement. That's a pain you feel when you raise your arm. It happens when tendons in your shoulder press and rub against a part of your shoulder blade called the "acromion." This surgery is commonly done with the help of a special camera called an "arthroscope."

This injection goes into your shoulder. It can help reduce your shoulder pain. We use it to treat many conditions. It's used for adhesive capsulitis, rotator cuff tendinosis and impingement syndrome.

This is a pain or weakness from an irritated nerve in your shoulder. It's called the "suprascapular" nerve. It travels from the neck down through your shoulder.

This non-operative, outpatient procedure is designed to provide relief for patients with pain in the shoulder from conditions such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and adhesive capsulitis. The technique allows the physician to inject an inflammation-reducing steroid with maximum accuracy.

If overuse has led to pain in the front of your shoulder, you may have an injury we call "weightlifter's shoulder." It's a type of damage that most often affects the end of the clavicle (commonly called the "collarbone").

This is a problem of the scapula bone. That's your "shoulder blade." With this condition, you have a shoulder blade that sticks out instead of lying flat. It lifts away from your back, and it doesn't look like your other shoulder blade.

This condition, also called "ulnar nerve entrapment," happens to the ulnar nerve in your elbow. This nerve travels along the inner side of your elbow and down to your hand. It's the nerve that makes the jolt you feel when you bump your "funny bone." With this condition, your ulnar nerve is compressed, stretched or irritated.

This surgery treats cubital tunnel syndrome. That's a compression or irritation of the ulnar nerve at the elbow. During this surgery, the nerve is given more room.

Tennis elbow causes pain in the bony bump on the outer part of the elbow. Learn about the possible causes and what you can do to prevent it.

This is a swelling of a fluid-filled sac in the back of your elbow. This sac is called the "olecranon bursa." You have similar sacs near other large joints throughout your body. They act as cushions between your bones and your soft tissues. Normally they have a small amount of fluid inside them. But sometimes they can swell. That is called "bursitis."

Growth plates are places where new bone tissue forms. They are found near the ends of the long bones in growing children. Growth plates are weaker than the surrounding bone. That makes them easier to injure.

This condition, commonly called golfer's elbow, is an inflammation of the tendons that connect the muscles of the forearm to the elbow. The pain is primarily felt at the medial epicondyle, the bony bump on the inner side of the elbow.

This happens when you extend your elbow back farther than it's supposed to go. That damages the bones and soft tissues in your joint. Hyperextension can dislocate or even fracture your elbow.

This is an injury of a growth plate on the elbow's inner side. Growth plates are places where new bone tissue forms. They are found near the ends of the long bones of growing children. But growth plates are weaker than the surrounding bone. That makes them easier to injure.

This is a problem with a tendon in your elbow. It's called the "distal biceps tendon." It connects the biceps muscle of your upper arm to the radius bone at the elbow. With this condition, the tendon becomes painfully inflamed or irritated.

This surgery removes the medial epicondyle. That's the bony bump you feel on the inner side of the elbow. We do this to treat cubital tunnel syndrome. That's a compression of the ulnar nerve.

This procedure relieves the pain and swelling of elbow bursitis. That's an inflammation of the olecranon bursa, a fluid-filled sac that protects the tip of the elbow.

This is a disorder that most often affects young athletes. It happens when part of a bone in the elbow loses its blood supply. It weakens, and so does the cartilage that covers it. Bone and cartilage may break off and drift around in the elbow. That can cause the joint to catch and lock up.

If you are an athlete, or if you work with your arms and hands, your elbows may be at risk for an overuse injury. This is an injury caused by repetitive motions. This type of injury can be a problem for people who play sports such as tennis or baseball. Children also have a higher risk, because their bones are still growing.

This condition involves the radial nerve in your elbow. The radial nerve passes down your arm to your hand. Its branches travel into your thumb, forefinger and middle finger. With this condition, your radial nerve is compressed, stretched or irritated.

This surgery treats radial tunnel syndrome. That's a compression of the radial nerve. During this surgery, the nerve is given more room.

Throwing overhand again and again puts a lot of stress on your elbow. It can lead to injury. Young athletes, in particular, are at risk. Some play sports all year without learning how to throw properly. And, their bones are still growing. Let's look at how the elbow can be damaged.

This surgery replaces a torn ulnar collateral ligament (we say "UCL"). It's a band of flexible tissue in the elbow. Replacing a torn UCL gives your elbow strength and stability. It restores range of motion.

Like other joints, the elbow is held together by strong bands of tissue called "ligaments." On the elbow's inner side is the ulnar collateral ligament complex. We call it the "UCL." It's made of three bands that connect the humerus (the upper arm bone) to the lower arm's ulna. The UCL is the elbow ligament most often injured by baseball pitchers and by other athletes who play throwing sports.

This surgery relieves pressure on the ulnar nerve at the elbow. It moves the nerve to keep it from being compressed by the medial epicondyle (a bony bump on the inner side of your elbow).

This surgical procedure treats the pain of carpal tunnel syndrome. It relieves pressure on a nerve that travels through your wrist. This nerve is called the "median" nerve.

We can treat the pain of carpel tunnel syndrome by taking pressure off the median nerve. That's a nerve that travels through your wrist.

Colles fracture is a break of one or both of the forearm bones (called the radius and ulna) that occurs just above the wrist. Although this type of injury can be caused by any strong force, Colles is most often associated with trying to break a forward fall.

This condition, also called stenosing tenosynovitis of the first dorsal compartment of the wrist, is an inflammation of the sheath that wraps around the tendons at the thumb side of the wrist.

This condition is a break of the radius bone at the wrist. The radius is the larger of the two bones that connect the wrist to the elbow. The other bone is called the ulna. The radius supports the majority of forces at the wrist joint with its large joint surface. A fracture of the distal end of the radius - the end nearest the wrist -is one of the most common types of fractures. It may be part of a complex injury that involves other tissues, nerves and bones of the wrist.

This procedure uses a metal implant to stabilize a fracture in the radius near the wrist. The radius is the largest of the two bones of the forearm.

This surgery relieves pressure on the median nerve in your wrist. It treats the pain of carpal tunnel syndrome.

This surgery is performed to relieve pressure on the median nerve, alleviating numbness and tingling in the fingers. The endoscopic carpal tunnel technique is performed on an outpatient basis. The endoscopic approach creates less pain and scarring than traditional open surgery, allowing for a quicker recovery.

This procedure treats a fluid-filled lump called a "ganglion cyst." This type of cyst forms near a joint. We often see it at the wrist.

This fluid-filled sac creates a bump you can see and feel beneath your skin. It commonly forms at a joint in the wrist, hand or finger. A ganglion cyst isn't dangerous, but it can be painful. And you may not like the way it looks.

Kienbock's disease is the death and deterioration of the lunate, one of the small bones in the wrist. It usually occurs in young adults and causes wrist pain, weakness, and loss of motion.

This procedure stabilizes a fractured scaphoid bone with screw fixation. The scaphoid is an important carpal bone of the wrist, which is critical in coordinating motion of the other carpal bones and the radius.

A scaphoid fracture, one of the most common types of wrist fractures, is a break in the scaphoid bone. The scaphoid, one of the most important bones in the wrist, has a limited blood supply. An improperly treated scaphoid fracture can result in significant wrist pain, arthritis, and loss of motion.

This minimally invasive outpatient procedure allows the surgeon to evaluate and treat injuries and disorders of the ligaments, cartilage, and bones of the wrist. The surgeon uses a small camera, called an arthroscope, and tiny instruments which are inserted through small incisions in the wrist.

This surgical procedure relieves pain and corrects deformities of the wrist caused by injury, trauma, arthritis, or genetic defect. The procedure fuses the radius, the carpal and metacarpal bones.

When your wrist is bent too far, this can injure bands of tissue called "ligaments." Ligaments connect the bones of your hand to each other. They also connect the bones of your hand to the bones of your forearm.

Your wrist is a complex joint made up of many bones, allowing you to move your hand up and down, and side to side, as well as to rotate. A fracture can occur in any of these bones when enough force is applied—when you fall on an outstretched hand, for example. In this video, you'll find out other causes, as well as how a wrist fracture is treated.

If you have wrist arthritis with no relief from pain, you may need an artificial joint. Learn what to expect from this wrist surgery.

Your hands are complex and versatile. They're strong and nimble, and can do very delicate movements. Let's look at the main structures of your hands so we can see how they do all the things they do.

This procedure, performed under regional or local anesthesia, replaces a diseased or damaged finger joint with an implant made of silicone rubber or hard metal, ceramic or pyrocarbon. This technique can be used to replace the middle joint of the finger (called the PIP joint) or the joint at the base of the finger (called the MCP joint).

This is arthritis that affects the joint at the base of the thumb. We call this the "basal," (or "carpometacarpal") joint. Arthritis here makes it hard for you to do tasks that require pinching or gripping.

This surgery treats arthritis of the basal joint. That's the joint at the base of your thumb. It lets you move your thumb to pinch and grip objects. Treating this joint relieves pain and restores range of motion.

This condition is a characteristic deformity of the finger in which the finger's middle joint, called the PIP joint, bends downward and the finger's end joint, called the DIP joint, hyperextends.

A boxer's fracture is a break of the metacarpal of the little finger. The metacarpals are the long bones in the hand that connect the fingers to the wrist. A boxer's fracture refers to a break at the end of the bone nearest the knuckle, which is called the metacarpal neck.

This outpatient procedure relieves the symptoms of De Quervain's tenosynovitis by releasing the tendon sheath that wraps around the tendons at the base of the thumb. This relieves pressure and friction on the tendons, allowing them to glide freely.

This is a bump that forms on your finger near the base of your fingernail. It's filled with fluid. Usually, a mucous cyst isn't a serious issue. But sometimes a cyst can cause pain and other problems. And, you may be embarrassed by the way it looks.

This disease affects the palm of your hand and fingers. It makes the tissue layer under your skin thick and tight. We call that layer the "fascia." Over time, thick fascia forms lumps or cords. This causes one or more of your fingers to bend toward your palm. And, you can't straighten them. This is called "Dupuytren's contracture."

This procedure removes a mucous cyst from your finger or thumb. A mucous cyst is a small, fluid-filled bump that tends to form near a joint. Removing your cyst treats pain and other issues it may cause.

This procedure treats an infection in the pad of a fingertip. This type of infection is called a "felon." Draining the felon relieves pressure and pain and allows your finger to heal.

If your finger is dislocated, that means a bone has been forced out of its normal position. It's a common, painful injury, and one that needs proper treatment.

This is an infection in the pad of your fingertip or thumb. That's the fleshy tissue under your fingerprint. A felon is a serious and painful problem. Without treatment, it can lead to severe complications.

If you've fractured a finger, you've broken one or more of the finger bones we call "phalanges." Each individual bone is called a "phalanx." You've got three in each finger, and two in each thumb. They are supported by a network of soft tissues that can also be damaged during a fracture.

This procedure repairs a broken bone in your finger. It stabilizes the pieces of the bone so they heal properly.

This surgery permanently locks a damaged finger joint to treat severe arthritis pain. After we do this, the treated joint can't bend. Any finger joint can be fused, but most often we fuse the joint nearest the fingertip.

Our fingers are often in harm's way, and our fingertips are prone to injury. A fingertip injury can involve skin, soft tissue, nerves and bone. It can involve the nail and the nailbed. These injuries can be serious, painful, and slow to heal. If you've injured your fingertip, you can take a few simple steps to minimize problems.

The flexor tendons of the hand are responsible for flexion of the fingers and thumb toward the palm. These long structures are connected to the flexor muscles in the forearm. An injury to one of these tendons can cause pain and inability to flex the finger or thumb and grasp with the hand. Common flexor tendon injuries include lacerations, ruptures and inflammation.

This is a break in one or more of the five bones of the hand. These bones are called the "metacarpals." A fractured metacarpal can shift out of place. Without proper care, it may not heal correctly.

This injury is a stretch or tear of a tendon at the end of a finger or thumb. It causes the tip of your finger or thumb to droop.

This procedure straightens fingers bent by Dupuytren's disease. We perform it through the skin with a needle.

Complex networks of nerves travel through your hands and fingers. If you injure a hand or a finger, you can damage these delicate nerves. Without proper care, a nerve injury can cause permanent problems.

This surgery treats a condition called "Dupuytren's contracture." That's a thickening and tightening of the fascia (a tissue layer under the skin of your palm and fingers). This surgery improves your fingers' range of motion.

This condition is a common congenital anomaly that results in extra fingers or thumbs. Polydactyly can affect one or both hands, and can result in one or more extra digits. Polydactyly can also affect the feet, resulting in extra toes.

Raynaud's phenomenon is an exaggerated form of vasoconstriction - the body's natural response to cold and stress. It results from a spasm of the small arteries that supply blood to the fingers. This spasm temporarily decreases blood flow, resulting in cold, painful, and discolored fingers.

This is a stretch or tear of a ligament at the base of the thumb. Ligaments are bands of tissue that connect one bone to another. This sprain involves the ulnar collateral ligament. We call it the "UCL."

This problem can happen in a finger or a thumb. In a finger, the middle joint is bent back and the joint at the fingertip is bent down. In a thumb, the joint at the thumb's base is bent back and the joint at the thumb's tip is bent down.

This condition is a common congenital anomaly of the hand. It occurs when two or more fingers are connected together by skin or tissue. The bones of the fingers may also be fused.

This is a tear of the tissues that stabilize your wrist. The triangular fibrocartilage complex (we say "TFCC") is made of tendons, ligaments and cartilage. Together, these tissues connect your forearm bones to the bones of your wrist.

This procedure treats a tendon sheath known as the "A1 pulley." We treat this sheath so you can bend and extend your finger or thumb without experiencing catching, locking or pain.

This is a problem with a tendon in your finger or thumb. It causes your finger or thumb to get caught in a bent position. Over time, it can become frozen this way. This interferes with the function of your hand.

This outpatient procedure is designed to reduce or relieve the pain of trigger points. These small, tender knots can form in muscles or in the fascia (the soft, stretchy connective tissue that surrounds muscles and organs). The trigger point injection procedure takes only a few minutes to complete.

This condition is a stretching or tearing of the volar plate, which can allow the finger to hyperextend and can interfere with normal hand function. The volar plate is a strong ligamentous structure on the underside of the finger at the point where the proximal and middle phalanx bones meet, called the proximal interphalangeal joint (or PIP joint). The volar plate keeps the finger from bending backwards at the PIP joint, and, together with the collateral ligaments, stabilizes the PIP joint from displacement.