There are a variety of causes of wrist pain. The obvious one is of course that the pain is caused by a trauma, but it is also common that the pain is caused by overloading over time.
Wrist pain can be a problem in everyday life because you use your hands for almost everything you do. To alleviate the pain, a wrist brace can come in handy. It provides support to the hand that allows you to get started with physical activity faster and, in addition, a good support can also contribute to faster healing.
Possible causes of wrist pain.
INFLAMMATION IN THE WRIST
If you make a lot of monotonous movements with your wrist at work or at home, the hand can become overloaded and the tendons inside the wrist become inflamed. The symptoms are pain and weakness in the joint. You will also usually feel pain if you press on the site of the inflammation. To deal with the inflammation, you can use a wrist brace that provides a lot of support.
INSTABILITY
If you have had a previous wrist injury, such as a sprained wrist, there is a risk that the wrist will become unstable. The symptoms of instability can be pain in the wrist but also in the whole arm. If the instability lasts for a long time, it is important to seek professional help after it otherwise risks causing further problems when you misuse the hand. A wrist brace to help with instability should be very stable if it is to be used for training. For everyday use, a simpler wrist guard can be used.
ARTROSIS
Osteoarthritis can occur in the wrist. Osteoarthritis is caused by overuse, misalignment or a previous injury. It can also be hereditary. As well as being painful, osteoarthritis can cause stiffness in the wrist and a lack of strength in the hand. It is also common for the joints to creak and for the hand to hurt when pressed.
If you have osteoarthritis, a simple wrist guard worn in everyday life can help a lot.
SPRAINED WRIST / TRAUMA
A sprained wrist is caused by trauma. For example, if you caught your hands in a fall or if you twisted your wrist. If you have sprained your wrist, you have damaged the ligaments around the wrist. The task of the ligaments is to keep the wrist bones stable, therefore the stability of the wrist is affected by ligament injuries. The symptoms of a sprain are that the wrist swells and it hurts to move the hand. Sometimes a bruise may also occur. During rehabilitation of a sprained wrist, it is important to start using the wrist as soon as possible. As you do so, a wrist brace or orthosis can be helpful as it can prevent further injury and help speed up rehabilitation.
CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition where the nerve that goes to the fingers is pinched at the wrist. This can cause your hands to go numb and make it harder to use your hands. It can also cause tingling and numbness at night and impaired fine motor skills. It is quite common and usually resolves over time. Carpal tunnel syndrome can be treated in different ways. A wrist brace and help with ergonomic movements are usually enough, but in some cases it requires surgery.
It is important to understand the cause of the pain in the hand and thus get the right treatment and rehabilitation.