It happens gradually. You wake up one day, and you realize that your thumb is stiffer than usual. Or maybe after your last bootcamp class, you realize that your wrists are aching when they never have before. These tiny aches and pains seem minor, but when do these seemingly small symptoms signal a bigger issue?
According to Dr. Michael Smith, an orthopedic hand surgeon here at Southlake Orthopaedics, there is one major sign to be aware of when it comes to hand and wrist pain. “The number one thing to never ignore is weakness in the hand. That is an issue you should never ignore because it is a sign that a nerve is being pinched badly enough to cause weakness, or that arthritis is starting to progress, or that tendonitis is starting to flare up,” he says. “Because weakness can sometimes be permanent if it is not treated early, if people are experiencing weakness in the hand, that is something we want to see right away.”
What To Do When The Pain Won’t Go Away
Dr. Smith also notes that while many patients can treat their pain with over-the-counter pain medication and other methods, such as icing the injury, there are times when pain should never be ignored. “What I tell my family and friends, besides recommending my go-to treatments of anti-inflammatory medications or sleeping in a brace, if you are having pain that doesn’t seem to be improving over the course of about five to seven days, it’s usually time to come in and get an evaluation.”
A common issue that many people write off is a jammed finger. “People think they’ve just ‘jammed their finger,’ and they let that go on for a little longer than we would like because they assume that the finger has been mildly injured, even if the finger doesn’t move,” explains Dr. Smith. “By the time they come and see us three or four weeks later, the fracture has already healed in the wrong position, which can lead to complications and may be cause for a surgical fix.”
The Most Common Reasons for Hand and Wrist Issues
While Dr. Smith notes that traumatic injuries occur fairly often, the most common hand and wrist conditions treated at Southlake Orthopaedics include:
- De Quervain’s tenosynovitis: A painful condition that develops when the tendons on the thumb side of the wrist become irritated and constricted within the tunnel they travel through, making everyday movements like gripping or lifting uncomfortable.
- Carpal tunnel syndrome: Caused by compression of the median nerve as it passes through the wrist, this condition can lead to numbness, tingling, weakness, and pain in the hand and fingers.
- CMC arthritis (also known as basilar thumb arthritis or carpometacarpal arthritis): A form of arthritis that affects the joint where the thumb meets the wrist. Because this joint plays a major role in gripping and pinching, it is often one of the first joints in the hand to experience wear and tear over time.
Are Our Smartphones to Blame?
While our daily habits certainly play a role in the development of these issues, Dr. Smith stresses that it is not the increase in smartphone usage that is causing these issues.
“Everyone asks if smartphones are contributing to a rise in hand arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome, and I honestly don’t think so. Humans have been using their hands every day for thousands of years, but what we do know is that there are certain activities that tend to cause a spike in hand pain,” says Dr. Smith.
Common Culprits of Hand and Wrist Pain
Activities that place repeated stress on the hands and wrists can increase the risk of developing common hand and wrist conditions. Examples include:
- High-impact exercises, such as burpees, where body weight is suddenly transferred onto the palms.
- Repetitive wrist hyperextension movements, which force the wrist into an exaggerated backward-bending position.
- Frequent weight-bearing activities on the hands, including certain fitness routines, yoga poses, and occupational tasks.
- Repeated gripping, pinching, or twisting motions, which can strain the tendons and joints of the hand and wrist.
Over time, these types of movements can contribute to conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, and CMC (basilar thumb) arthritis.
Dr. Smith says that although activities listed above should be avoided if at all possible, there are some activities that can actually help prevent hand and wrist pain. “In general, my philosophy is that you’ve got to keep moving. Sometimes, people will develop early arthritis or stiffness in their hands, and it will be tough to get things moving in the morning, but hands and fingers are designed to move. The more you do with your hands, the better people tend to be later in life,” he says. “So, finding things that you enjoy that hone your fine motor skills is fantastic. Whether it’s crocheting, woodworking, or basically anything you can do that involves some sort of dexterity, it will really help those fine motor muscles continue to age well later on in life.”
Treatment Options for Hand and Wrist Pain
If you are experiencing concerning symptoms of hand and wrist pain, Dr. Smith says that there are a plethora of options for treatment that don’t even involve surgery. “Most people are familiar with the standard treatment of wearing a brace or steroid injections, but there is a whole field of hand therapy and occupational therapy that we use at Southlake to try to get people feeling better in a nonsurgical way to improve their pain and function,” describes Dr. Smith. “The hand therapists have a whole litany of tools, whether it’s ultrasound therapy, red light therapy, or whirlpool massage therapy, that they can use to try to build up the strength and function of the hand. On the orthopedic side, recent data on stem cell injections show promising results for treating tendonitis and arthritis, so that is very exciting.”
Expert Care at Southlake Orthopaedics
If you are experiencing hand and wrist pain that seems to be getting worse, it’s time to visit our specialists at Southlake Orthopaedics. With a wide range of expertise, we treat a variety of hand and wrist conditions. We’re proud to offer an on-site osteoporosis clinic, orthotics lab, and in-house physical therapy, and our board-certified hand and wrist specialists provide complete orthopedic care to countless patients throughout central Alabama. To get started, request an appointment online or give us a call at 205-985-4111 to schedule an appointment at either our Hoover location or our Grandview location in Birmingham.
