Orthopaedic conditions are among the most commonly evaluated complaints in the emergent and urgent care settings as well as in that of primary care.  Many are acute problems involving the hand or wrist, an area of complex anatomy and function.  Often, patients are evaluated by health care providers who might not have had the exposure or training to assess and manage certain complaints appropriately with confidence.  This book is written for physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, resident physicians, and students who provide care in emergency room, urgent care, and primary practice settings, as well as orthopaedic surgeons who are not hand specialists.  It is intended to be a concise, basic reference for the non-hand specialist to aid in the initial management of acute hand complaints.