Hand & Wrist Pain

Many things can cause headaches and facial pain. The good news is that most do not require surgery and respond well if the problem is accurately diagnosed, and you receive the ideal physical therapy.

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Hand and wrist pain can result from many things, but most commonly it happens after overuse of this complicated structure that is made up of dozens of bones, joints, ligaments, muscles and tendons

Repetitive damage can come from sports that put stress on the wrist (like tennis or baseball), bad posture with typing, improper technique when weightlifting, arthritis, or anything that irritates the muscles and ligaments around the hand and wrist. This damage can lead to chronic inflammation and pain. Your Proliance Physical & Hand Therapy expert will do a careful assessment in collaboration with your doctor to identify where you are having limitations, check the strength of key muscle groups, and analyze your daily activities to ensure the root cause of your pain is correctly determined and the ideal combination of therapy techniques is identified to resolve your hand and wrist pain.

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Hand & Wrist Pain FAQ

At Proliance Physical & Hand Therapy, our physical therapy experts will use the optimum combination of therapy techniques to resolve the issues causing your hand or wrist pain. The following problems typically respond well to physical therapy:

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a very common condition. The carpal tunnel is a narrow tunnel in the wrist through which major arteries and nerves pass from the forearm into the wrist. The median nerve is one of the important nerves that passes through this tunnel. If the ligaments around the carpal tunnel become too tight, they apply pressure to the median nerve. This can cause symptoms like tingling, pain, or the loss of sensation in your thumb and the first two fingers of the affected hand. Poor posture and repetitive activities like typing on a computer keyboard with your hands in the wrong position can cause carpal tunnel syndrome. The direct pressure on your wrist from the desk in concert with the repetitive movement of your fingers typing on the keyboard can cause your carpal tunnel ligaments to start tightening up. Neck and shoulder problems on the side where you are experiencing carpal tunnel symptoms can also play a part and therefore need to be incorporated into your treatment plan. The median nerve exits from the neck and travels through your shoulder, elbow, and wrist on its way to your fingers. If you have flexibility problems higher up it can also affect your carpal tunnel. The good news is that often carpal tunnel syndrome can be relieved with therapy and doesn’t require surgery, especially if it is diagnosed early. Your Proliance Physical & Hand Therapy expert will evaluate your movement to pinpoint the exact source of the trouble, using that data to develop the best treatment plan for your unique needs. Carpal tunnel therapy focuses on eliminating the pain and improving the mobility of the wrist and spacing of the carpal tunnel to ensure pressure on the median nerve is relieved. Our goal is to get you back to the activities you love as quickly as possible, so your therapist will also train you on specific exercises you can continue to perform at home and work along with proper postural technique to prevent future recurrences.

Hand or Wrist Sprains & Strains

Sprains and strains affecting the hand and wrist are very common, but “sprain” and “strain” identify different problems. Sprains refer to injuries of the ligaments (connect bone to bone) and strains refer to injuries of the muscles or tendons (connect muscle to bone). Sprains and strains occur from quick over-stretching of the tissues causing micro-tearing and subsequent injury. Swelling begins as part of the inflammation process, causing pain and difficulty with movement. What they have in common is that sprains and strains both occur from quick over-stretching of the muscles and ligaments around the hand and wrist. This causes micro-tearing, swelling, and inflammation that leads to pain and difficulty with movement. Rest, ice, and elevation of the joint is the first stage of treatment for sprains and strains. If the injury is significant, chronic, or you have significant limitations to your movement see your therapist as quickly as possible. Sometimes the tearing completely separates the muscle or ligament. If that happens you will need surgery to repair it. The good news is that most of the time physical therapy will be all you need to recover. Your Proliance Physical & Hand Therapy expert will start with a careful evaluation in collaboration with your doctor to make sure we know exactly what the problem is. Accurate diagnosis is essential to ensure your therapist puts together the best treatment plan possible to achieve quick healing and pain relief. At Proliance Physical & Hand Therapy our goal is to help you keep your hands and wrists healthy and strong into the future, so if your problems are the result of repetitive overuse, your therapist will also educate you on how to avoid this type of damage and provide exercises you can continue after your therapy sessions at Proliance Physical & Hand Therapy have been completed.

Nerve Injuries

Many nerves travel through your elbow, forearm, wrist, and hand. If you injure your hand, wrist, forearm or elbow it can cause nerve damage. Symptoms of nerve damage may be mild, for instance mild numbness, tingling or odd temperature sensations. With severe nerve damage people can experience muscle dysfunction and paralysis. Overuse and chronic swelling are the most common cause of nerve injuries. Surgery on the elbow, arm, or wrist can also temporarily disturb nerves in the arm. Swelling doesn’t allow proper blood circulation to nourish the nerves, and this affects how they function. One of the most common causes of overuse injuries is poor posture because that puts joints and soft tissues under abnormal strains. If you have significant or recurrent abnormal nerve sensations (e.g. numbness, tingling) in your wrists or hands contact Proliance Physical & Hand Therapy for an assessment. The good news is that most of the time physical therapy will be all you need to recover, but healing can’t start until the cause of your nerve damage is identified and you receive a personalized plan to eliminate it in the future.

Wrist Fractures

Wrist and forearm fractures are common with falls because people typically reach out to protect themselves when falling and hands are the first thing that hits the ground. Frequently the fractures occur in the bones of the forearm (the radius and ulna) near the wrist. Here are three common examples of wrist fractures:

A Colles’ fracture–Typically occurs when someone falls forward onto an outstretched hand.
A Smith’s fracture–Typically occurs when someone falls backwards onto an outstretched hand.
A Scaphoid fracture—The scaphoid bone is a small bone in the hand that connects with the radius bone of the forearm. Scaphoid fractures can be difficult to heal due to poor circulation to the bone itself.

With a wrist fracture your therapist’s goal is to help you regain normal range of motion, reduce swelling, resolve pain, and regain full function of your hand and wrist. During the healing phase your hand and wrist will typically be placed in a cast or brace. While immobilized your fingers, wrist and elbow can become very stiff, and range of motion and strength are lost. Your Proliance Physical & Hand Therapy expert will work you’re your doctor to ensure you receive the very best treatment plan to ensure you make a complete recovery quickly and safely so you can get back to doing the things you love.

Trigger finger

Trigger finger is a condition when your thumb or fingers are locked in a bent position. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, contact us to determine if trigger finger is the problem:

Your finger feels like it “catches” when you move it
You are experiencing limited movement in your thumb or specific fingers
Pain or stiffness
A popping or clicking sensation when you move your thumb or specific fingers

The good news is that most of the time physical therapy will be all you need to recover if you have trigger finger. Your Proliance Physical & Hand Therapy expert will start with a careful evaluation in collaboration with your doctor to make sure we know exactly what the problem is. If your diagnosis is trigger finger your personalized treatment plan will focus on maintaining mobility in your finger. If surgery is required, your surgeon will refer you to Proliance Physical & Hand Therapy for a post-surgery rehabilitation plan to eliminate pain and ensure you recover full use of your finger.

Dislocations

A dislocation is a going injury where two or more bones are displaced or misaligned. This can cause significant pain and dysfunction to the joint. You might have a dislocation if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

Pain in or around the joint
Swelling or bruising in or around the joint
Inability to move a finger
A finger or wrist looks deformed or sticks out to one side

Your treatment can include techniques or exercise to restore your range of motion, stability and strength.

The good news is that often physical therapy will be all you need to recover if you have a dislocation. Your Proliance Physical & Hand Therapy expert will start with a careful evaluation in collaboration with your doctor to make sure we know exactly what the problem is. If your diagnosis is dislocation finger your personalized treatment plan will focus on therapies and exercises to restore your range of motion, stability, and strength. If surgery is required, your surgeon will refer you to Proliance Physical & Hand Therapy for a post-surgery rehabilitation plan to eliminate pain and ensure you recover full use of your finger or wrist.

Bursitis and Tendonitis

The suffix “itis” means inflammation. Bursitis is inflammation of a bursa and tendonitis is inflammation of a tendon. If you are suffering from an achy or stiff hand or wrist, pain when you move it, swelling and redness around your hand or wrist, you may be experiencing one of these two conditions.

Bursa–A bursa is a fluid-filled sac between muscles or tissues to cushion and reduce friction. Your hand and wrist have multiple bursa that can become inflamed due to abnormal joint movements, poor posture, or weakness of the muscles around your hand and wrist.

Tendonitis–Tendons connect muscles to bones. Many muscles in your forearms and fingers have tendons that connect them to the bones around the hand and wrist. If you have tendonitis in your hand, wrist, or fingers you may feel it as deep pain, often as a sharp stabbing sensation when you move in a way that irritates those inflamed tendons.

The good news is that Bursitis and Tendonitis can usually be relieved with therapy and don’t require surgery. However, a careful diagnosis in collaboration with your doctor is essential to determine that this is the problem and not something more severe. Since most bursitis and tendonitis is due to underlying abnormal mechanics of movement and weakness, your Proliance Physical & Hand Therapy expert will evaluate your movement to pinpoint the exact source of the trouble so they can develop the best treatment plan for your needs. Our goal is to get you back to the activities you love as quickly as possible, so your therapist will start with therapies to eliminate the pain and swelling then transition to exercises focused on strengthening the muscles around your hand and wrist to prevent recurrence.

Tendonitis of the Thumb

Tendonitis of the thumb affects the tendons on the thumb side of your wrist. The suffix “itis” means inflammation. Tendons connect muscles to bones. Your thumb has tendons that connect the muscles of the thumb to the bones around. If you have tendonitis in your thumb you may feel it as deep pain, often as a sharp stabbing sensation when you move in a way that irritates those inflamed tendons. You may have tendonitis of the thumb if you are experiencing symptoms like:

Difficulty flexing your thumb
Difficulty grasping or pinching
Limited motion or weakness in your thumb
Pain or swelling at the wrist where your thumb is attached to the forearm

The good news is that often physical therapy will be all you need to recover if you have tendonitis of the thumb. Your Proliance Physical & Hand Therapy expert will start with a careful evaluation in collaboration with your doctor to make sure we know exactly what the problem is. If your diagnosis is tendonitis of the thumb your personalized treatment plan will focus on therapies and exercises to restore your thumb’s range of motion, stability, and strength. If surgery is required, your surgeon will refer you to Proliance Physical & Hand Therapy for a post-surgery rehabilitation plan to eliminate pain and ensure you recover full use of your thumb and hand.

Arthritis

The two most common types of arthritis that affect the hand and wrist are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Both types of arthritis cause muscular weakness and make it difficult to do the tasks you do every day.

Rheumatoid arthritis happens when your immune system attacks the membranes that surround the joints in your hands and wrists. This causes inflammation which can result in persistent discomfort. And weakness
Osteoarthritis is the result of wear and tear. It develops when the cartilage in your hand and wrist joints wears down.

If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, you may be suffering with one of the two types of arthritis:

Joint deformity
Joint stiffness
Joint swelling
Pain with movement or rest
Weakness and loss of muscle mass

Your Proliance Physical & Hand Therapy expert will evaluate your motion, strength, coordination, and joint mobility. By determining the root cause of your pain, we can then treat it with the best combination of therapy strategies to increase your strength, function, and reduce pain, so you can get back to doing what you love.

Tendon Repair & Post-surgery Rehab

There are many different types of surgeries to repair the huge number of tendons and ligaments in the fingers, hand, and wrist. All the structures that are tightly packed into your hand and wrist mean that swelling is common after surgery and the area can become very stiff with significant loss of motion. After surgery your doctor will recommend physical therapy to ensure you recover as quickly and completely as possible from your surgical procedure.

Your Proliance Physical & Hand Therapy expert will work with you and your surgeon to identify the ideal combination of therapies. Our first goal is to reduce the inflammation and eliminate the pain. Then as quickly as possible your therapist will start working with you to restore your range of motion, increase your strength, and help you return to all the things you love to do that were impacted by your hand and wrist problems. At Proliance Physical & Hand Therapy our goal is to help you keep your hands and wrists healthy and strong into the future, so your therapist will also educate and provide exercises you can continue after your therapy sessions at Proliance Physical & Hand Therapy have been completed.

At Proliance Physical & Hand Therapy our experts don’t just treat your symptoms. We take the time to understand the root cause of your pain so we can develop the optimum plan to promote healing. Your therapist won’t just help you get better, they will also provide education and exercises with the goal of helping you achieve a healthy, strong, and pain free lifestyle.

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