Wrist Pain
Our wrists play a crucial role in nearly every action of our lives. From using our phones to washing ourselves to typing on a keyboard or eating a meal, being unable to freely and painlessly use our wrists can be debilitating. There are nearly as many ways to injure our wrists as there are ways to use them, which means that addressing wrist pain often requires an in-depth evaluation. If there was an actual injury, we’ll take steps to help your wrist heal from it without losing range of motion or strength. If another condition is the cause of your pain, we’ll get to the root of the issue and address it while returning your joints to normal function.
Read more about the conditions & injuries causing wrist pain in our blog post - Causes And Symptoms Of Wrist Pain.
Causes Of Wrist Pain
More often than not, pain in the wrists is caused by traumatic injury or overuse and repetitive use. If fracture and dislocation have been ruled out, we’ll ask a series of lifestyle questions to determine what may be causing your pain. Together, we will devise a treatment plan that not only addresses your current pain but prevents you from experiencing it in the future.
Some causes of wrist pain include:
- Ganglion Cysts
- TFCC Injuries
- Wrist Ligament Injuries
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Distal Radius Fractures
- Kienbock’s Disease
- De Quervain’s Syndrome
How We Treat Wrist Pain
TFCC Injuries and Wrist Ligament Injuries - Any of these injuries will need to be fully evaluated to ensure that, if bracing or surgery is required, those steps are taken before strengthening and range of motion exercises come into play. Once we’re certain that your injury is healing, however, we will focus on improving your wrist’s movements until you’re able to go about life as normal again.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - CTS treatments will be decided based on the severity of the symptoms. Treatments range from bracing and rest to exercises that improve range of motion and strength to cortisone shots and surgery.
Fractures - Any breaks will be X-rayed and evaluated to determine whether they are simple (broken along one line) or complex (shattered or broken in several places). After that, the injury will likely be splinted and/or casted. In the most severe cases, surgery is recommended to correct any displacements or insert supportive hardware if necessary.
Kienbock’s Disease - Anti-inflammatories are sometimes recommended in order to reduce any swelling and manage pain, but rest and immobilization is the first step in treating this condition. Once blood flow is restored, we can begin working on strengthening the joint again.
DeQuervain’s Syndrome - In DeQuervain’s, you commonly have pain and swelling on the thumb side of the wrist. Pain is increased with gripping, and pinching or holding a saucepan, for example. In this region of the wrist, friction is caused when two tendons that move the thumb, rub together or are compressed in a tunnel at the level of the wrist. Splinting, and taping work well to settle the condition, and a strengthening program once the pain settles helps to return people to normal activity.
Book an appointment with our experienced Hand Therapists by either calling us on 03 54425288 or through our online booking system now
What Next?
If wrist pain is keeping you from being able to live life the way you want to, make an appointment for an evaluation with us at Central Victorian Hand Therapy. We’ll do a physical examination and ask a series of questions about your lifestyle to determine what type of injury or condition might be causing your pain, then form a tailor-made plan for your recovery. You can contact us directly via phone, email, or contact us via our online booking system.
You can contact us directly via phone, email, or contact us via our online booking system.
Please note, patients who want to refer themselves are welcome to do so. You only need a referral if you are funded under Workcover, TAC, The Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA), or you are on a Management Plan such as the Enhanced Primary Care Plan from your doctor.
