Wrist Sprains
Posted in Physiotherapy on Nov 4, 2019.
Wrist Sprains
What is a wrist sprain?
Wrist sprains are a general term used to describe any injury to the wrist that doesn’t include a fracture. While this can indicate that they are not serious injuries, wrist sprains can be complicated injuries that require supervision and treatment to recover fully. The wrist refers to the area where the bones of the forearm, the radius and ulna, meet and join the bones of the hand. The wrist is able to twist on itself and allows the hand to move to face palm up (supination) or palm down (pronation). The hand is also able to move up and down (flexion/extension) and side to side (abduction/adduction). To allow such complicated movements, the joint surfaces of the wrist are held together by a series of ligaments. When a wrist is sprained, it is usually these ligaments that have been damaged.
What are the symptoms of a wrist sprain?
The primary symptom of a sprained wrist is pain with movement of the joint or when taking load, such as when holding or lifting a heavy object. Ligament injuries are given a grading scale to indicate their severity, which can help to guide treatment. Grade I tears refers to a stretching or laxity of the ligament fibers and injuries of this grade usually heal with rest within 2-3 weeks. A grade II classification signifies that there has been a partial tear of the ligament fibers and will often need more time and treatment for recovery. Grade III tears refer to a full thickness rupture of a ligament and may require splinting or even surgery. The most common cause of a wrist sprain is a fall onto an outstretched hand. Ligament injuries can also happen gradually through over use, although this is less common.
What is the treatment for a wrist sprain?
Your Shelbourne Physiotherapist is able to help diagnosis a wrist sprain and can help to rule out a fracture. An X-ray might be required and your Physiotherapist will perform special tests to help identify exactly which structure has been injured, giving the injury a grade, to help guide treatment.
How can Shelbourne Physiotherapy help you with a wrist sprain?
The key to effective recovery for a wrist sprain is often in ensuring that the right treatment protocols are in place for your injury. Grade I sprains will recover best with gentle exercises and early strengthening while Grade II to III injuries may require splinting or even a surgical consult for repair. If surgery is the right course for you, your Shelbourne Physiotherapist is able to guide you through this treatment pathway, helping you to prepare and recover from surgery to get the best outcome possible.
None of the medical information in this newsletter is a replacement for proper medical advice. Always see a Shelbourne Physiotherapy medical professional for advice on your individual injury.
Shelbourne Physiotherapy, Pilates & Massage is a locally owned health company with 3 locations in beautiful Victoria & Saanich, British Columbia. Our clinics offer Physiotherapy, IMS (Intramuscular Stimulation) & Dry Needling, Kinesiology, Exercise Rehabilitation, Massage Therapy, Sports Rehabilitation, Post-Operative Rehabilitation, Vestibular, Dizziness & Balance Rehabilitation, Women's health (peri-partum and incontinence), Acupuncture, Hydrotherapy, Scoliosis Treatment, Clinical Osteofit Classes, Osteoporosis Treatment, Aquatherapy, Pool Therapy, Real Time Ultrasound, Arthritis and Osteoarthritis Treatment, Electrical Modalities, Pelvic Floor Physio, Pelvic Pain Physiotherapy, Incontinence Treatment, Thoracic Ring Approach Physiotherapy Treatment, Sports Physiotherapy, Chronic Pain Treatment, Shockwave Therapy (ESWT), Aquatic Therapy, Yoga, Yogalates, Saanich Physiotherapy, Polestar Pilates, Stott Pilates, Clinical Pilates, Scoliosis Treatment and Custom Knee Bracing, Physiocanhelp.ca.
Our clinics are approved providers for WorksafeBC (WCB) Physiotherapy and ICBC Physiotherapy, Kinesiology & Rehabilitation. We are proud members of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA), the Canadian Academy of Manipulative Therapy(CAMPT), Sport Physiotherapy Canada, SportmedBC, British Columbia Association of Kinesiologists (BCAK), Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP), Vestibular Disorders Association, ISST International Schroth 3D Scoliosis Therapy, International Society for Medical Shockwave Treatment (ISMST), Think Local Victoria, Canadian Federation of Independent Business(CFIB), the Orthopaedic Division of the CPA and the Physiotherapy Association of British Columbia (PABC) We have a clinic located in the Gordon Head Recreation Centre in Saanich
Shelbourne Physiotherapy staff provide clinical instruction at our Victoria Clinic for students in the UBC Faculty of Medicine. We are an accredited facility for UBC Dept. of Physical Therapy Student Practicums.
Our 3 Victoria Physiotherapy clinics are modern and provide a relaxed healing atmosphere with private rooms available. Many Physiotherapy clinics in Victoria work out of a single room or a basement that does not offer the equipment, resources or space to help you recover properly. Our convenient locations make our clinics easy to access from all the neighbourhoods of Victoria, Saanich, Esquimalt and Oak Bay such as Dockside Physiotherapy Green, Fairfield, James Bay, Oaklands, Fernwood, Harris Green, Jubilee, Hillside Quadra, Gonzales, Rockland, Gordon Head, Cadboro Bay, Uplands, Downtown Victoria, Cordova Bay, Arbutus, Camosun College Lansdowne Campus and the Songhees. We offer appointment times ranging from 7:00AM to 7:00PM for your convenience.Our Multidisciplinary Health Clinic is located right across the street from the Hillside Shopping Centre. we share a building with the Shelbourne Medical Centre which has a walk in clinic and many great General Practitioners.
We are a friendly, local Victoria & Saanich owned and community based health company designed to meet your individual needs. Our mission is to provide Physiotherapy and related services to the communities of Victoria, Saanich, Oak Bay, Victoria West and Esquimalt and help keep these residents active and healthy. We strive to creatively and professionally maximize client functioning and promote life-long wellness.
Our experienced and dedicated Health Care Professionals include Victoria & Saanich Physiotherapists Penny Salmas, Jennifer Kolot, Mark Gottfried, Nicole Gill, Jenna Peters, Brad Curry, Andrew Mills, Meena Sran, Phil Lawrence, Jessica Shave, Kim Lobb, Kathy Murdoch, Laura Werner, Rosie Chamberlin, Ruan Le Roux, Nina Bai, Seung Bai, Eimear Brogan, Faralay Vander Schilden, Kira Crover, Sarah Hubbs, Mary-Anne Levson, Alex Thompson , Ignacio Parodi, Victoria Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist Miriam Haistein, Hilary Beck, Ignacio Parodi and Blair Braz. Our experienced Victoria BC Kinesiologists include Kira Crover, Heidi Nottelman, Larry Muir, Radek Wiechecki, Lindsey Tabish and Emma watt. Our experienced Victoria & Saanich BC Registered Massage Therapists include Taryn Krizan, Selena Curvelo, Jennifer Koebernick, Kathy Pantalon, T'airah Bowker RMT, Molly Scott, Jessica Bundy RMT and Rebekah Neubert. Our Certified Victoria Pilates and Yoga Instructors include Danielle O'Reilly, Stephanie Cadman, Sharon McAuley, Sarah Hubbs, Laura Werner, Helen Mason, Chris Csak, Alex Thompson, Regina Flueck
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