Hand and Wrist

Injuries and conditions: hand and wrist pain

CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME

Presents with pain, numbness or pins and needless into your hand caused by a compressed nerve in your wrist. Commonly painful at night. Can benefit from splinting and stretches.

DEQUERVAIN’S

This is the swelling of the structure around a tendon just above your thumb. Commonly injured by people that use their hands a lot including, racket sports, golf, bowls and rowers. Responds well to ultrasound, stretches and specific exercises.

WRIST FRACTURE

This is probably one of the most common fractures in the body. Normally caused by falling over and landing on your hand. Our job at Advantage Physiotherapy is to get the wrist and elbow moving once it has healed and get your strength back.

GOLFERS ELBOW

Despite the name you don’t have to be a golfer. This injury is where the muscle and tendon complex on the inside of your elbow become painful. Normally aggravated by lots of gripping activities. Can refer pain to the hand. Responds well to stretches, massage, acupuncture and ultrasound.

OSTEOARTHRITIS (OA)

This is a fancy name for wear and tear that can happen in most of your joints, most common being knees, hips, back, neck, shoulders and fingers. The joints become worn like a rusty chain on a bike and cause pain. Commonly aggravated by cold and wet weather. Can have acute episodes of aggravation and painful swelling. Physiotherapy can be very helpful with OA using treatments such as mobilisation, exercises, acupuncture etc.

REPETITIVE STRAIN INJURY (RSI)

This is where you do the same movement over and over again which aggravates the structures involved. The most common RSI is overworking on the computer keyboard or mouse and repetitive gripping activities such as using secateurs.

TENNIS ELBOW

You don’t have to be a tennis player. The muscle and tendon complex on the outside of your elbow become painful. Normally aggravated by lots of gripping, use of hands or computer mouse work. Can refer pain to the hand. Responds well to stretches, massage, acupuncture and ultrasound.

WEAR AND TEAR

See osteoarthritis.