Wrist / Hand Injuries

Hand, wrist, and finger injuries encompass a range of soft-tissue and nerve disorders that can limit grip strength, dexterity, and everyday function. Whether you’ve sprained your wrist in a fall, strained a finger during sports, or developed tendinitis from repetitive tasks, these injuries often share common symptoms of pain, swelling, and stiffness.

Common Causes

  • Falls or direct trauma (e.g., landing on an outstretched hand)
  • Repetitive motions and overuse (typing, assembly work, sports)
  • Poor technique or ergonomics (keyboard positioning, tool use)
  • Sudden heavy lifting or forceful gripping
  • Age-related wear or chronic inflammatory conditions
  • Nerve entrapment from swelling or anatomical narrowing (e.g., carpal tunnel)

How Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Assists Diagnosis

Musculoskeletal ultrasound offers real-time, dynamic imaging of tendons, ligaments, and nerves. With high-frequency sound waves, clinicians can:

  • Visualize tears in tendons and ligaments
  • Detect tendon sheath inflammation or thickening in tendinitis
  • Assess nerve compression or mobility under movement in entrapment syndromes
  • Compare injured and healthy sides instantly, without radiation exposure

This precision guides targeted manual therapy, loading protocols, and activity modifications to accelerate healing.

Advantages of Physical Therapy vs. Other Interventions

  • Non-Invasive & Low Risk
    No needles, incisions, or systemic drug side effects—avoiding infection, anesthesia, GI, cardiovascular, or dependency risks.
  • Superior Intermediate-to-Long-Term Outcomes
    Progressive loading exercises deliver better pain reduction and lower recurrence rates than corticosteroid injections for tendinopathies.
  • Faster Functional Recovery
    Early mobilization combined with manual therapy yields quicker return of strength and dexterity compared to immobilization alone.
  • Precision Diagnostics
    NCV/EMG testing by board-certified specialists identifies nerve compression, quantifies severity and chronicity, and guides more focused interventions.
  • Patient Empowerment
    Teaches proper mechanics, strengthening, and flexibility exercises to prevent recurrence and maintain long-term hand and wrist health.

References

  1. McNally EG et al. Sonography of Non-neoplastic Disorders of the Hand and Wrist. Radiographics. 2017;37(3):956–979.
  2. Narayanaswami P et al. Diagnostic Accuracy of EMG for Radiculopathy: A Systematic Review. Clin Neurophysiol Pract. 2016;1:123–129.
  3. Sayana MK, Maffulli N. Corticosteroid Injections for De Quervain Tenosynovitis: A Systematic Review. Br Med Bull. 2007;83:355–372.
  4. Evidence for Exercise Therapy in Hand and Wrist Tendinopathy: Systematic Review. J Hand Therapy. 2023.