Wrist sprain

Synonym for sprain:

• Strain

What is a wrist sprain?

A wrist sprain is a stretch or tear of one or more ligaments in the wrist. When a ligament is stretched or torn, bleeding may occur in the joint, leading to swelling and bruising.

What is a ligament?

A ligament is a tissue that holds bones together. We have hundreds of ligaments in the body between each of our bones to stabilize them.

What are the causes of a wrist sprain?

A sprain is always caused by an accident, a blow, or a twist. There must be a clear traumatic element. Common causes of wrist sprains include:

• Falling on your wrist or hand
• Rapid and sudden twisting of the hand or wrist
• Direct blow to the wrist

Here are some classic examples:

• Slipping on ice and falling on your hand
• Falling on your hands while skateboarding or rollerblading
• Using a lot of force to open a very tight jar of pickles, and the wrist makes a sudden movement when the lid comes off

Therefore, if the pain appeared slowly and gradually, without any clear accident, it is not a sprain.

What are the symptoms of a wrist sprain?

The main symptoms are:

• Pain in the wrist or hand
  
  • The pain may be on the inside or outside, on the palm, or very diffuse in the wrist
• Often there is swelling in the wrist
• There may be bruising on the wrist or hand

The pain is increased by:

• Wrist movements
• Putting weight on the hand (for example, to get out of bed)
• Twisting the wrist (opening a jar, for example)
• Lifting loads (grocery bags, a pot full of water, for example)
• Shaking hands

How to diagnose a wrist sprain?

Diagnosis is made based on a review of your symptoms and a clinical examination.

If you have experienced trauma to your wrist or hand, to ensure that you do not have a fracture, we recommend that you get an X-ray if you have one or more of the following signs:

• Significant swelling of the wrist or hand
• Visible deformation of the wrist or hand

Did you know that physiotherapists can prescribe X-rays if the injury occurred less than 72 hours ago? If you do not have quick access to a doctor, you can obtain this prescription from a physiotherapist.

The wrist is one of the places in the body where, if there is a fracture, it is important to know quickly because one of the bones in the wrist (the scaphoid) does not have good blood circulation. This bone may, therefore, have difficulty healing properly if the fracture is not diagnosed quickly.

When to consult a physiotherapist for a wrist sprain?

You should consult a physiotherapist if you have symptoms as described above or if your doctor has already ruled out any other cause that may be responsible for your pain.

You do not need to see a doctor before consulting a physiotherapist. If your condition requires you to see a doctor, your physiotherapist will be able to tell you.

What are the physiotherapy treatments for a wrist sprain?

As with all traumatic injuries, we must allow the body to perform its natural healing process.

« Inflammation is a normal and necessary process for proper healing. There is therefore no miracle way to speed up healing. »

However, it is very important to make sure to eliminate any factors that could slow down healing.

Here are some examples of things that could slow down healing:

• Improper dosage of exercises and daily activities
• Poor biomechanics of your movements
• Stiffness in the joints, muscles, and nerves
• Worries or fears related to the injury or pain

« For this reason, your physiotherapist can help you optimize the healing of the injury. They will be able to guide you in the best possible direction to ensure that the injury heals effectively. »

Think of healing from a traumatic injury like taking care of a plant. Pulling on the plant won't make it grow faster. However, you can make sure it gets enough water, sunlight, and fertilizer. We want to put the plant in a good environment to heal. It's the same for a traumatic injury.

Your physiotherapist will perform an assessment to determine your limitations and the severity of the sprain by evaluating the following elements:

• Your joint mobility
• The gliding of your nerves
• The quality of your movements
• Your strength and stability

Depending on the results of the assessment and the stage of healing of the sprain, your physiotherapist will:

• Will mobilize the joints of the thumb and/or wrist if stiffness has set in.
• Give you specific exercises to re-educate the strength and stabilization of your thumb and the entire hand
• Teach you how to properly manage your daily activities and hobbies to optimize healing
• Will give you advice for your movements.
• The physiotherapist may apply taping to your wrist or thumb to reduce pain or limit movement if necessary

What to do at home for a wrist sprain?

As with any traumatic injury, follow the PEACE and LOVE principles to heal a wrist sprain.
Read the blog post on PEACE and LOVE, and then read the advice here that applies to the wrist.

PEACE and LOVE tips specific to the wrist

(make sure you have read the blog post that explains the PEACE and LOVE steps in detail)

For C = compression

Use a compression bandage or taping to wrap your wrist.

For L = Load:

Start moving the injured area again and using your hand for your daily tasks without significantly increasing the pain. Do the dishes, pick up lighter objects with the injured hand, etc.

For V = Vascularisation:

Light to moderate cardio activity that doesn't cause pain can speed up healing. For a wrist sprain, you can:

• Walking
• Use a stationary bike
• Run if you don't have pain
• Swim without pain
• Any other cardio activity that does not increase pain

Sources

• Dubois B, Esculier JF. Soft-tissue injuries simply need PEACE and LOVE.