One of the most frequent problems in the postindustrial era is wrist pain. This condition can be traced back to the Industrial Revolution and was then called “weaver’s wrists”, and actually includes many conditions. Wrist braces are the most popular tools when treating wrist pain.
These days wrist pain will be caused by tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome or a sprain. The job of the wrist brace differs in each case so you should get a proper diagnosis to see how to wear your wrist brace to promote a speedy recovery.
For tendonitis, the tendon sheath gets inflamed from over use – this is common with athletes doing sports that put a lot of torque on the wrist, like racketball or tennis. A wrist brace, in this case, is meant to keep the tendon sheathe from moving; it’s usually done in conjunction with anti inflammatory drugs or icing the wrist, and the brace is removed for physical therapy. A brace in this case usually allows the wrist to flex up or down, but not side to side.
Carpal tunnel syndrome happens when there has been compression and inflammation of the nerve sheath for the median nerve that goes over the joint of the wrist. Sufferers usually feel pain in their wrist as well as ‘funny bone’ pinched nerves in the hand, which will begin at the base of the thumbs and travel up to the forearm to the elbow.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is triggered by repetitive stress injuries – typing too much or using a mouse too much. In extreme cases, it can impair the use of the hand. Wrist braces for carpal tunnel syndrome try to keep the wrist from moving vertically, as the usual cause of this problem stems from bad ‘typing posture’, where people keep their wrists immobile at an angle where the nerve can be compressed.
Wrist braces for carpal tunnel syndrome are almost the same as a wrist brace used for tendonitis, however they are adjusted differently. They are not generally as tight on lateral movement and provide more support to the underside of the wrist. Many will have a rigid insert on the underside of the wrist to prevent you from moving your wrist like a hinge.
If the wrist is sprained or breaks, the injuries are to the ligaments surrounding the wrist joints. Not like tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome, these sorts of issues will heal without much physical therapy. A wrist brace for a sprain works by restraining the wrist and prevents you from moving it in any direction. This will greatly affect how you can use the injured hand a lot.
No matter what the problem that requires you to wear a wrist brace, make certain to put in the effort and read the instructions on your wrist brace. Do not tighten the straps too tightly when putting it on or it will stop blood flow. Wear your wrist brace whenever you feel pain coming on to help your condition.
Tom Nicholson spends his time helping carpal tunnel sufferers. You can click here to learn more regarding having asore wrist.
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