You don’t have to live with that wrist pain. We can help!
If you’ve ever had wrist pain, you’re well aware of how much it can impact nearly everything you do daily. Typing, writing, using your phone, cooking, brushing your teeth…the list goes on and on. Let’s take a look at some types of wrist injuries and ways you can help ease the pain and even get ahead of it with some preventive exercises and stretches.
These exercises are great for just about everyone, but if you live near Irving, Texas, you can get your wrist pain therapy nearby at Physical Therapy Now.
Types of Wrist Injuries and Pain
Wrist injuries vary from person to person, but one thing they all have in common–they’re painful! Here are some of the more common types of wrist ailments:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome: This occurs when a nerve that runs from your forearm to your palm becomes squeezed at the wrist, causing tingling, numbness, and pain.
- Fractures: A broken bone in the wrist.
- Osteoarthritis: This is the most common type of arthritis, and it causes swelling, pain, and reduced motion in your joints. Osteoarthritis is the result of cartilage breaking down in the joint.
- Strains and sprains: Pain caused by injuries to the wrist ligaments, muscles, or tendons.
- Tendinitis: This condition occurs when one or more wrist tendons become irritated and inflamed, resulting in pain in the wrist, hand, arm; stiffness or decreased ability to bend and extend the wrist; inflammation or swelling; and/or tenderness.
How Wrist Injuries Occur
Wrist injuries can happen to anyone at any time and from a variety of causes. For example, you might slip and fall and try to break the fall with your hands–the weight of your body shifts to your wrist, causing a fracture or injury. Or maybe your job requires you to sit at a computer and type all day–the repetition of this activity combined with how your wrist is positioned may lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. Perhaps you’re active with sports, and you’re playing some pickup basketball when you go to shoot, and a couple of arms and hands interfere and bend your wrist backward.
The point here is, wrist injuries often occur during seemingly innocent activities, and once you’ve injured a wrist, it can be tough to fully recover from it unless you are diligent about working on it. Fortunately, we’ve got some ways you can stretch and strengthen your wrists to help prevent a future injury.
Ways to Strengthen Your Wrists at Home
While certain wrist injuries and conditions will require medical attention, including physical therapy and even surgery, there are plenty of ways to help you avoid future wrist issues. And these can all be done from the comfort of your own home.
- Hand and wrist stretches: There are a variety of stretches you can do for your wrist, including praying position stretches, clenched fist exercises, and extended arm stretches, all of which can help mobility and range of motion.
- Hand and wrist yoga: Yes, this is a real thing…and it’s actually quite effective! Yoga-inspired exercises are a great way to strengthen your wrists and hands.
- Hand- and wrist-strengthening exercises: Establishing a strengthening routine that incorporates exercises like a tennis ball squeeze, a desk press, and thumb work can go a long way toward preventing wrist injuries.
Making these stretches and exercises part of your everyday routine is an excellent idea if you experience wrist pain…and if you want to stop experiencing that pain.
Wrist Pain Therapy in Irving, Texas
Of course, there may be some wrist injuries or pain that home exercises won’t be enough to alleviate. In those cases, make sure you get a medical doctor’s diagnosis and then come and see us at Physical Therapy Now. Our Irving location, a convenient drive from just about anywhere in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, is ready to help! Our team of highly qualified and experienced physical therapists will determine the best form of treatment for your pain and injury and work closely–yet safely–with you to get you feeling your best again. Call us at (214) 225-0291 to set up your first appointment.
