Wrist injuries in sports are caused by acute injury, and also chronic overuse injuries. Nerve injury can occur with blunt trauma to the hypothenar eminence resulting in a contusion to the ulnar...

Wrist injuries in sports are caused by acute injury, and also chronic overuse injuries.

Nerve injury can occur with blunt trauma to the hypothenar eminence resulting in a contusion to the ulnar nerve.

Wrist fractures can present with swelling and tenderness at the point of contact.

Wrist dislocation can present with pain that is localized to the dorsum of the wrist over the radioulnar joint. There is pain when pronation or supination against resistance. A click may also be heard when the wrist is rotated. The doctor will order an x-ray to confirm the dislocation.

Wrist fracture will also present with swelling and tenderness around the wrist. Sometimes a fracture is misdiagnosed as a sprain or a dislocation. A wrist fracture will have limited range of motion and pain present. Wrist fractures can be a distal-radius fracture, a scaphoid fracture or a lunate fracture.

Other injuries include finger fracture, wrist sprains, tendinitis of the wrist, carpal tunnel syndrome, ganglion cysts, jammed finger, scaphoid fracture of the wrist, colles wrist fracture, finger injuries, hand injuries, PIP joint dislocation and trigger finger.

A finger fracture occurs with minor injury. Basketball, baseball, and contact sports are common causes of finger fracture. The symptoms of finger fracture are swelling, pain and tenderness, inability to move the finger and a deformity in the way the finger looks.

Treating a finger fracture requires that the finger be put back into place and splinted or cast to hold the finger straight and to protect it from further injury while it heals.

Rock Climbing Injuries to Hands:

Rock climbers often have hand injuries such as soft-tissue damage, flexor tendon strain, tendinitis or tenosynovitis, joint contractures and carpal tunnel syndrome. Rock climbing has grown in popularity and along with the increased interest in the sport of rock climbing come increased hand injuries. Preventing hand injuries requires that the rock climber learn the proper handgrip techniques. There are four basic grips (open grip, cling grip, pocket grip and pinch grip).

Abrasions and hypertrophic scarring are commonly found on a rock climber’s hands if they do frequent rock climbing. The injuries are usually mild and require rest, anti-inflammatory medication, splinting and taping. Injuries that have been neglected may have serious functional consequences and may need medical attention. More serious rock climbing injuries are flexor tendon strains, pulley strains and ruptures these all require medical attention.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is an irritation of the synovial membranes around the tendons in the carpal tunnel. This puts pressure on the median nerve. The median nerve goes from the forearm into the hand through a “tunnel” in the wrist.

Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome are numbness and tingling in the hands, a decreased sensation in the thumb or fingers, a tingling sensation in the wrist, and pain when holding the wrist in a bend position for long periods of time. A nerve conduction test is positive (pressure on the median nerve).

Sports where there is a repetitive grasping of hands such as in tennis, or a repetitive bending of the wrist, such as in racket sports are when this type of injury is seen most.

Treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome is RICE (rest, ice, compression and elevation) and anti-inflammatory medication to help reduce the inflammation and the pain. If relief is not achieved by these measures than surgery is an option.

1. The Sports Injury Dislocations
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2. What Are Sports Injuries
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3. Preventing Sports Injuries
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4. Do You Know The Warning Signs Of A Sports Injury
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5. Descriptions Of Common Sports Injuries
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