How do you heal a wrist injury?

Treating Wrist Injuries

A wrist injury can result in considerable pain and loss of function in the hand and arm. While some wrist injuries heal on their own, others require medical attention and a period of immobilization to heal properly. Understanding common wrist injuries and following proper treatment guidelines can help facilitate recovery.

Causes of Wrist Injuries

Wrist injuries are often caused by:

• Falls – Trying to break a fall with an outstretched hand can jam or even fracture wrist bones. Falls on ice are a common culprit.
• Sports – Actions like swinging a golf club or baseball bat can strain wrist tendons with repetitive impact. Contact sports often lead to wrist sprains and fractures.
• Lifting Heavy Objects – Lifting heavy items with an off-balanced grip can overextend the wrist joint and surrounding connective tissues.

Common Wrist Injuries

Some of the most common wrist injuries include:

• Sprains – Overextending ligaments lead to painful joint instability. They range in severity from microscopic tears to complete ruptures.
• Fractures – Breaks in wrist bones like the radius or ulna. Can range from simple hairline cracks to severe displaced breaks requiring surgery to set properly.
• Repetitive Strain Injuries – Stressful activities lead to irritation and inflammation of tendons and surrounding sheaths (e.g. carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis).
• Dislocations – Forceful impacts make bones detach from their normal aligned position at joints. This causes immediate pain, deformity, and loss of function.

Seeking a Medical Evaluation

Consulting an orthopedic doctor is important to evaluate wrist pain properly. They will gather details on injury mechanisms, conduct a physical exam of the wrist's range of motion and stability, and order imaging tests as needed to see bone/tissue damage. This data informs accurate diagnosis and treatment planning.

Conservative Treatment Approach

For many wrist strains and less severe fractures, an initial conservative approach focused on the RICE methodology may be appropriate:

Rest – Avoid activities that aggravate injury and give tissues a chance to start natural healing. Splinting/casting immobilizes more severe injuries.

Ice – Applying ice wrapped in cloth intermittently reduces pain and swelling in the initial injury phase.

Compression – Snug bandages help restrict swelling.

Elevation – Keeping the wrist raised above heart level aids gravity drainage of fluid buildup.

Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories (ex. NSAIDs) also help control pain and swelling. As pain recedes, gentle wrist mobility exercises can begin as directed to prevent stiffness. Complete rest and immobilization may be utilized for more severe injuries over longer time frames before starting physical therapy.

Surgical Intervention

If nonsurgical treatment fails to restore adequate wrist stability and function, surgery may be necessary. This is common with severe fractures, dislocations that won't stay reduced, and complete ligament tears. Potential procedures include:

• Reset Dislocations/Fractures – Realign bones into their proper positioning using screws, plates, pins.
• Ligament/Tendon Repair – Stitching torn ligaments and tendons back together.
• Tendon Release – Release pressure on irritated tendons caused by inflamed sheaths

Post-surgery, extensive hand therapy focuses on reducing swelling, and improving flexibility and strength through tailored exercises, the use of a splint, and modalities like ultrasound, and heat/ice therapy.

Healing and Recovery Period

Recovery timelines vary widely depending on injury type and treatment options. Less severe sprains and minor fractures may heal within 2-6 weeks with appropriate conservative care. More complex fractures and post-surgical repairs often need 6-12 weeks before resuming heavier activities, sometimes longer.

Patience and compliance with treatment protocols are key. Pushing activities too quickly raises reinjury risk and can prolong the healing timeline. Close follow-up care until the wrist regains stability, mobility, and acceptable strength is critical. Full healing can take several months to over a year depending on severity.

Preventing Future Wrist Injuries

To help minimize injury recurrence:

• Tape or brace the wrist during sports if susceptible to strains
• Build wrist and forearm muscle strength
• Warm up properly before activities
• Use proper form when lifting/gripping heavy objects
• Reduce fall risk by adding safety bars, and railings and improving lighting in the home

Seeking prompt medical care for new wrist pain allows for earlier optimal treatment to get individuals healing as quickly and safely as possible. Working closely with orthopedic doctors and hand therapists at AMRI Hospital Dhakuria improves the likelihood of making a full recovery and getting back to active lifestyles.