Two causes of pinky-side wrist pain in Kentwood, MI

Most people don’t think about how many times their wrist moves every day. At least, they don’t until their wrist starts to hurt. For instance, you could be feeling pain in the pinky side of your wrist in Kentwood, Michigan, but you may not know what’s causing it. This can be a problem because it’s harder to effectively treat the pain if you don’t know the cause. However, there are two conditions that could be the cause of your pinky-side wrist pain. 

1.   Wrist fracture

There are 10 bones in your wrist, and these bones include eight small carpal bones and the ends of the radius and ulnar bones in your forearm. With so many bones, it’s no wonder that wrist fractures are fairly common, and they can easily lead to pinky-side wrist pain depending on which bone is broken. Wrist fractures are also common because people often use their hands to break falls. This places a huge level of strain on the wrist bones, which can cause them to break. Wrist fractures can also occur while playing high-contact sports like football, rugby and soccer. 

2.   Ulnar impaction syndrome

The ulna is one of the two bones in the forearm that runs into the wrist. The other bone is called the radius, and it also ends in the wrist. When the ulna is longer than the radius, the condition is called ulnar impaction syndrome (UIS). This condition can lead to pain in the pinky side of your wrist, and it can also cause swelling, decreased wrist movement and difficulty lifting objects. UIS is typically present from the time a person is born, but a person may not experience symptoms of this condition until later in life. Also, a poorly healed ulnar fracture can also lead to UIS in some people. 

Pinky-side wrist pain can be treated by our team at Advent Physical Therapy in Kentwood, MI

Advent Physical Therapy is proud to have a clinic in Kentwood, and our team here is committed to providing residents of this area with the best possible care. One way our team meets this goal is by offering free screenings, and this can help you figure out what’s causing your pinky-side wrist pain. Once we’ve determined its cause, your pain can be treated with an individualized therapy plan, and your plan may be designed to use therapy techniques such as: 

• Manual therapy
• Kinesiology taping
• Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) therapy
• Fall prevention 

Don’t continue to deal with your pain on your own. Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.