Sports injuries · Tarzana · Los Angeles

Sports Injury Treatment in Los Angeles

Get Back in the Game

We're Foundation Hand Surgery Institute, and our board-certified orthopedic surgeons focus exclusively on the hand and upper extremity. Dr. Rob Viswanath and Dr. Ryan Tantone treat athletes across the San Fernando Valley, West Valley, and West LA, from weekend climbers to high school competitors and everyone in between.

Call 818-578-3152 Request an appointment

sports-injury-treatment-in-los-angeles-get-back-in-the-game.jpg

When a Hand Injury Doesn’t Heal the Way It Should

A jammed finger during a pickup game. A wrist that folds under you on a mountain bike. A thumb that never felt right after that fall on the slopes. Hand and upper-extremity injuries occur quickly in sport, and they rarely signal how serious they are.

So you tape it, ice it, and keep playing. Weeks pass, and the swelling fades, but grip strength doesn't come back, the joint clicks, and catching a ball makes you flinch.

Left alone, a small ligament tear stiffens into a joint that no longer tracks properly. A missed scaphoid fracture can stop healing altogether. What began as one lost season quietly becomes a hand that struggles with a steering wheel, a keyboard, or a coffee cup.

OUR care

What Sports Injury Care Looks Like With Our Team

Sports injuries to the hand and wrist are frequently underdiagnosed because they mimic simple sprains. Our subspecialty training means we look for what a general exam can miss.

We evaluate the full chain: fingers, thumb, wrist, forearm, and elbow. Then we build a plan around your sport, your position, and your season.

A precise diagnosis

Using targeted imaging when the exam alone isn't conclusive.

Non-surgical options first

Whenever they can deliver a durable result.

Surgical repair by subspecialty hand surgeons

When the injury demands it.

Patients working with us can expect:

Rehab guidance

That protects healing tissue while keeping the rest of you conditioned.

Honest timelines for return to play

Not optimistic guesses.

Not every athlete needs an operation

Many respond well to protected immobilization, activity modification, and structured therapy, and we'll tell you plainly when that's the better path.

Candidacy

Who Is a Good Candidate for Sports Injury Treatment?

If your hand, wrist, or elbow was injured in an athletic activity and still isn't right, you belong in our office. That includes injuries several months old that never fully resolved.
Sports injury care is a strong fit for:

Athletes with finger dislocations, ligament tears, or a thumb that feels unstable when pinching
Anyone with wrist pain that persists more than two weeks after a fall
Climbers, gymnasts, and racket sport players with tendon or pulley injuries
Contact and ball sport athletes with suspected fractures in the hand or wrist
Overhead and throwing athletes with elbow pain or numbness in the hand
Patients told their injury was "just a sprain" who still have swelling, weakness, or limited motion

We treat competitive and recreational athletes of all ages, including growing athletes whose injuries near the growth plate require specialized attention.

What to expect

From Sideline to Starting Lineup

Step 01

The Full Story

We start by walking through the mechanism of injury, your sport demands, and what you've already tried. How the injury happened often points directly to the structures involved.

Step 02

Hands-On Examination

Our surgeons test stability, motion, strength, and nerve function joint by joint. This focused exam detects ligament and tendon injuries that are otherwise missed.

Step 03

Clear Imaging

When needed, we order X-rays, ultrasound, CT, or MRI to confirm what the exam suggests. You'll see the images and understand exactly what we're looking at.

Step 04

Your Treatment Plan

Together, we choose among bracing, therapy, and surgical repair, weighing your season, your goals, and how much healing time you realistically have.

Step 05

Recovery With Purpose

We coordinate therapy and monitor progress at each visit, clearing you for return only when the tissue can handle competition again.

Your Questions Answered

FAQs About Sports Injury in LA

Rest is reasonable for a mild sprain that improves steadily over a week. If you still have swelling, bruising, weakness, clicking, deformity, or pain with grip after two weeks, see a hand specialist. Wrist and thumb injuries in particular are often more serious than they first appear and benefit from early evaluation.
Often, no. Many finger, wrist, and tendon injuries heal well with splinting, targeted therapy, and modified activity. We recommend surgery when a structure is torn, displaced, or unstable enough that healing without repair would leave lasting weakness or arthritis. You'll always hear both options before deciding.
It depends on the injury and your position. Simple finger sprains may allow buddy-taped play within days, while ligament repairs and fractures typically require 6 to 12 weeks before contact. We give you a realistic timeline at your first visit and update it as you heal.
Yes. Chronic and neglected sports injuries make up a meaningful share of our practice. Old scaphoid fractures, unstable thumb ligaments, and stiff finger joints can still be treated successfully, though the approach differs from acute care. Bring any prior imaging you have to your appointment.
Almost always, with adjustments. We identify which stresses the healing tissue and which don't, so you can maintain conditioning, work the opposite limb, and protect your fitness base. Athletes who stay active through recovery generally return to full performance faster than those who stop entirely.

What Our Customers Say

Don't Let Another Season Slip Away

Every week an athlete waits, scar tissue sets, joints stiffen, and simple repairs turn into complex reconstructions. The window for the easiest fix is right after the injury, not after the playoffs.

Our surgeons are accepting new patients now across Los Angeles, with two convenient contact lines and a straightforward appointment request. Call 818-578-3152 or request your visit online, and let's find out what's actually going on in that hand.

Call 818-578-3152 Request an appointment

Request an Appointment

Fill out the form below and our team will reach out to confirm your visit. Most fields are optional — we just need a name to get started.