Wrist pain is often caused by sprains or fractures from sudden injuries. But wrist pain also can result from long-term problems, such as repetitive stress, arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Causes popular of wrist joint aches and pains
Damage to any of the parts of your wrist can cause pain and affect your ability to use your wrist and hand.
The damage may result from:
1. Injuries
- Sudden impacts: Wrist injuries often occur when you fall forward onto your outstretched hand. This can cause sprains, strains and even fractures. A scaphoid fracture involves a bone on the thumb side of the wrist. This type of fracture may not show up on X-rays immediately after the injury.
- Repetitive stress: Any activity that involves wrist motion that you do again and again can inflame the tissues around joints or cause stress fractures. Some examples include hitting a tennis ball, bowing a cello or driving cross-country. The risk of injury is increased when you perform the movement for hours on end without a break. De Quervain tenosynovitis is a repetitive stress injury that causes pain at the base of the thumb.
2. Arthritis
- Osteoarthritis: This type of arthritis occurs when the cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones deteriorates over time. Osteoarthritis in the wrist is uncommon and usually occurs only in people who have injured that wrist in the past.
- Rheumatoid arthritis: A disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues, rheumatoid arthritis commonly involves the wrist. If one wrist is affected, the other one usually is too.
Wrist pain prevention measures
It’s impossible to prevent the unforeseen events that often cause wrist injuries, but these basic tips may offer some protection:
- Build bone strength: Getting adequate amounts of calcium can help prevent fractures. For most adults, that means 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams a day.
- Prevent falls: Falling forward onto an outstretched hand is the main cause of most wrist injuries. To help prevent falls, wear sensible shoes. Remove home hazards. Light up your living space. And install grab bars in your bathroom and handrails on your stairways, if necessary.
- Use protective gear for athletic activities: Wear wrist guards for high-risk activities, such as football, snowboarding and in-line skating.
- Pay attention to ergonomics: If you spend long periods at a keyboard, take regular breaks. When you type, keep your wrists in a relaxed, neutral position. An ergonomic keyboard and a foam or gel wrist support may help.
