Wrist & Hand Injuries Treatment & Symptoms

Peripheral Nerve Compression

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a common injury that’s often associated with occupations involving significant keyboarding. In fact, it can be caused by any compression injury that affects the median nerve as it passes through the narrow carpal tunnel—located on the palm side of your wrist. It is also not uncommon for a trauma or swelling associated with pregnancy to be the cause of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome causes tingling, numbness and pain in the wrist and hand.

At Focus Physiotherapy our Registered Physiotherapists will ascertain the exact cause of your Carpal Tunnel before choosing the treatment that’s right for you. Typically, successful treatment takes up to a couple of months. Physiotherapy will help relieve the pain and teach you how to prevent it from recurring. We want you to get better but we also want to keep you better. Call one of our 5 clinic locations today for more information.

Navicular Fracture

Scaphoid Fractures are very serious injuries that require specific intervention. Usually the result of a fall on an outstretched arm, the scaphoid is a small bone in the wrist. When fractured, it has an increased potential for improper healing because of poor circulation to the area.

If the scaphoid has healed properly, and the alignment is good, you can start personalized physiotherapy treatment to help you recover fully once the cast comes off.

Your treatment will focus on ensuring a full return of function and manual dexterity, with tips and techniques to protect your wrist and thumb.

Broken Wrist/Distal Radius Fracture

Colles’ Fractures, which often happen later in life, occur when you fall on an outstretched arm and fracture the radius bone in your forearm. Like most fractures, a cast is used to mend this broken wrist, and sometimes requires metal to help fuse the bone.

Once you’re free of your cast, one of our Registered Physiotherapists can attend to your mobility and strength, working systematically to achieve tangible improvements with each visit, until you are fully recovered. The treatment plan will incorporate exercises to increase your movement and strength. Once the fracture is stable, the intervention of a skilled physical therapist is essential to regain previous levels of mobility and activity.

Trapped Tendons

Sometimes misdiagnosed as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome if not properly assessed, De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis is an inflammation of the tendon in the wrist and forearm at the base of your thumb. Typically caused by repeated thumb movements over a long period of time, activities such as grasping, squeezing or pinching can be precipitating factors. To make sure you receive the correct treatment for your syndrome it’s important to consult a Registered Physiotherapist, with the experience and training to recognize the signs and symptoms.

Once we’ve determined what has contributed to your condition, we’re able to create a personalized treatment plan, apply a splint if necessary to shield the affected area and teach you joint protection techniques to prevent complications or recurrences. The goal of our intervention is always to achieve the maximum possible physical recovery and a pain-free return to activities for our patients.

Trigger Thumb and Trigger Finger

If your finger catches or clicks when you bend it, or sometimes even gets stuck in the bent position, you may have Trigger Finger or Trigger Thumb. It’s likely that the thickened area of your tendon has formed a node, which is what’s catching as you move. Easy to diagnose, Stenosing Tenosynovitis has a good recovery rate if treatment takes place within the first three months of the problem starting. Timely intervention will prevent the injury from worsening, or becoming hard to manipulate, and increase the chances of recovery. In most cases, physio will also help you avoid the need for surgery.

The Registered Physiotherapists at Focus Physiotherapy are skilled practitioners who will complete a thorough assessment and create a personalized treatment plan for you. Trigger finger is a stubborn problem, so your treatment program may include a combination of exercises, manual therapy, education about your condition and, quite likely, instructions regarding splinting to reduce the movement and irritation that leads to detrimental rubbing of the node.

Hammer/Baseball Finger

If you find your finger getting stuck in the bent position at its second joint, you may have Mallet Finger. This can happen when you tear your finger’s extensor tendon, preventing your finger from fully extending.

Once we have conducted a thorough assessment at Focus Physiotherapy, to rule out disease that may have contributed to the ligament weakness, our Registered Physiotherapists will coordinate a treatment regimen to help correct the problem.

Your physical therapy prescription may consist of splinting and rest, alongside treatments to reduce swelling and scarring. Our physiotherapy team will also be sure to address any lifestyle factors that are aggravating your condition, to ensure the fullest possible recovery. Timely intervention is key to avoiding further deterioration and eventually surgery.

Degenerative Joint Disease

Most commonly age-related, Arthritis of the Hand is painful, and no two patients experience it in the same way. There are different causes, and varying degrees of discomfort, as well as many areas in the hand for you to develop arthritis. The condition occurs when the normally smooth surface (articular cartilage) between bones becomes rough. The smoother the surface, the easier it is for bones to move against each other (articulate). Your arthritis will change over time, making it important to monitor and reassess your symptoms regularly. Customized, personal treatment programs, like the ones at Focus Physiotherapy, adapt to your changing needs, and are designed to reflect your unique experience of the condition.

Many deformities can occur when arthritis is left unchecked, including conditions such as ulnar drift, boutonniere deformity and swan neck deformity. Our arthritis treatment regimens focus on preventing deformities, reducing pain and responding quickly to control flare-ups. Once we have managed the acute phase, our treatment will work to strengthen the hand and improve or maintain function and flexibility.