The Hand & Wrist

The wrist and hand are small yet complex joints. Because they are used so much in sports, the risk of injury is high. Also, as we age, the joints of our wrists and fingers are often affected by arthritis.

The therapists at Excel Physical Therapy put years of expertise and proven success to work to help you recover from hand and wrist pain and injuries.

Having a hand or wrist problem can be uncomfortable and may prevent you from accomplishing certain activities at work and around the house.

Wrist pain is an extremely common complaint, and there are many common causes of this problem. It is important to make an accurate diagnosis of the cause of your symptoms so that appropriate treatment can be directed at the cause. If you have wrist pain, some common causes include:

Tendonitis
Tendonitis is a common problem that can cause wrist pain and swelling. Wrist tendonitis is due to inflammation of the tendon sheath. Treatment of wrist pain caused by tendonitis usually does not require surgery.

Sprain Wrist
Sprains are common injuries to the ligaments around the wrist joint. Sprains can cause problems by limiting the use of our hands.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome is the condition that results from dysfunction of one of the nerves in the wrist. In carpal tunnel syndrome the median nerve is compressed, or pinched off, as it passes through the wrist joint.

Arthritis
Arthritis is a problem that can cause wrist pain and difficulty performing normal activities. There are several causes of arthritis, and fortunately there are a number of treatments for wrist arthritis.

Ganglion Cyst
A ganglion cyst is a swelling that usually occurs over the back of the hand or wrist. These are benign, fluid-filled capsules. Ganglion cysts are not cancerous, will not spread, and while they may grow in size, they will not spread to other parts of your body.

Fractures
Wrist fracture is a common orthopedic injury. Patients who sustain a broken wrist may be treated in a cast, or they may need surgery for the fracture.

Signs of a possible hand or wrist injury include:

• Inability to carry objects
• Wrist pain that occurs at night or while resting
• Wrist pain that persists beyond a few days
• Inability to straighten or flex the joint
• Swelling or significant bruising around the joint or forearm
• Signs of an infection, including fever, redness, warmth
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Dupuytren’s Contracture
• Preventing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome