A Hand Therapist Can Help You Recover From Sprains and Strains
Does swelling and pain in your wrist make it difficult for you to perform daily tasks? You’ve most likely suffered from a sprain or strain. Wrist sprains and strains can impair your ability to complete daily tasks and make it difficult to sleep through the night without experiencing intense pain.
Contact Ozark PT Specialists today to find out how hand and occupational therapy can help you recover from wrist sprains or strains. Our therapists are here to assist you!
How do sprains and strains differ?
Before you can learn how occupational and hand therapists can help alleviate your sprain or strain, you must first understand the distinction between the two.
A sprain occurs when a ligament (the tissue that connects one bone to another) is stretched or torn. When the joint capsule, or the part of the wrist that provides stability to the joint, is damaged, a sprain can occur. Sprains cause pain, inflammation, muscle spasms, and the inability to move your wrist.
When a muscle or tendon is injured, strains occur. Strains typically result when a muscle contracts suddenly while stretched, such as when a person falls on an outstretched arm. Strains and sprains have symptoms that are similar, making it difficult to differentiate between the two without a hand therapy examination.
Do I have a wrist sprain or strain?
It can be difficult to determine whether your pain is caused by a sprain or a strain without the help of a professional. Your doctor can diagnose a hand, elbow, or wrist strain or sprain.
During your clinic visit, your doctor will perform a physical exam and ask you questions about your medical history. They will also rule out any fractures or breaks. To determine what is causing your pain, your doctor may order imaging tests such as MRIs or X-rays.
If you have either of these wrist injuries, you may experience the following symptoms:
- Dull pain that runs alongside your arm
- Sudden arm weakness
- Inability to use the affected muscle
- Sharp or stinging pains in your wrist
- Uncomfortable “clicking” sounds with movement
Wrist sprains and strains are also common in the workplace due to injury and overuse. While it is sometimes possible to prevent an injury, it is imperative to recognize when an injury occurs. Understanding how to combat that injury by identifying what may have caused the pain to appear in the first place is also an essential aspect of recovery.
Preventing wrist injuries
There are numerous factors that can increase your chances of suffering a wrist injury.
- Increased physical activity: Introducing a new routine that your body isn’t used to or prepared for can increase your risk of injury.
- Falls: People who are at a higher risk of falling, such as elderly patients, are also more likely to sustain a wrist injury.
- Previous injury: If you’ve previously injured a muscle, tendon, or ligament in your wrist, you’re much more likely to sprain or strain it.
- Sports: If you participate in sports or activities that require repetitive use or motion of your hand and wrist, you run the risk of developing a sprain or strain.
There is no way to prevent every type of wrist injury, but there are ways to avoid severe pain. Bon Secours recommends the following preventative measures:
- When you begin a new exercise routine, gradually increase the intensity level.
- For running or exercising, choose a level, flat surface.
- Stick to a nutritious diet to help prevent bone loss.
- Wear the appropriate equipment for the activities you plan to participate in.
- To avoid repetitive motion and overuse, vary your physical activities.
- Hold off on exercising if you have any injury to your hand, wrist, or elbow.
Find relief with hand therapy
A hand or occupational therapist can assist you in healing your sprain or strain as well as strengthening your muscles to accommodate your lifestyle and physical activity. This will make completing daily chores as well as strenuous, repetitive motions much easier.
Your hand therapist can also provide relief through manual techniques such as targeted massage, pressure, and stretching of the affected area(s) to keep muscles loose and inflammation at bay.
Your skilled hand therapist has treated a wide range of wrist sprains/strains and can get you back to living your pain-free life as soon as possible. If you’ve suffered a wrist sprain or strain and are looking for assistance, know that there is a solution to your problem. Make an appointment with one of our certified hand therapists today to get back to living a pain-free life.