Wrist and Hand Pain
Our wrists and hands are of huge importance for so many daily tasks, such as driving, cooking, childcare and using a computer. Not sure if physiotherapy can help your pain? Here we’ll explain what we treat and how physiotherapy can help.
The wrist and hand is made up of 27 tiny bones and more than 30 muscles that control your movement and strength.
Muscles of the hand are attached to the bones by small, tough pieces of connective tissue called tendons. When muscles contract, the tendons pull on the bone, causing the fingers to move.
There are also three main nerves in the hand and wrist, the ulnar nerve, radial nerve and median nerve. The median nerve passes through a bony canal in your wrist, known as the carpal tunnel.
Wrist and hand injuries are common in sports, car accidents and after a fall, as people will often put their hands out to support themselves as a natural response. Unfortunately, if the diagnosis and treatment of a wrist and hand problem is delayed, this may result in long-term problems due to the complex nature of the hand anatomy.
YOU DON’T NEED TO GO AND SEE A GP FIRST!
Physiotherapists can assess and diagnose the cause of your wrist or hand pain and provide relief from the symptoms with treatment.
We have much longer to speak to you about your wrist and hand pain than a GP does, and can help you to understand how to manage your symptoms effectively.
How can physiotherapy help wrist and hand pain?
A physiotherapy assessment aims to understand what is causing your wrist and hand pain and ensure we rule out any serious conditions. If you have had an injury, we are able to refer for imaging such as an x-ray or MRI scan if we feel it is required.
We can usually diagnose your wrist and hand pain using a series of movements, muscle tests and specialist tests. After diagnosis, we work with you to create a tailored treatment plan. This tends to consist of a combination of rehabilitation exercises to restore movement and strength, and “hands on” techniques such as:
Massage for sore or tight muscles in the hand and wrist
Mobilisation/manipulation to improve stiff joints in the hand and wrist
Stretching techniques to improve movement and pain
Acupuncture for pain and tightness in the muscles of the hand and wrist
We believe that knowledge is power, and we strive to understand the root cause of your pain, so that we can give you all the information you need to prevent the problem from re-occurring.
Get on top of your wrist and hand pain today and come see us at our physiotherapy clinic in Cheltenham. Click below to book your first appointment!
Causes of wrist and hand pain
Here are just some of the things we treat in the wrist and hand:
Fractures, dislocations or wrist sprains
A fracture is a crack or break in the bone, whereas a dislocation is where the bone moves out of place following an injury. These may occur in the small bones in the base of your hand (carpal bones), your fingers, or the bones around your wrist (scaphoid, distal radius and ulna).
A sprain is damage to a ligament. These can occur in ligaments of the thumb or around the wrist if you have broken a fall with the palm of your hand. There are different types of sprains, from a small tear to a complete rupture, so recovery time usually depends on the severity of the strain.
Post operation
Sometimes, fractures and other injuries need surgery to repair the damage. This may involve a metal plate in your wrist, or metal wiring known as K wiring, to help the injury to heal and repair. Physiotherapy can help improve stiffness and pain following the surgery, and ensure your recovery is as quick as possible.
deQuervains tenosynovitis
This condition refers to inflammation of the tendon sheath around tendons of the thumb. Pain is usually felt just below the thumb, and it can be sore to turn your wrist, grasp anything, or make a fist. Although the exact cause isn’t know, repetitive activities of the wrist and hand such as gardening, lifting your baby or playing golf can contribute.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
The median nerve runs through the carpal tunnel, and in this syndrome the nerve becomes compressed or irritated, resulting in pain, tingling and numbness into the hand. Generally this is felt in the thumb, index and middle finger, but this can vary depending on the severity of the compression. Physiotherapy helps to relieve pressure through the tunnel, and strengthen muscles in the wrist to support the area.
Trigger finger
Trigger finger can affect one or more of the hand’s tendons, but it is most common in the thumb, ring finger or little finger. It is also more common in the right hand, as this is most people’s dominant hand. The tendon becomes inflamed and thickened, and can lock or catch when you bend and straighten your finger. This is also known as stenosing tenosynovitis.
Repetitive Strain Injuries
Repetitive Strain Injuries, or RSI’s can occur commonly in the wrist and hand with overuse or from a poorly designed work space. This can come on gradually and can cause pain, swelling and weakness in the hands or forearms. Physiotherapy can help to relieve inflammation, build strength in the affected muscles and improve your working set up.
Not sure of the cause of your pain? Come to see us at our physiotherapy clinic in Cheltenham. We can diagnose you and get you started on the road to recovery. Click below to book your first appointment!