Hand and Wrist Injuries
Hand and wrist injuries are not only common, but they can also significantly impact your daily life. Whether it’s sharp wrist pain, weakness in the hands, or swelling that makes simple tasks difficult, injuries to these areas can cause discomfort and limit your range of motion.
At Paspa Physical Therapy, we understand how disruptive hand and wrist injuries can be. Contact us to schedule an appointment with our expert physical therapists in Manhattan, NY, today!
Common Hand and Wrist Injuries
There are several types of injuries and conditions that affect the hands and wrists, each presenting unique symptoms and challenges. Some of the most common include:
- Arthritis/Rheumatoid Arthritis: Inflammation of the joints, causing stiffness, pain, and swelling. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder affecting the joints, often resulting in severe pain and decreased wrist motion.
- Strain/Sprain: These occur when muscles or ligaments in the hand or wrist are overstretched or torn. Strains are caused by muscle or tendon damage, while sprains affect the ligaments. Both can result from falls or repetitive motion.
- Wrist/Colles Fracture: Often caused by falling on an outstretched hand, this fracture involves one of the eight small bones of the wrist or one of the forearm bones at the wrist. It can lead to severe pain, swelling, and limited mobility.
- DeQuervain’s Syndrome: A condition characterized by inflammation of the tendons on the thumb side of the wrist, leading to pain and difficulty gripping objects.
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: One of the most well-known hand conditions, carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve is compressed as it passes through the carpal tunnel. Symptoms include numbness, tingling, and wrist pain.
- Wrist Tendonitis: This injury results from inflammation of the tendons in the wrist, typically due to overuse injuries. It causes pain, tenderness, and swelling, particularly during wrist motion.
Causes and Risk Factors
Wrist injuries and hand injuries can occur due to a variety of reasons. In some cases, acute injuries result from sudden impacts, such as a fall on an outstretched hand, which can lead to broken bones or stress fractures. In other cases, overuse injuries develop gradually due to repetitive motion, often seen in athletes, office workers, or anyone whose job requires repeated hand movements.
Risk factors for wrist injuries include:
- Age: Older adults are more prone to conditions like arthritis and fractures due to weakened bones and joints.
- Repetitive Motion: Jobs or activities that involve frequent wrist motion, such as typing or playing sports, can increase the risk of conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome or wrist tendonitis.
- Bone Health: Weak bones or previous fractures increase the likelihood of severe injuries, such as wrist fractures.
- Sports: Athletes, particularly those involved in contact sports or activities like gymnastics, face a higher risk of hand and wrist injuries, including strains, sprains, and more severe injuries like fractures.
How Physical Therapy Helps
Physical therapy is often the most effective treatment for hand and wrist injuries, especially when addressed early. At Paspa Physical Therapy, our experienced therapists provide customized treatment plans designed to target your specific needs. Therapy can help alleviate wrist pain, improve range of motion, and restore strength to the injured area.
Your physical therapist will guide you through exercises that improve flexibility and strengthen the muscles surrounding the wrist and hand. These exercises help prevent future injuries, particularly in those at risk due to repetitive motion or overuse. Therapy can also help in the recovery from surgery, such as following a wrist injury or carpal tunnel release.
Our one-on-one care ensures that you receive undivided attention, and with access to a full gym, you’ll have everything you need to strengthen your hands and wrists in a controlled, supportive environment.
Hand and Wrist Exercises
Strengthening the muscles in your hands and wrists is crucial for both recovery and prevention of future injuries. After an injury, the affected area is often weaker and more susceptible to stress fractures or overuse injuries if not properly rehabilitated. Physical therapists at Paspa Physical Therapy create individualized strength programs that target the muscles supporting the hand and wrist.
Here are some highly effective exercises for hand and wrist strengthening:
- Bean or Rice Bucket: Submerge your hand into a bucket filled with dry beans or rice. Squeeze, grasp, and manipulate the grains to build grip strength and improve dexterity.
- Wrist Extension with Weight: Sit with your forearm resting on a flat surface, palm facing down, holding a light weight. Slowly raise your hand by bending your wrist upward, then lower it back down.
- Wrist Flexion with Weight: Similar to wrist extensions, but with the palm facing up. Lift the weight by bending your wrist upward, then return to the starting position.
- Web Grip Exercises: Using a CanDo hand exerciser, place your fingers in the resistance bands and stretch them outward to improve grip strength and finger flexibility.
- Theraputty Exercises: Mold and squeeze therapy putty in various ways, such as pinching, rolling, or stretching, to enhance hand and wrist strength while improving coordination and control.
Exercises may include resistance training, stretching, and range of motion exercises to enhance wrist stability and prevent re-injury. Wrist guards are often recommended during high-risk activities to prevent future wrist injuries, especially if you’ve had previous wrist fractures or other severe injuries.
Get Back to Your Life with Paspa Physical Therapy
Hand and wrist injuries don’t have to limit your lifestyle. With the right care, including personalized physical therapy, you can regain strength, reduce pain, and improve your range of motion.
At Paspa Physical Therapy, we prioritize your recovery by offering one-on-one care from seasoned physical therapists. Whether you’ve experienced an acute injury or suffer from chronic wrist pain, our team is here to help you heal.
Make an appointment with our skilled physical therapists in Manhattan, New York, today! Let us help you get back to doing what you love.
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