Three reasons for pain in outside of leading wrist from golf

The wrist is important to many of the movements people make when playing sports. Think about the extra whip that flicking the wrist gives baseball pitchers. Creating that perfectly spiraling football pass would be harder without subtle movements of the wrist. One sport that can be particularly hard on the wrist is golf, and it’s common for amateur golfers to develop pain on the outside of their leading wrist. Here are three reasons this type of pain is common for golfers: 

1. Lack of stretching

One reason that people who play golf develop pain on the outside of their leading wrist is they don’t stretch before they play. There are two types of tendons that run through the outer part of the wrist: the flexor and extensor tendons. Both of these tendons help the hand close so you can grip your club. They also help keep the hands in the proper position when you swing. However, golfers tend to forget to warm up these tendons before launching into a round, leaving the tendons tight and increasing the likelihood of wrist pain. 

2. The wrist is overused

Golfers may also develop pain on the outside of their leading wrist if they suddenly increase the amount of playing or driving practice they’re doing. This is especially common in golfers who take a break from the sport in the winter. After several months of inactivity, they will then go back to a high amount of playing without giving their body time to readjust. The sudden high level of activity can lead to severe wrist tendon fatigue, and this can easily lead to wrist pain. Players can avoid this by doing activities to maintain the strength and flexibility of their wrists, arms and hands during the winter months. 

3. A nerve has been pinched

Pain on the outside of the wrist from golf can also be related to a pinched ulnar nerve. The ulnar nerve is found in the outside of the wrist, and it branches into the pinkie and ring fingers. One job this nerve has is to send opening and closing signals to these fingers. This makes it vital for holding a golf club properly, but irritation of this nerve can also lead to wrist pain. Often, this irritation is caused by inflamed tendons rubbing against the nerve. 

Get treatment for pain on the outside of the wrist from golf at Advent Physical Therapy

Golfers in West Michigan don’t have to suffer from pain on the outside of the wrist for long periods of time. Advent Physical Therapy has 14 clinics in your area that can help treat your pain fast. Our team offers free screenings to pinpoint the root cause of your wrist pain, and this information helps us to develop a treatment plan personalized to your needs. Our personalized treatment plan can offer patients many benefits thanks to therapy techniques such as: 

• Kinesiology taping
• Manual therapy
• Ergonomic recommendations
• Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM)
• Sports medicine

Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment to start treating your golf injury.