Wrist Pain
Perhaps the most common cause of wrist pain,
especially for those who use their hands a
lot, is repetitive strain injuries,
or RSIs.
Repetitive Strain Injury is a blanket description
of conditions that involve "cumulative
trauma" to soft tissue structures resulting
in pain and inflammation. Bursitis,
carpal tunnel syndrome, tenosynovitis, tendonitis,
epicondylitis, and sprains and strains
are all forms of RSIs.
The hand and wrist is a complex structure
with many moving parts. The muscles that control
primary hand and finger movement are the forearm
muscles. Long tendons course down through
the wrist and attach to each digit.
Contraction of the forearm muscles pull on
the tendons to open and close the hand and
allow fine dexterity movements.
In some people, problems occur when the hands
and wrists are overused. Tendons chafe and
develop micro tears. An inflammatory response
follows and pain and swelling sets in.
This increases the internal pressure of the
area, creating a hypoxic (loss of oxygen)
condition, further exacerbating the problem.
Over time, tendons may become sclerotic (thickened
and hardened) from the chafing and press against
the median nerve. If nerve tissue is
subject to pressure for a prolonged period,
it begins to degenerate- numbness, tingling,
pain, weakness and muscle atrophy soon follow.
This common condition is known as carpal
tunnel syndrome. It is a more
serious condition that can lead to permanent
disability.
It is best to take a proactive stance so
as not to develop wrist pain in the first
place. Common activities that can lead
to strains include:
- Computer keyboarding
- Hard gripping (machines, etc.)
- Assembly
- Pulling/Pushing heavy items
- Carrying things with wrist extended (waitressing)
- Using vibrational equipment
Giving your hands a rest every few minutes
is important. If your job involves a
lot of time typing, make sure that your workstation
is set up ergonomically: monitor at
eye level; keyboard tray to allow arms to
fall naturally to your side while typing;
and a chair with good back support, and foot
stool to take some pressure off your thighs.
Keep your elbows at a 90-100 degree bend and
keep your wrists straight, inline with your
forearms. Keep your mouse and other
accessories within a small arc from your keyboard
to minimize repetitive reaching. Lastly,
stretch your wrists, shoulders, neck and back
every hour. If at all possible, try to rotate
tasks every other month to avoid repetitive
stress to your wrists.
We have several therapeutic approaches to
treating acute and chronic wrist pain, including
Inter-X active stim, Solaris light-wave therapy,
active release technique, joint mobilization,
chiropractic extremity manipulation, and traction.
Call us for a complimentary evaluation.
To
schedule an appointment or consultation,
Call (415) 627-9077 x1
