Wrist pain – what can it result from? Exercise and caring for the wrist

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Wrist pain makes it difficult to perform many daily activities, and sometimes it is also an obstacle in your work. There can be many causes of ailments – from fractures, through arthritis, to pressure on the nerves. Prolonged, recurrent or limiting wrist pain is a condition for seeking medical attention.

What should you know about the wrist?

The wrist is one of the most complex joints in the human body. It consists of various joints that cooperate with each other, thanks to which it is possible to move the hand. There are two rows of bones that make up the joint – the closer one and the more distant one. The closer row includes the bones: canoe-shaped, lunate, triangular; The closer row includes bones: major quadrilateral, minor triangular, capitate and hooked bones.

Where does wrist pain come from?

1. Wrist sprain

This is one of the most common wrist injuries. It mostly affects people practicing extreme sports and seniors whose bones are weaker due to their age. Injury is often caused by reflex support during a fall. The symptom of the disease is the appearance of swelling in the joint, thus limiting its range of motion. The most severe type of wrist sprain is ligament disruption.

The injured limb should be immobilized with an elastic band. The joint should also be cooled so that the hematoma is absorbed faster. The wrist should also be relieved so that the injury does not worsen. It is best to put a wrist brace on a twisted joint. When the ligaments are torn during spraining, it is necessary to stitch them and stabilize them.

1. Wrist dislocation

During a wrist dislocation, the articular surfaces are displaced. The cause is most often a fall on the hand, e.g. during sports or inadequate support. Sometimes the disease is so serious that surgical treatment is recommended, aimed at repairing damaged ligaments, placing Kirschner wires inside them and putting plaster on the wrist for about 7 weeks – and finally the wrist should be stiffened with a stabilizer.

The symptom of a wrist dislocation is joint pain and inability to move it. Then the patient is not able to bend the joint up or down. Swelling appears shortly afterwards. First aid in this condition consists in preparing cold compresses that minimize swelling and relieve pain. You can use Visiomed KINECARE VM-GB8 ankle, wrist and elbow compresses for this. It will also be necessary to consult a doctor who will determine the further treatment.

1. Wrist fracture

It is the result of, for example, a fall from a height when the weight of the body is transferred to the arm. Osteoporosis can also cause an injury. There are three types of wrist fractures: Colles fracture, Smith fracture and scaphoid fracture. The first concerns the distal end of the radius; the second – also concerns the distal base of the bone, but with the displacement of the bone fragment; the third is to move the fragments away from their physiological position.

1. Find out more about radius fractures

A broken wrist should be immobilized, for example, with a plaster, orthosis or stabilizer – the choice of method depends on the nature of the fracture. The brace should be worn from a week to several months. When the fracture is accompanied by the displacement of its fragments, then it will be necessary to adjust, fix and stabilize the joint. With a broken joint, it takes more time to recover than from sprains and dislocations.

Causes of wrist pain – carpal tunnel syndrome

1. general information

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) involves the median nerve. It is also known as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. CTS is a series of clinical symptoms resulting from compression of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel. The disease was first described by the English surgeon Paget. In 1908, the relationship between nerve conduction disorders and mental work was described.

It belongs to the RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury) group, i.e. repeated injuries due to chronic overload of muscles and tendons. One of the causes of the disease is the alternation of straightening and bending movements combined with closing and opening. It is also caused by prolonged pressure on the median nerve, e.g. during incorrect use of a computer.

1. symptoms

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when it occurs during an increase in pressure inside the carpal tunnel. In the first phase, the disease does not cause severe symptoms that make it difficult for a person to function. Symptoms are usually so weak that patients do not feel the need to consult a specialist on this matter and start treatment. When the wrist pressure exceeds 40 mm Hg, the ailments become severe and make it impossible for the patient to function.

Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome include tingling, numbness, or paraesthesia. The patient also experiences pain in the wrist and a feeling of stiffness in the fingers. Ailments appear at night, during sleep. They are so annoying that they make it difficult to fall asleep or wake up from sleep. In the advanced stage of the disease, pain also occurs during rest – the patient then even has a problem with lifting light objects, and the fingers seem swollen and stiff.

1. Disease classification

Carpal tunnel syndrome may have a chronic or acute stage. To assess the degree of nerve damage, doctors use the Seddon classification. The first degree is the mildest form of the disease. Then there are no changes in the structure of the nerve in the patient. However, conduction of electrical impulses no longer occurs. In some cases, damage to the myelin sheaths and segmental demyelination occurs.

Grade two of the disease still has a good prognosis for functional recovery. However, conduction in the nerve is already inhibited at the site of damage. Appropriate therapy must be used for regeneration to be successful. When the disease is classified into the third stage, it means that the myelin sheath is damaged, which may result in muscle atrophy in the innervation area – then surgical intervention is required.

1. Diagnostics and treatment

The diagnosis of the disease consists in performing a test – the doctor touches the nerve and checks the mobility of the wrist. Usually, you will need additional tests, such as ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging and electromyography. The choice of treatment method depends on the stage of the disease. Occasionally, specialist rehabilitation and local use of glucocorticosteroids will be necessary.

Causes of wrist pain – de Quervain’s disease

1. General Information

De Quervain’s disease is a condition that occurs primarily in women. This is an inflammation of the tendon sheaths of the wrist. The causes are chronic injuries and tendon overloads caused by certain activities. The common name for de Quervain’s disease is “mother’s thumb,” due to the fact that a woman frequently lifting a child overloads her wrist and thumb.

De Quervain’s disease has still not been fully described. Although it is called “maternal disease”, it is often affected by people who carry out activities involving repetitive and monotonous thumb bending and straightening. People who text with their thumb and then hold the phone in the same hand are also affected. The disease leads to the formation of post-inflammatory adhesions.

1. symptoms

The disease may be mild and lead to severe pain. Its symptoms include pain in the thumb, especially at the root, which increases when moving the fingers and with a firm grip – may spread over the entire thumb up to the forearm. Other main symptoms are swelling in the area of ​​the thumb, reduced grip strength, and crunchiness when you move.

1. Disease classification

There are three disease states – acute, subacute and chronic. The first one requires the patient to participate in rehabilitation aimed at reducing or completely eliminating inflammation. The aim of rehabilitation in the subacute period is to reduce pain and restore the original range of movements. In chronic conditions, the goal of rehabilitation is to increase muscle strength and restore the proper functioning of the hands.

1. Diagnostics and treatment

The method of treatment depends on the condition of the condition. In the acute and subacute period, treatment with the use of a magnetic field, cryotherapy and TENS currents are used. Magnetic field therapy is based on the fact that the aforementioned magnetic field penetrates the patient’s body, stimulating collagen and cell membranes. This causes the ions of the body’s cells to start moving around. As a result, cell membrane hyperpolarisation occurs and metabolism is accelerated.

Cryotherapy is a treatment method that uses the body’s natural defenses to low temperatures. During the procedure, the blood vessels narrow and the blood flows more slowly through them. Later, when they suddenly widen, there is an increased release of endorphins, which are anti-inflammatory and analgesic. Cryotherapy lowers the temperature of the skin, joints and muscles.

TENS treatments are used to reduce pain caused by inflammation of the tendons. They are sent to the diseased joint. The impulse reaches the central nervous system rather than the pain impulse and produces endorphins. It is a low frequency current of high intensity. The therapy is performed by a physiotherapist.

Wrist pain and joint diseases – rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA, arthritis or visitors) is a chronic autoimmune disease of connective tissues. About 1% of adults suffer from them – women are much more common. The greatest incidence is recorded in people between 40 and 50 years of age, but children also suffer from it. RA is still not fully described, so there is no single cure that can effectively cure the disease.

1. The reasons

Arthritis is an extremely complex autoimmune disease. It is difficult to pinpoint a single cause that causes it. The groups of factors influencing the risk of its development are: genetic factors, environmental factors, immune disorders, bacterial infections, oxidative stress and viral infections. Genetic factors play an important role, although no specific gene responsible for its formation has been discovered.

People who smoke are more likely to develop RA. Tobacco also affects the course of the disease and makes heavy smokers less susceptible to pharmacotherapy and more likely to develop extra-articular symptoms. Other environmental factors include chronic stress, poor diet, and too much exercise.

1. symptoms

In the first stage of the disease, symptoms are not visible. This makes the diagnosis of RA in the early stages difficult. Symptoms include pain in one joint, hand or foot, although it occurs in 50% of patients. At this stage, the person also experiences general weakness, fatigue, frequent low-grade fever and excessive sweating. He also has a lower appetite and is losing weight.

Typical symptoms of RA are symmetrical arthritis, in the beginning of especially small joints in the hand. Arthritis of the knee, ankle, shoulder and cervical vertebrae also occurs in subsequent phases. Other common symptoms are articular cartilage degradation, epiphysis, and morning stiffness. RA, despite the use of pharmacotherapy, has frequent relapses.

1. Treatment

One of the methods of treatment is pharmacotherapy. Pharmaceuticals can lead to disease remission if started early. They also prevent irreversible changes in joints and extra-articular complications. These include disease-modifying drugs, biological and steroid drugs, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Rehabilitation is also a method of treating RA. The most commonly used rehabilitation methods are: cryotherapy, kinesiotherapy, ultrasound, laser therapy, and magnetotherapy. Salt baths, sulphide baths and spa treatments are also helpful. The aim of rehabilitation procedures is to reduce pain, periarticular swelling and shorten the time of morning stiffness.

Wrist pain and joint diseases – psoriatic arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis is a condition with symptoms such as chronic arthritis and psoriasis. Sometimes the eyes and heart are affected by the disease and there is an accelerated development of atherosclerosis and its complications. The symptoms and progression of the disease can be controlled. It can be mild or severe.

1. The reasons

The disease is still not fully understood. There is an opinion that people who are genetically susceptible to it are more likely to get the disease – it turns out that almost half of people with psoriatic arthritis have a family member who also has PsA. The disease is also caused by bacterial and viral infections, mechanical injuries and stress. In addition, medications and other chemicals can also cause the disease.

What exercises for the wrists?

Wrists are a burden for many daily activities, especially when you do office work. They are also heavily burdened by exercises such as push-ups, planks, weight lifting. Always warm up before doing these activities. However, it is worth remembering not to make any movements that exceed the range of possibilities. This is to stretch the wrists, not overload them.

You can start warming your wrists by warming your hands. Sit on the floor and stretch both hands up. Place your fingers wide apart and point the palm of your hand forward. Clench your hands into fists and open them vigorously. Do the exercise quickly and vigorously until you feel that both your forearms and wrists are warm. When you are finished exercising, relax your arms and hands so that they can rest.

Supportive kneeling exercises are helpful in warming up the wrists. Go into this position and place your hands shoulder-width apart. Keep your fingers as wide as possible. Move your shoulders to the right to put some weight on your right hand. Then make a forward, left, and backward movement. Perform each circle 10 times and change its direction. You can do these and other wrist exercises both before and after your workout.

To relieve the wrist joint, try the Gel Wrist Guard with Magnets.

How to take care of your wrists while working at the computer?

Pain in the wrists sooner or later affects everyone who spends a significant part of the day at the computer. One of the most important steps to avoid it is giving your wrists good support. The wrist should be at the level of the elbow, that is, form a single line with it. For this to be the case, the space on the desk should be arranged so that there are no unnecessary items on it.

To make working at the computer comfortable for the wrists, it is worth investing in a mouse pad that provides its support. The accessory will make your hand better positioned on the desk. The mouse itself is also equally important. It is worth considering buying a contoured mouse that gives the hands a better weight distribution than a non-contoured mouse.

Wrist overload can also be avoided by using an ergonomic keyboard – the device does not require folding your wrists to the side. It is equally important to take breaks while working and stretching the muscles of your forearms and hands. It’s just as important to stay comfortable at work – it’s best to sit in a swivel, adjustable chair with a matching desk.