The main purposes of the wrist are to position the hand in space and to direct forces from the hand to the forearm and vice-versa. To accomplish these purposes there must be both stability and mobility. A sprain is by far the most common wrist injury.
Your wrists and hands are especially vulnerable to injuries. They're structured with very little padding around the joint and ligament, so there's little there to absorb any shocks.
In addition, you use your hands and wrists a lot in a variety of activities, sports and as a natural defense against falls and collisions. We also tend to use our hands and wrists daily for repetitive motions (i.e. typing). This can lead to Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI), which can be debilitating and painful.
Along with stretching and strengthening your wrists, you can prevent RSIs if you take some sensible preventive measures.
If you're sitting at a desk for prolonged periods, your posture is vitally important. Keep your wrists straight and your fingers dangling down. Your upper and lower arms should be at right angles, as should your upper and lower legs. Your feet should be flat on the floor, your back slightly arched and your neck straight. Take regular breaks. When you rest, take a moment to do some stretching. Take the time to massage your hands and wrists with lotion a few times daily. Massage improves circulation and breaks up adhesions. Drop your hands to your sides and shake them gently. This stimulates circulation and reduces tension.
Wrist Sprains/Strains:
Usually a sprain is the result of a violent action. A sudden jolt stretches or tears ligaments or muscles around the joint, leaving you with a sprain that needs time to heal.
Mild and moderate sprains involve stretching or tearing a ligament. A severe strain means a complete rupture of the ligament or separating the ligament from the bone.
A wrist strain stretches or tears muscles or tendons in the forearm. When you strain your wrist, you're stressing the weakest part of the joint.
Symptoms of a sprained wrist Include:
- pain and tenderness
- generalized swelling in the wrist and hand
- inability to flex the wrist
Symptoms of a Strained Wrist Include:
- pain and tenderness
- lessened strenth in the arm
- muscle spasms in the wrist and forearm
- swelling and redness in the wrist and hand
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS):
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is the result of overuse/misuse of the hands, wrists and arms. CTS is a repetitive strain injury (RSI). Anyone who regularly does an activity that demands the same series of movements over and over is vulnerable to an RSI.
The carpal tunnel is a gap between your wrist bones (carpal bones) and the membrane that holds them together (transverse carpal ligament). The tunnel is rigid and narrow. If any of the tissues in this area are overused or irritated, then they swell and the gap tightens. This irritates the median nerve at the wrist.
Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome include:
- numbness or tingling in your hand: the palm, thumb and first 3 fingers
- weakness in your hand
- pain in the wrist or forearm
- lessened control of finger movements
- weak grip
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