It is our natural instinct to brace ourselves when we fall and often times our wrists pay the price. However, wrist injuries also occur in many sports such as football, basketball, baseball, gymnastics, diving, skiing, and ice skating.
Cause, Signs And Symptoms
Most often wrist sprains arecaused by a fall on an outstretched arm. The wrist is forced back into hyperextension, stretching or tearing the soft tissue in the area including the ligaments. The ligaments of the wrist are responsible for maintaining a stabile hand position and help allow for controlled motions of the wrist and hand.
The most common signs and symptoms of a wrist sprain are pain or tenderness around the wrist, swelling, bruising and weakness. Sometimes, burning/tingling into the hand or a popping sensation in the wrist may occur.
Wrist sprains should betreated immediately with ice and rest. Ice is recommended for the first couple of days following injury to relieve pain and inflammation, and should be used for 15 to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours.Do not apply chemical ice packs directly against the skin as they may cause frostbite.
An ace/compression wrap can help to alleviate pain by providing light pressure and reducing swelling in the area. It is important to begin the wrap at the base of the fingers and work up the hand to approximately mid-forearm. The wrap should be snug but comfortable and will help minimize movement at the wrist. Any increase in pain, tingling or coldness of the fingers is a sign the wrap may be too tight. Elevating the wrist above the level of the heart will also help to reduce swelling.
Your physician may order x-rays to rule out a fracture. In this case, a wrist splint or a cast may be applied to immobilize the joint to allow proper healing. In some rare cases surgery may be needed if a ligament is torn.
Prevention
A wrist sprain usually occurs during an accidental fall and cannot fully be prevented. However, in sports such as rollerblading, skate boarding, ice skating, gymnastics or even skiing, a wrist guard can be worn to protect the wrist in case of a fall.
It is important to maintain a safe playing environment to prevent wrist injuries. All playing fields should be checked prior to any practice or game for unnecessary equipment, large holes or ruts, sharp or hard objects, and wet or icy surfaces. Being aware of your surroundings may help to prevent falls as well.
When Should You Be Concerned
If there is an obvious deformity, persistent loss of sensation or numbness or tingling to the hand, wrist, or forearm consult a physician immediately. It is important to consult your physician if your pain lasts more than two weeks or worsens. This may be a sign of a more severe injury.
Your wrist hurts because you have stretched or torn ligaments, which connect the bones in your wrist. Wrist sprains usually take from 2 to 10 weeks to heal, but some take longer. Usually, the more pain you have, the more severe your wrist sprain is and the longer it will take to heal.
Another difference is how much you can move your hand. With a sprain, you should be able to move your wrist in a normal range of motion (but it will be painful). If you have a broken bone, you probably won't be able to move your wrist very much.
Ice, elevation, and compression will help reduce a sprained wrist's swelling, and rest can ensure no further damage happens to the wrist. Sprained wrist treatment commonly includes range-of-motion exercises, often as soon as 24 hours following the injury.
Rest your wrist for at least 48 hours. Ice your wrist to reduce pain and swelling. Do it for 20-30 minutes every three to four hours for two to three days, or until the pain is gone.
If you have an elastic bandage, keep it on for the next 24 to 36 hours. The bandage should be snug but not so tight that it causes numbness or tingling. To rewrap the wrist, wrap the bandage around the hand a few times, beginning at the fingers.
Wrist sprains are common injuries that are usually caused by falls or sports injuries. You can usually treat a sprained wrist at home with rest, ice, compression and over-the-counter medicine. Visit a healthcare provider to make sure you didn't damage the bones or other tissue in your wrist when you were hurt.
Gently pull your hand towards you, feeling the stretch in your forearm and wrist. Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds, release slowly, and repeat the stretch a few times. This exercise will help strengthen the muscles around the wrist and help prevent future sprains.
Hand, elbow, and wrist sprain and strains are common injuries with similar symptoms. Anyone can sprain or strain their hands, wrists, or elbows. Hand, elbow, and wrist sprains are when a ligament is torn.Hand, elbow, and wrist strains are when a tendon is strained or stretched.
As is the case for muscle and tendon strains, deep tissue massage to the injury itself is contraindicated in the acute stage of any sprain. However, massage for your injury in the surrounding musculature can aid in reducing inflammation and speed up the recovery process.
Once you've been given the go-ahead, wrap your wrist using an elastic bandage or tape will provide compression and reduce swelling. It can help speed up the healing process and get you back to all the activities you enjoy.
Wrist sprains are often signaled by a “popping” noise at the time of the incident – characteristic of a torn ligament. Fractures, on the other hand, are often accompanied by a crack, and movement after the injury may make a small grinding or crunching sound which is not present with sprains. Range of motion.
A fracture, even if unnoticeable to the naked eye, may force the bones of the wrist out of line, significantly limiting the joint's range of motion. A wrist sprain, while painful, may not limit the range of motion. Any obvious deformity or unnatural bend in the wrist.
The same applies to weightlifting, where wrist strength and flexibility play vital roles. For now, avoid these exercises entirely until your wrists heal.
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