Hi there, Art here welcome to my Blog.
What do I have for you today?
A strained wrist is a common injury when you over-use your wrist possibly spending more time on the computer. Over-use with game consoles or over straining the wrist bending it forwards or backwards. These forward and backward movements are known as wrist flexion and wrist extension. You can also side move the wrist from side to side these movements are known as Ulna and Radial deviation.
How can this happen?
Lots of ligaments and tendons pass over the wrist both at the front and at the back.
Spending hours on computers or gaming consoles can lead to straining these ligament and tendons that pass over the wrist.
Another common reason you can strain your wrist is from falling. The instinct when you fall is to place your hand and arm out to stop you falling to the ground forcing your wrist to over bend backwards. It is also common to fracture your wrist in falling over both the young and old can be affected.
What Happens?
With over-use the ligaments and tendons become inflamed causing an inflammatory reaction this makes the wrist stiff and painful to move. The wrist may become hot, red, and painful to touch.
When you fall and stretch the tendons and ligaments around the wrist you over stretch these and this causes an inflammatory reaction again causing the wrist to become painful, stiff, hot red and swollen.
What can you do to stop this happening?
Simply taking short breaks from the computer and gaming console is the most important thing you can do. It is known that if you constantly strain ligaments and tendons, it creates pain and inflammation. When you fall and strain your wrist then applying ice on the wrist immediately for 15 to 20 minutes will help reduce the pain and swelling. If the wrist looks a different angle and is very painful then seek medical help soonest.
What can you do to aid your recovery?
Here at ATLphysio always say adopt the R.I.C.E and H.A.R.M principles.
REST! No computer, game console activity for a couple of days. ICE it every 3 hours for 15-20 minutes, remember not to put the ice direct onto the skin. If no ice? Wrap a cold cloth or towel around your wrist, that may also give the wrist some support. COMPRESSION wear a wrist splint, support sleeve or bandage for a couple of days. ELEVATE if swollen just resting the arm and hand across the body to the opposite shoulder two or three times during the day may help reduce swelling.
H.A.R.M is the pneumonic for, avoid HEAT, do not drink ALCOHOL, no RUNNING, avoid MASSAGE all in the first few days.
What should I do to exercise my wrist?
Keep the wrist as mobile as your pain and swelling allows without over straining it.
Do wrist exercises after you have applied the ice.
See my Vlog for the wrist exercises to aid that recovery of yours.