Health hotline: Doctors to answer questions on hand, wrist and elbow conditions and injuries

Trigger fingers, he said, are also common and can be treated with steroids and surgery to release the tendon that locks up a finger's joints, preventing free movement.

Olson, who divides his time between Intermountain Healthcare's The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital and the Park City Medical Center's Rosenberg Cooley Metcalf orthopedic clinic, said he chose to specialize in upper extremity anatomy because of how much proper function of the hands can impact a person's quality of life.

"I just found that I loved being able to use my hands to make a significant impact on patients' lives," he said. "It's a satisfying thing to see big differences in their lives." Olson said it is also promising that elbow, hand and wrist surgeries tend to have few potential complications.

He and Schmidt, who also works at The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital, will be featured on Saturday's Deseret News/Intermountain Healthcare Health Hotline, where they will take questions from the public on the diagnosis and treatment of elbow, forearm and hand injuries. From 10 a.m. until noon, anyone interested is welcome to call 1-800-925-8177 or post questions on the Deseret News Facebook page, www.facebook.com/desnews.

Hotline Saturday: Preventing elbow, wrist and hand injury

The Deseret News/Intermountain Healthcare Hotline focuses on elbow, forearm and hand injuries. From 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dr. Patrick Olson, an orthopedic surgeon at Intermountain's The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital, and occupational therapist Jackie Schmidt, will answer callers' confidential questions. Call 1-800-925-8177, toll-free during that time. Those interested can also post questions during that time on the Deseret News Facebook page, www.facebook.com/desnews.

E-mail: wleonard@desnews.com, Twitter: wendyleonards