Wrist/Hand Pain
Wrist and hand injuries are common and can be successfully diagnosed and treated by your physiotherapist. Wrist pain can occur from sporting injuries, work injuries or simply daily activities. Injury to local muscles, ligaments or tendons can lead to sprains.
Alternatively, wrist pain can be a result of arthritis, a fracture (most commonly falling onto an outstretched hand), from entrapped nerves in the neck joints, or carpal tunnel syndrome which is associated with nerve entrapment of the wrist.
Symptoms of wrist and hand injuries include
- Sharp pain or a dull ache on the front or back of the joint,
- A sensation of tearing when falling onto an out stretched hand
- Difficulty picking up and or holding objects
- Pain when typing at the computer desk, undoing jars and turning off taps.
- Pain that is ongoing and constant
Assessment
In order to determine the cause of your pain, your Physiotherapist will conduct a physical and neurological examination on your wrist and arm. You will be asked to perform a range of motion and muscle strength tests. Any pain or symptoms felt, both at rest and during movement of the wrist or hand, provides important clues as to the cause of the pain. From here a treatment plan can be carried out.
Treatment
Wrist pain and injury respond favourably to mobile physiotherapy intervention when early treatment is sought. Please refrain from delays in consulting your physiotherapist if you experience wrist pain. After a detailed assessment and explanation of your specific condition, treatment can involve
- Pain and swelling management
- Exercises and assistance to restore range of motion
- Joint mobilization and manipulation
- Stretching and strengthening to prevent further weakness & injury recurrence
- Dry needling
- Bracing, taping or strapping to reduce load on tendons and provide added stability
- Referral if required (such as anti-inflammatory medication or X-rays from your GP)
Post-Operative Care
If you’ve had surgery on your wrist, mobile physiotherapy is great for receiving expert rehabilitation. All orthopaedic surgeries require rehabilitation to help with optimal recovery and return to preferred activity levels.
Your physiotherapist will prioritize swelling and pain management strategies as your surrounding muscles and ligaments may also be affected from the surgery. This will be followed by specific strengthening, biomechanical and range of motion training to restore as much function as possible.
