Hand and wrist pain? Here’s some information that you should know

Your hands and wrists work together to accomplish many tasks. When either is hurt, it’s difficult for the other to operate. Your hands and wrists operate from the connections of bones, joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles that all work together. When one or more of these areas is hurt, the others suffer too.

Unfortunately, hand and wrist pain is more common than most people realize; it’s reported that about 10% of people experience some form of hand and wrist discomfort every year. Knowing the causes and treatment options available for hand and wrist issues is vital to effectively treatment them. A physical therapist can help you learn the causes of your hand and wrist symptoms and build you a physical therapy plan to treat them.

What is causing my wrist and hand pain? 

Since the hands and wrists are so complex, they are at risk for many types of injuries and conditions. If you’re suffering from pain, your physical therapist can examine your hand and wrist to identify the cause. Some common issues that could be causing your pain are: 

• Carpal tunnel syndrome — The carpal tunnel is the channel through which your median nerve runs. Repetitive strain and overuse can cause the carpal tunnel to grow more narrow and put pressure on this nerve. This causes pain in your wrist, which may stem into your hand as well.

• Arthritis — The joints in your hands and wrists may be worn down by arthritis. Arthritis can develop from overuse and old age or may be the result of an immune disease known as rheumatoid arthritis.

• Tendinitis — Tendons are the connective tissue between your muscles and joints. Overuse and strain can cause painful inflammation in tendons, which is known as tendinitis.

• Ganglion cysts — These are cysts that form in the soft tissue of your wrist near the back of your hand.

• Traumatic injury — A severe impact or falling on your hand or wrist can cause an injury, such as fractures or sprains.

How can a physical therapist treat hand and wrist pain?

The plan your physical therapist builds to treat your hand and wrist pain will be individualized to fit your needs. The therapy techniques used in your plan can depend on the cause of your pain. The techniques your physical therapist uses can also be determined by other factors like age and medical history. 

A few of the common therapy techniques used to treat hand and wrist issues are: 

• Manual therapy
• Therapeutic exercises
• Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM)
• McKenzie Method^®
• Pre-surgical rehab
• Post-surgical rehab
• Ergonomic recommendations

Advent Physical Therapy offers treatment for hand and wrist pain

Our team at Advent Physical Therapy has been treating conditions like hand and wrist pain for more than 20 years. The first step we’ll take toward helping you reduce your pain is performing a free screening. This will help us learn the source of your wrist and hand symptoms. Once we know its source, our team will build you a personalized therapy plan designed to reduce your pain. 

Can’t leave home to get physical therapy? Not a problem! We offer therapy services that are specifically designed to be used from your home, including virtual care and at-home therapy sessions. We don’t even require a doctor’s referral before you begin using our therapy services. 

Start getting our help with your wrist and hand issues. Contact our team today for more information about how we can assist you or to schedule an initial appointment.