Tendonitis of the Wrist -

Tendonitis of the Wrist

Description Of The Injury: Wrist tendonitis occurs when the sheath tunnel that surrounds the tendons of the thumb become irritated and swollen. Tendonitis of the wrist is generally considered an injury that occurs from repetitive strenuous overuse of the wrist through some movement. This may include sports such as tennis, playing an instrument or via computer-based work.

Injury Symptoms: The clearest sign of tendonitis of the wrist is pain in the forearm and wrist area. The pain itself can range from sharp to aching to burning. The wrist may be swollen and inflamed and you may experience an increase in pain when attempting to move the wrist in its normal range of motion.

Additional Information

Home Treatments:

Conservative treatment of tendonitis of the wrist involves resting the affected limb when tendonitis occurs. This includes limiting the rotation, flexion and extension of the wrist. Ice should be applied on the inflamed area to improve blood flow and reduce inflammation. This should be combined with the intake of a non steroidal anti inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen.

Professional Medical Treatments:

Reoccurring tendonitis of the wrist is a problem that may require professional help. The doctor may require you to wear a wrist split to immobilize the wrist, reducing trauma and promoting a consistent environment for recovery. Cortisone injections may be administered to reduce inflammation and ultrasound therapy may be used to reduce the swelling and promote healing. Surgery is only considered as a last resort option.

Physical Therapy and Exercises:

Conventional wrist stretches and exercises are necessary for the complete recovery of tendonitis. This includes going through the range of motion of the wrist that includes flexion, extension, side to side and circular motions. Manually stretching the wrist with the other hand is also effective. These stretches should later be done using weight bearing objects to recover adequate wrist strength.

Exercise Techniques to Prevent Injury:

In order to help prevent the occurrence of this injury, wrist stretches should be implemented to the warm up and cool down of any physical activity or sport session. Stretches such as circular wrist stretches or isometrically pressing the palms against each other with the wrists hyper extended can help warm up the tendons. Take regular breaks in repetitive activities that stress the wrist.

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