Physical Therapy Strategies for Managing Wrist Pain
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Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Whether you’re trying to type, carry groceries, hold onto a tool, or play a sport, wrist pain can be a real challenge. Some patients come to us because their wrist pain built up over time from repetitive motions, while others suddenly developed wrist pain after a fall or other injury. Fortunately, there are several evidence-based physical therapy strategies that can relieve your pain, improve your range of motion, and prevent wrist pain from coming back. When you’re dealing with wrist pain that’s holding you back from your usual activities, knowing the underlying issue that physical therapy aims to solve can help make you feel more comfortable about taking the next step.
Common Causes of Wrist Pain
Since proper treatment requires understanding the root cause of the pain, here are some possible culprits:
Repetitive strain injuries from typing, texting, or using your hands at work.
Tendonitis, inflammation of the tendons in your wrist.
Carpal tunnel syndrome, pressure on the median nerve.
Wrist sprains and strains, or ligament injuries, can occur if you fall or play sports. Arthritis, such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Resource: assh.org
They all impact the wrist, but in different ways. Through an evaluation, a physical therapist can decide if the wrist pain is a result of joint stiffness, tendon irritation, nerve compression, or muscle weakness.
Why Physical Therapy for Wrist Pain?
Physical therapy will aim to normalize movement and decrease the amount of irritation to sensitive areas. This may include manual treatment, exercise, and education.
Techniques for Manual Therapy
Common manual therapies used to increase joint mobility and relieve pain include:
- Joint mobilizations to increase wrist mobility.
- Soft tissue techniques to alleviate muscle spasm.
- Mobilisation of tendons and ligaments.
Manual therapy can enhance blood flow to the affected region and help alleviate rigidity that may restrict the range of movement.
Exercises to Improve Muscle Strength and Joint Stability
Strengthening wrist-supporting muscles is a long-term solution. The wrist joint is often strained due to weak forearm muscles. The therapist may advise you to do:
- Wrist flexion and extension
- Grip strengthening
- Forearm pronation and supination
- Band exercises
Resource: myclevelandclinic.org
These exercises help to strengthen the joint and relieve pressure from daily use.
Nerve Gliding techniques
If you suffer from numbness, tingling, or burning, then your doctor may suggest nerve gliding exercises, which are designed to help your nerve move correctly within the tissue. Nerve gliding has proven to be helpful for people who have symptoms of carpal tunnel when used in conjunction with a treatment program.
Modifying Activities and Learning Ergonomic Techniques
If you don’t change the behaviors causing your pain, it’s likely to come back. A physical therapist will assess how you use your hands on the job or when you’re engaging in a hobby. You can make minor modifications to avoid putting extra stress on your hands, such as:
- Positioning your keyboard and mouse
- Lifting techniques
- Changing sports techniques
- Using splints or supports to prevent further irritation during healing
- Educating is a key part of rehabilitation.
Ways to Lessen Inflammation
Your physical therapist also may use specific treatments to calm inflamed tissues and relieve pain. Examples include:
- Therapeutic ultrasound
- Electrical stimulation
- Cold therapy
- Heat therapy
Modalities are used to aid in the healing process, particularly in the acute phase of treatment.
Managing Repeated Wrist Strain
The healing process doesn’t stop after the pain is gone. Doing the maintenance exercises and changing the way you move will prevent the wrist from getting hurt again. Keeping the wrist limber, practicing good posture, and increasing your activity levels in a step-by-step fashion will keep your wrist safe in the long run. A recurrence of symptoms is likely if there is a return to repetitive activity without proper treatment or prevention strategies. A physical therapist can help you with both your current pain and how to prevent future episodes.
Resource: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
When to Seek Physical Therapy for Wrist Pain
Seek out a PT if you have a recent injury that causes severe wrist pain, numbness or tingling in your wrist, hand, or fingers, a decrease in your ability to move your wrist, or decreased strength. You should also see a PT if you have a history of wrist injuries or wrist pain, aching or stiffness in your wrist, hand, or fingers, or difficulty performing daily activities due to wrist pain or stiffness.
Final Thoughts
Don’t let wrist pain limit your work, activities, or everyday tasks. The team at Peake Physical Therapy offers personalized treatment to help you achieve strength, movement, and function. Contact Peake Physical Therapy to schedule an appointment and start on the path toward a guided program that will help you manage the root cause of your wrist pain and prevent future occurrences.