Education · Pain Relief ·Apr 18, 2022

The Knowledge You Need to Overcome Wrist Pain

Our hands are one of the most important tools we have, and hands are only as strong as the wrists that support them. But so many people don’t realize how much stress we put our wrists through every day. Understanding what causes wrist pain and who might be at risk is essential to preventing and overcoming pain.

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Causes of Wrist Pain

Everyday people use their hands for things that, when repeated over time, cause wear and tear on the wrists. Repetitive stress and repetitive motion can be caused by things as simple as using the computer or driving for extended periods of time. Or if you participate in high physical impact activities, like some sports, you might want to consider getting some extra support for your wrists. But there’s no need to worry, there are plenty of ways to relieve wrist pain and reduce stress from using your hands, therefore lowering your risk to develop conditions like arthritis or carpal tunnel.

Relief and Strength for Your Wrists

There are multiple ways you can strengthen your wrists and keep them healthy. Many of these techniques will also help relieve pain if you are dealing with arthritis or carpal tunnel. If you want to keep your wrists healthy for life, or need a boost in relief, these tips can work wonders:

Minimize Repetitive Hand Motion

Repetitive hand motion is a common cause of wrist pain and conditions like carpal tunnel and arthritis. This can include things like typing on a keyboard, texting, playing video games, driving, and many everyday activities. It won’t be realistic to remove these entirely from your daily life, but being aware of the wear and tear repetitive motion can cause, and doing what you can to minimize these motions, will help your wrists stay healthy for a long time to come.

Adjust Your Workspace

The best way to reduce stress in your wrists during use is to keep them in a straight or neutral position. If you use the computer for work, there are adjustments you can make to do your work while keeping your wrists straight. To do this, adjust your chair, desk, or keyboard until your forearms are level with your work surface. This will help keep the wrists from being strained as you work.

Wrist Braces and Splints

Another great way to relieve wrist pain and reduce the stress our wrists undergo every day is to use a brace or splint, either during the day or overnight. Wearing a brace while you sleep to isolates your wrist and prevents them from sitting in a stressed position overnight. This can help accelerate healing. You can also can wear one during the day to keep your wrists straight and relieve pain while you do your daily activities. We offer wrists braces so comfortable you can wear them all day or night, and reduce the discomfort and stress on your wrist.

Stretching

Many people understand the importance and benefits of stretching out muscles, but nobody seems to remember to stretch their wrists! With all the time spent working from home, texting, and scrolling, there’s no better time to start implementing stretches into your daily routine. In an article from NBC, Lara Heimann explains: “Because we spend so much of our day with our wrist in a flexed position, such as when we are driving a car, holding a phone, or typing on a computer, we must counter the shortening of the connective tissues (like the tendons) with stretching in extension," she says. "Stretching keeps the tissues from getting pulled asymmetrically, which causes strain, a key ingredient for repetitive stress injury. If these stretches are done consistently, they will be a preventative measure to combat tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome." So how should you stretch your wrists? Here are two simple stretches that you can easily implement into your day.

Stretch #1

Extend your arm out in front of you, with the tips of your fingers pointing up, like you are a crossing guard telling someone to stop.
Rotate your arm so the fingertips are now facing the ground, with your palm still facing away from you
Use your opposite hand to gently pull the fingertips and thumb towards you
Switch hands and repeat

Stretch #2

Extend your arm out in front of you
Bend your hand down so the fingertips are pointing towards the ground, with your palm facing toward you.
Use the opposite hand to pull your hand and fingers down and towards you.
Switch hands and repeat

We want everyone to live their healthiest lives, with as minimal pain as possible. That’s why we wanted to share this knowledge and advice with you. If you want extra support for your wrists, check out our wrist braces and keep your wrists strong and feeling great!