Between brushing your teeth and putting your socks on to sending a good-night text to your loved ones, your hands are constantly moving. We usually only realize how much we depend on them when pain or swelling occurs. Recurring wrist pain, in particular, significantly restricts our everyday activities, reducing our quality of life. That’s why it’s important not to ignore wrist pain but to find out its cause.
Wrist pain: what are the most common triggers?
When the wrist hurts or is swollen after a sports injury or awkwardly breaking a fall with the hands, the cause is obvious. Often, however, wrist pain occurs suddenly without a recognizable reason. In most cases, this is caused by the countless strenuous hand movements we make every day.
But not all pain is the same. Some feel it in the joint, in others, it radiates into the forearm. Sometimes, it’s at the back of the hand, other times, in the palm or thumb area. Sometimes, the hand hurts during certain movements, such as gripping, bending, or when subjected to strain. Other times, pain occurs when you sit down in the evening. In some cases, the wrist or hand can even be swollen.
Who is most commonly affected?
Oftentimes, it affects those who perform many repetitive movements at work every day, such as checkout staff, bakers, florists, massage therapists, cleaners, assembly operators, and office workers who type using a keyboard a lot or use a mouse to navigate. Excessive strain can also be caused quickly during leisure activities, such as knitting, DIY, or gardening. Sports, such as climbing, rowing, barbell training, and tennis are also known for subjecting the wrists to excessive strain. Those who passionately play the violin, piano, or guitar will also be affected by wrist pain sooner or later. Tapping around on your smartphone for hours on end can also result in hand pain. The same applies to gamers who spend a lot of time in front of their games console or computer.
However the pain is experienced and in whatever situation it occurs, one thing is clear: it significantly impairs quality of life. It’s therefore important to find the cause – that’s the only way to identify which treatment will help you be pain-free again quickly.
Wrist pain must be taken seriously and treated.
Diagnosis and treatment of wrist pain
Your hands are a complex interaction of bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. That’s why it’s not always easy to find out where the hand pain comes from. Is a nerve damaged? Is it an irritation? Is the joint or a bone damaged?
Once these questions have been answered, you will know how to treat the pain. That’s why our recommendation is to visit a physician for a thorough examination. Initially, the physician will ask a few questions, such as how long you’ve been in pain, how it feels exactly, and in which situations it occurs. So you don’t forget anything important, you should prepare for your consultation. We have therefore compiled a brief checklist for you – simply complete it before your appointment and take it along.
After the discussion, the physician will physically examine you, which may include movement tests or imaging technology such as X-rays. Once the diagnosis is definitive, the next treatment steps will be decided. In addition to classic pain therapy, kinesiotherapy is frequently prescribed which will help you rebalance your wrist. A wrist support, such as the ManuTrain, can help with this because it relieves and stabilizes your wrist. Since that’s not only important during kinesiotherapy, the ManuTrain has been designed in such a way that it’s comfortable to wear during everyday life – whether at work, when shopping, or during your other activities.
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Would you like to know more about our wrist support and its effectiveness?
Find out here how the ManuTrain can help with your wrist problems.
Common wrist conditions
Tendons, bones, muscles, cartilage – it can basically be any part of your hand and wrist that causes pain. The most common diagnoses include tenosynovitis, repetitive strain injury, and osteoarthritis. We have collated comprehensive information about these here. It will help you understand what’s going on in your wrist and how you can actively combat pain.
If you feel a burning sensation in your forearm and it hurts during movement, tenosynovitis may be the cause. It primarily occurs as a result of excessive strain, such as during sports or playing an instrument. We will show you how tenosynovitis develops and how you can get rid of it.
Repetitive movements being regularly performed over extended periods – that’s the main cause of repetitive strain injury. It may not sound like much but it can significantly restrict those affected in their everyday lives – especially if it’s left untreated. Find out here how repetitive strain injury develops, how you can recognize it, and what to do about it.
Osteoarthritis refers to wear of the articular cartilage which usually develops over several years. Those who start treatment early can put a halt to the progression of this condition and delay or even prevent surgery altogether. Find out all the important details about causes, symptoms, and possible treatment here.
Train your wrist
Healthy, strong hands are important. Use these four practical exercises to train, stretch, and stabilize your wrists in the long term.
