The wrist is an anatomical area that is often injured. Since it consists of a large number of small bones, it can be very difficult to immediately determine what kind of injury the patient has - a dislocation, fracture or bruise of the wrist joint.
To prevent the development of complications and loss of function of the injured wrist, timely and competent treatment is necessary.
You can get a hand injury as a result of an unfortunate fall on the wrist or when hit by any hard object of the hand.
When a hand injury occurs, the patient experiences severe pain during and after injury to the wrist joints. This is due to the fact that nerve trunks pass through this area.
After some time, the pain may subside and intensify again as swelling of the wrist increases. Since soft tissues compress nerve endings during tumor formation, the patient may experience symptoms such as burning, ticking, or other pain.
The swelling quickly spreads through the soft tissues, affecting the back of the wrist, since loose tissue is located in this area. Due to swelling of the soft tissues, the wrist joint stops moving fully and stiffness appears. In this case, when trying to move, the patient feels pain.
In some cases, symptoms such as subcutaneous effusion of blood may occur when blood vessels rupture. Meanwhile, an extensive hematoma on the wrist is very rare.
If a hand injury occurs, immediate first aid is required. Even if the symptoms of a bruise are not clearly visible, the wrist may be seriously damaged.
If treatment is not started immediately after a hand injury, pain may persist for several months. The necessary measures will speed up healing and prevent complications.
Therapeutic gymnastics can be used on the third day after injury. It will improve blood circulation and avoid joint stiffness. Once immobility has been created, development of the wrist joint can begin. It is recommended to perform this exercise by lowering the injured arm into a warm bath.
This includes treatment with compresses, gels and ointments. If, with a bruise, the patient feels severe pain, the wrist swells greatly, the doctor prescribes the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - Ketonal, Febrofide, Diclofenac, Bystrum-gel.
The ointments are applied to the damaged area in a small layer with massaging movements at least three times a day for a week. A semi-alcoholic vodka compress, a compress with Dimexide and 0.25% Novocaine at a rate of 1 to 4 are also used, which remain at the site of the bruise for one hour.
Once fixation of the wrist joint is no longer required, treatment continues with massage. It can be performed either in the treatment room or independently.
Massaging begins from the fingertips of the hand, gradually moving towards the wrist. Light rubbing and stroking are done. This helps relieve swelling and improve joint movement.
If the injury is severe, the doctor prescribes a professional massage to work out the joints.
If the bruise occurs on the surface of the palm, contusion of the ulnar or median nerves, which run close to the surface of the skin, may occur. The patient feels a shooting pain that radiates to the fingers. In this case, the fingertips lose sensitivity.
After some time, it becomes difficult for the victim to adduct and abduct his fingers; as a result, the hand begins to resemble a paw with claws. Treatment uses B vitamins, vascular medications, and physiotherapy.
Sometimes, if there is compression of the nerves due to severe swelling, surgery is performed. It involves cutting the wrist ligament, under which the nerve trunks are located.
If timely treatment is refused or treated with incorrect methods, the patient may develop Sudeck syndrome. The syndrome manifests itself in the formation of trophic and vascular disorders. The wrist joint and hand swell greatly, the skin becomes bluish and cool. The nail plates become thinner and break.
After undergoing an X-ray examination, the doctor may detect osteoporosis. This disease is treated with the help of vascular agents, analgesics, B vitamins, muscle relaxants, acupuncture, physiotherapy, therapeutic massage and therapeutic exercises.
Such injuries occur during sports, when overestimating one’s physical capabilities, as well as during ordinary household injuries - an unsuccessful fall accompanied by a dislocation, bruises, and the like.
The most common causes of sprains are:
The results of such sprains can be carpal tunnel syndrome, neuritis, decreased muscle tone, and tendonitis.
It would seem that harmless and safe, at first glance, damage to the joint, and its consequences if not treated in a timely manner, can cause progressive instability of the joint - osteoarthritis of a deforming nature. In view of this, the slightest symptoms of injury to the ligaments and tendons of the joint should not be ignored - they must be treated. In order to understand what happened in the ligaments of the joint, you should know the traumatic symptoms. It varies somewhat depending on the type of damage.
This ligament is most often injured as a result of a strong blow to the inside of the hand, for example, during a fall back on the palm. The injury causes supination of the joint at the junction of the radius and the wrist.
The symptoms that appear are severe pain and rapid swelling of the base of the hand in its outer area, eventually spreading to the entire wrist. If immediate measures are not taken, large hematomas appear within a few hours, and any movement of the joint causes unbearable pain. Such injuries are often accompanied by a fracture of the radius, so it is necessary to undergo X-ray diagnostics. It is also a good idea to conduct an examination using the Watson method, which helps to identify or exclude damage to the ligaments of other joints.
If the injury occurs as a result of a fall on the palm turned backward, in addition to the sprain, a partial rupture of the ligaments of the wrist joint occurs - some of the fibers of the ligaments are torn. In this case, the motor activity of the joint is not completely impaired. The symptoms that characterize this situation are persistent, long-term pain, which is quite tolerable, and partial impairment of joint movement. Movement of the hand towards the outer side of the forearm is difficult and causes pain.
The number of ligament fibers torn during an injury can vary significantly - from a few units to half or more of them all, therefore such injuries occur of varying degrees of severity. In severe situations, pain can radiate to the soft tissues of the forearm, but swelling and hematomas with a wrist injury of this type practically do not occur, but the recovery period is somewhat longer than in the case discussed above.
Somewhat less common than those described above are injuries to the wrist joint, expressed by damage to the ligamentous apparatus of its disc. With these injuries, general instability of the joint as a whole and its ligaments in particular occurs. The main reason for this state of affairs is injury to the proximal bones, untreated other injuries and chronic excess of reasonable loads on the articular apparatus during intense training. In this situation, the slightest careless movement can cause loss of ability to work and send you on sick leave.
Even less common are wrist injuries that involve damage to the distal joint. It connects the bones - radius, ulna and hand. Such an injury manifests itself as springy mobility of the joint when it is palpated.
A sprain of the wrist joint, like any other, first of all requires immobilization of the damaged area, pain relief and swelling. To relieve pain, the patient is given analgesics, a cold compress and ointments help relieve swelling, and a tight elastic bandage will protect the joint from unnecessary movements. When treating mild to moderate sprains on the first day, these measures are sufficient, and starting from the next day, anti-inflammatory medications and drugs that promote tissue regeneration are used. If the pain does not subside and is very annoying, you need to take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications.
In cases where the sprain is supplemented by a partial and sometimes a hollow rupture of the ligaments, the patient is treated in an inpatient setting. Sometimes it is necessary to use surgery to restore the integrity of torn ligaments, tendons, and sometimes muscles. This treatment is quite long - from a month or more.
At the first stage – a week or two, complex decongestant and anti-inflammatory drug therapy is carried out using drugs that increase blood circulation in the tissues.
The second stage of treatment involves the active use of physiotherapy - ozokerite, paraffin compresses, iontophoresis. The maximum effect is achieved by combining physical procedures with medications that have a trophic effect and improve metabolism. This speeds up the recovery process of injured tissues.
Further recovery is carried out with the help of a course of therapeutic massage, water procedures and therapeutic exercises. Specially designed simulators help a lot.
If the wrist sprain has become chronic, or the injury is acute, medications are prescribed for a course of 3-5 days, which are administered orally. In special cases, hormone therapy using drugs that are in the glucocorticoid series is needed.
If we talk about the later recovery period after a sprained carpal ligament, it depends on the severity and extent of the damage. In milder cases, with good and correct treatment tactics, it is quite possible to completely restore lost functions within a few months.
However, you must always remember that with late diagnosis and incorrectly selected treatment, a much longer period is needed in order to fully recover; in some cases, treatment takes entire years.
That is why, at the slightest appearance of the first symptoms of a sprain, it is recommended to consult a doctor.
The wrist joint is the articulation of the 3 bones of the wrist and the radius.
A fracture of this joint is a violation of the anatomical integrity of one or more bones due to trauma. After receiving it, you must definitely consult a doctor in order to avoid negative consequences.
The most common cause of wrist injury is injury or falling onto outstretched arms. It can also be a direct blow. The following factors may contribute to damage:
Most often, wrist joint fractures are observed in older people. This is due to the fact that bone tissue becomes weaker over time. Women during menopause are also often at risk of such injuries.
Men are much less susceptible to wrist fractures . Their hormonal changes are not as pronounced, and their bones are stronger and more voluminous than those of women.
Also, a fracture of the wrist joint is classified as follows:
Fractures of the hand in the wrist (wrist joint) can be with or without displacement. A fracture can also be comminuted, when as a result of an impact the bone is broken into more than 3 segments.
In order to diagnose a fracture, it is necessary to seek help from a traumatologist immediately after receiving an injury, since the symptoms may resemble a dislocation, sprain or bruise.
After a visual examination and palpation, the doctor prescribes additional research methods.
It is mandatory to perform radiography in 2 projections . If necessary, the doctor may prescribe a CT scan. It is performed if the fracture is intra-articular, displaced, or surgery was performed to remove fragments.
The following signs and symptoms indicate a fracture of the wrist joint:
If the fracture was displaced, then the deformation of the bone in the area of the wrist joint is externally noticeable.
With an extensor mechanism of injury to the wrist (Colles fracture), a bayonet-shaped bulge appears on the palm. The patient feels numbness in the hand or fingers, and has a sensation of “pins and needles”. A characteristic crunching sound of broken bones may also appear.
With an open fracture, a wound forms at the site of the injury, and bone fragments are visible.
In case of a fracture of the wrist joint, the patient must be given first aid, fix the hand in one position and, in the case of a closed fracture, apply cold to the area of damage in order to reduce swelling and pain. Pain relief is also carried out using analgesics: Ketanov, Dexalgin.
Subsequently, after diagnosis, the doctor will determine whether the patient will require conservative therapy or surgical intervention. If the fracture was not displaced, or it is not so critical, then after anesthesia, parts of the bone return to the anatomically correct position. Then the arm is fixed with a plaster or polymer bandage.
How long to wear a cast for a wrist fracture: the cast is worn for a Koless fracture for 4-5 weeks, and for a Smith fracture for 6-8 weeks .
If a displaced fracture of the wrist joint occurs, then it is necessary to take an x-ray on days 10, 21 and 30 to make sure that after applying the bandage the bones have not been displaced again.
When applying a bandage, special attention is paid to blood circulation in the affected arm. The fingers remain open, and at the first signs of numbness, you should definitely inform your doctor about this.
If the bone fragments cannot be held in a normal position or a large number of fragments are observed, then surgery is performed. Reposition can be of 2 types:
After an injury to the wrist joint, rehabilitation is required, which should last at least a month. This is a very important stage during which the functionality of the hand is restored.
Exercise therapy to restore joint mobility should be prescribed by a rehabilitation physician, depending on the severity and location of the fracture, as well as the age and health of the patient.
Exercises after a fracture of the arm in the wrist joint (perform while sitting, the forearm should be on the table):
During immobilization, muscle atrophy occurs, this can be seen if you carefully examine the hand: the wrist becomes smaller. In order to cope with this, it is necessary to massage the wrist joint. It is designed to restore processes in muscle tissue. The procedure is carried out daily or every other day for a month.
Also, during the recovery period, proper nutrition is important; you can find out more about this here.
The danger of injury to the wrist joint is that if the joint does not heal properly, deformation occurs.
As a result, the load on the ligamentous apparatus becomes unstable, and the patient begins to experience aching pain in this area for a long time, pain when lifting heavy objects, and stiffness of movement. A fracture in old age is especially dangerous, since bone healing occurs more slowly and the risk of complications increases.
A serious complication of a fracture is post-traumatic arthrosis . It occurs several weeks or months after the injury. It is characterized by a crunching sound in the area of the affected joint and pain in this area during certain movements or bending the arm all the way.
If you do not move your hand, then the pain is practically not felt, except in cases where there has been strong physical activity beforehand. However, the appearance of the joint does not change.
Another complication may be arthritis . In this case, the appearance of the hand changes, swelling appears in the area of the wrist joint or a dip associated with muscle atrophy. The pain is more pronounced, especially at night and in the morning.
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A sprained wrist is a very common injury that can befall any person, regardless of their professional activity and attitude to an active lifestyle.
To injure the wrist, it is enough for a load to be applied to it that exceeds the elastic tissue of the wrist. Due to overload, the wrist ligaments are stretched or even ruptured, accompanied by noticeable pain.
The slightest injury to the wrist requires immediate treatment, since the injury may cause instability of the wrist joint, and this, in turn, can provoke a serious disease - deforming osteoarthritis. As a result of a sports injury or a simple fall at home, a sprained wrist can occur.
The causes of injury may be the following.
A sprained wrist can cause complications:
Doctors distinguish three degrees of injury:
You should know that acute unbearable pain in the wrist is not a symptom of a normal sprain, so it is a serious indication for an immediate visit to a specialist.
There are several types of injury that can cause a wrist sprain. Symptoms accompanying a sprain of a particular ligament also vary:
1. Sprain of the navicular ligament. It is usually damaged due to an impact in a fall, in which a person leans on the inside of the hand. This causes supination of the joint that articulates the radius with the wrist. Symptoms of such damage are expressed by severe pain and increasing swelling on the outside of the base of the hand. As a result, the tumor covers the entire wrist. After a few hours, large hematomas appear. Attempts to move aggravate the pain syndrome.
Diagnosis involves radiography to exclude radial fracture. To exclude rupture of other ligaments, the so-called Watson test is performed - an attempt to move the hand in the direction of the inner surface of the forearm, accompanied by a slight audible click and increased pain.
2. Sprain of the triquetral ligament. It occurs during impacts and falls in which the arm is in a straightened state. A sprain is accompanied by microscopic tears in the fibers. This injury causes pain and limited mobility of the hand towards the outer surface of the forearm.
Palpation of the pisiform hand, to which the triquetral ligament is attached, causes sharp pain. Severe injury causes pain in the soft tissues of the forearm. Swelling is not observed with this type of stretching. Hematomas also practically do not appear. But the recovery period after such an injury is quite long.
3. Other sprains. In addition to the two types of sprains above, there are other types of wrist sprains that are much less common. For example, injuries occur that are accompanied by sprains of the ligamentous apparatus of the articular disc of the wrist and the formation of joint instability.
With old injuries and prolonged extreme loads that cause injury to the bones included in the wrist joint, an unstable position of the ligaments can occur. Any awkward movement can cause severe pain, accompanied by temporary disability.
It is very rare to sprain the distal joint connecting the ulna, hand and radius. The main symptom of such an injury is springy mobility that occurs upon palpation of the radius and ulna.
Treatment for a sprained wrist should begin with resting the injured arm - this is achieved by applying a splint or splint. The arm is then tied to a neck brace. During the first 24 hours, the hand should be provided with absolute rest, a tight bandage and cold application. On the second day, the patient is given anti-inflammatory drugs and topical drugs that activate tissue regeneration. The presence of pain is an indication for taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. It is recommended to clench and unclench your hand from time to time to prevent fluid from accumulating in the damaged area.
If, during the diagnosis, the doctor is convinced that the tissues and ligaments of the wrist have maintained their integrity, and only sprain is observed, then the injury can be treated at home.
Depending on the severity of the injury, one to two weeks after its onset, the patient is prescribed special exercises to facilitate the rehabilitation of the limb. Along with traditional treatment, massage, acupuncture, osteopathy, and other therapeutic methods are also recommended for injured people during the recovery period.
Wrist dislocation is a common injury. A dislocated wrist causes great discomfort; in addition, traumatology patients complain of severe pain and severe consequences after the injury.
The degree of damage to the hand depends on the mechanical impact or impact load applied to the hand apparatus. In addition to dislocation of the wrist joint, other injuries are possible (fractures, subluxations - incomplete dislocations or sprains of the specified area).
What are the types of dislocations of the wrist joint?
In a severely injured joint, there is often a tear in the soft tissue. The type of dislocation can be determined by the position of the hand after injury, since due to the large number of bones in this area, each type of displacement has unique characteristics.
The listed changes in the usual position of the joint occur in both adults and children (dislocation occurs during games or in the process of vigorous activity).
The International Classification of Diseases ICD 10 is a manual that was last updated in 2016. According to this classification, each viral, bacterial, fungal disease, as well as mechanical injuries and their consequences, is assigned a corresponding code.
Wrist dislocation (S63) is included in the section “Wrist and hand injuries (S60-S69)”.
During a dislocation of the wrist joint, damage to nerve tissue and blood vessels, as well as the formation of fractures, is possible, so the injury code may vary depending on the degree of damage.
In turn, section S63 includes several subsections related specifically to dislocation of the wrist joint:
These dislocations refer specifically to the confusion of the radiocarpal and radioulnar joints (ulna and radius bones), other points relate to injuries to the phalanges of the hoop.
Injuries to the hands are a common problem with which patients come to the traumatology department. The cause of displacement or fracture can be a strong mechanical impact or a blow to the joint area.
The most common causes of dislocation:
The main problem is that if a dislocation occurs, it is extremely difficult to correct the displacement of the bones without the help of a specialist. With self-treatment, severe disorders often develop later.
Symptoms and treatment vary depending on the shape and extent of the hand injury. When bones are displaced from the surface of the joint, damage to ligaments and blood vessels, as well as rupture of the joint capsule, is possible.
A sign of displacement of the radial ossicle is:
Symptoms of a dislocated wrist on the back side:
Also, one of the main signs of dislocation is a characteristic click when damaged.
For a more complete picture of the clinical picture, it is necessary to consider the signs of damage depending on the mixing of a particular bone of the hand.
Lunate dislocation manifests itself as:
During diagnosis, x-rays from two projections are used.
During diagnosis, X-rays are used in three projections.
Signs of displacement of the pisiform bone:
Signs of de Kervin's fracture-dislocation:
Features of hand injuries are not limited to dislocations; other types of injuries, such as fractures and sprains, are also common. Subluxation or incomplete dislocation is not a very rare phenomenon.
Symptoms after a fracture or sprain are very similar to those of a dislocation, because of this, the cause can only be determined after an x-ray.
Even if independent reduction of the displacement is contraindicated, sometimes this manipulation is necessary. In addition, there are measures that need to be taken before treatment in a medical facility and diagnosis.
What to do if your arm is sprained:
After passing the diagnosis, the patient is prescribed a course of treatment, and also given recommendations for performing the necessary exercises. Quick and timely assistance can speed up the recovery of the hand and the return of basic functions of the limb.
First aid for sprains has a similar algorithm of action.
Diagnosis of trauma is carried out in the traumatology department of municipal or private medical institutions. A visit to the hospital is necessary to evaluate the condition of the arm and to reduce the dislocated arm if necessary.
Diagnosis of dislocation of the wrist bones is carried out using:
Depending on the expected diagnosis, traumatology-orthopedics provides the possibility of radiodiagnosis in 2 or 3 projections.
When you put off visiting a doctor, every day counts, since the longer the bones are dislocated, the more difficult it will be to bring them back to normal.
Many victims wonder how to cure a dislocation?
Treatment of dislocations is divided into several stages:
A cast is placed on the sprained arm for a period of two weeks, after which a re-diagnosis is carried out using an x-ray. If after two weeks the injury remains unstable, a surgical technique using Kirschner wires is used to fix the wrist.
The Kirschner wire technique is also called “skeletal traction.” The technique is used to align the position of the wrist joint, as well as if a fracture and bone fragments were discovered during diagnosis.
If the patient has not been to a medical facility for 3 weeks or more, or has had unsuccessful treatment at home, surgical intervention is necessary, since the classical reduction system is not used to treat dislocations.
It is especially important to go to the hospital when it comes to children. Quick diagnosis and treatment will allow the child to recover very quickly, without lasting consequences.
Surgery is necessary if it is not possible to reduce the dislocation (the damage was diagnosed more than 21 days after the injury).
Surgical intervention is divided into stages:
It is also possible to use the skeletal traction technique; in case of dislocation of the lunate bone, the Sokolovsky apparatus is used.
After the operation, the attending physician prescribes the patient the necessary recovery techniques for the rehabilitation period.
Thus, if you follow all the specialist’s recommendations, the damaged joint will quickly return to normal, and the hand will restore its usual functions.
After removing the cast or Kirschner wires, the patient must undergo rehabilitation.
Hand injuries, whether it is a bruise or a serious injury, require a certain method of treatment with gymnastics or physiotherapy for:
During the rehabilitation period, medicinal and folk methods are actively used to relieve the inflammatory process and pain, which may remain during the complete restoration of the joint.
Basic exercises for restoring joint mobility after reduction and taking the correct position in relation to other bones of the hand.
It is very important to adhere to the doctor’s recommendations during the rehabilitation period, since insufficient attention to the functioning of the joint after the main treatment has its consequences.
Complications and consequences after displacement of the wrist bones are not that rare. However, all sprains have their own negative effects on the ligaments, tendons, nerve tissue or blood vessels. This can lead to significant difficulties in later life if you do not consult a specialist in time.
In some cases, due to severe complications, additional surgical intervention is necessary.
When a displacement occurs in a place such as the wrist, the radius and other bones are displaced in one direction or another, which reduces the motor activity of the limb and impairs its functions. In order to return them to their place, you need to contact a traumatologist in the first 10 days, while the dislocation is considered fresh. If diagnosis and treatment are delayed for more than 3 weeks, reduction becomes impossible and various surgical techniques are used to treat the injury.
Dear readers of the 1MedHelp website, if you still have questions on this topic, we will be happy to answer them. Leave your reviews, comments, share stories of how you experienced a similar trauma and successfully dealt with the consequences! Your life experience may be useful to other readers.
The hand and forearm are connected to each other by the wrist. This is one of the most active joints, which is almost always in use. In this regard, bruise of the wrist joint is a fairly common injury in all people, especially in children. They are restless, often fall and, as a rule, instinctively put their arms forward, which leads to various types of injuries - bruises, dislocations or fractures.
ICD 10 is an international coding of diseases. That is, they are accepted throughout the world for documentation, facilitating the naming of diseases and for prescribing treatment. Since there are so many possible wrist and hand injuries, they are all coded S60 to S69. Let's take a closer look:
This coding facilitates reporting, documentation, inventions of medical equipment and medications.
Wrist bruises occur for various reasons. Most often, this is a fall as a result of carelessness or haste. When falling, a hand injury is very common. A bruise is damage to soft tissue, possibly internal hemorrhage, as a result of damage to the vascular network. The main difference from a dislocation, crack or fracture is the preservation of the integrity of the osteochondral tissues.
A bruise can also occur due to a blow from a hard object. Sometimes the cause may be some infectious or parasitic lesions that develop pathogenic microflora in the soft tissues of the hand. Because of this, an inflammatory process occurs. In this case, it is necessary to urgently take therapeutic measures, otherwise tissue damage can lead to a number of negative consequences, including amputation of the limb.
A bruise of the wrist joint can be diagnosed independently, but it is still recommended to visit a traumatologist to rule out other types of damage. Let's consider the main symptoms that occur when the soft tissues of a joint are damaged:
If symptoms of a hand injury occur, it is necessary to provide first aid and then consult a doctor to avoid complications.
First aid for a bruised hand includes the following:
Knowing what to do in case of a bruise and how to help the victim, you can immediately relieve pain and prevent negative consequences.
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Many people believe that a bruised wrist joint is not a serious injury and does not require treatment. This is wrong. In fact, during an impact, soft tissue is destroyed, which leads to swelling and impaired functionality of the hand.
Therapeutic measures can be carried out using drug therapy or folk remedies, which have long been famous for their effectiveness and simplicity. In case of traumatic tissue rupture, you must go to the emergency room.
Treatment for a wrist bruise can last from a week to a month, depending on the severity of the injury, treatment methods and individual characteristics of the body. Let's consider the basic rules that must be followed in case of a severe bruise of the hand:
I would also like to note that it is important to distinguish between a bruise and a fracture. If the injury is serious, you will need a cast or surgery. When a hand is bruised, it moves, but when it is fractured, it doesn’t. And the pain with a bruise becomes weaker every day, and with a fracture - stronger. These basic signs can be used to distinguish a fracture from a bruise of the wrist.
A period of rehabilitation is necessary in order to speed up the healing process and quickly restore limb mobility.
The main activities during the recovery period are the use of regenerating ointments and therapeutic exercises. It involves developing the joint. Regardless of whether the injury is on the right or left hand, you still need to warm up the joint, but you should not load it so as not to damage it.
Complications most often occur in those who decide to completely treat themselves and not consult a doctor. The first is damage to the ligaments or tendons. It is very difficult to identify them without qualified help, but conventional treatment is not suitable. As a result, inflammation and hematomas occur.
If, during a bruise, an infection gets into the lesion, pathogenic microflora develops in the hand, which is fraught with rotting. In this regard, gangrene may occur, which cannot be treated in any way (only wrist amputation). Gangrene is the death of tissue.
In summing up, it should be noted that no one is immune from a bruise to the wrist, but with proper and timely treatment, all possible consequences can be reduced to zero.
If a wrist injury occurs, treatment depends on the extent of the injury. In any case, it is better to consult a doctor and follow his recommendations.
The wrist is a section of the upper limb, consisting of two rows of bones. These bones are very small, and therefore this area is very susceptible to various injuries such as bruises, dislocations, and fractures. Moreover, it is often difficult to determine the true nature of the injury. A bruise is characterized by tissue damage in which the integrity of the skin is not violated, as, for example, with a fracture. Of all types of hand injuries, bruises in this area account for 4.1% of cases.
Traumatologists note that independent contusion of this area of the upper limb is diagnosed quite rarely. In most cases, a person receives a combined injury, when the wrist and palmar surface are injured at the same time. Such damage can occur as a result of an accident, an unsuccessful fall on the upper limb, or a blow with a blunt object.
Signs of hand injury appear gradually. The severity of symptoms also increases over time. The most characteristic features include:
Separately, it is worth dwelling on pain sensations. They have their own characteristics:
If there is damage to the palmar surface, then the symptoms will be somewhat different. This combined injury is accompanied by the following symptoms:
Damage can lead to complications, for example, trophoneurotic disorders or dystrophic changes in the carpal bones.
These diseases are difficult to treat. That is why you should not underestimate the seriousness of such an injury and contact a traumatologist.
A set of first aid measures for a bruised hand includes the following steps:
After completing the procedures, you must see a traumatologist. Even if nothing bothers you after first aid, you need to visit a doctor, since the injury may turn out to be much more serious.
The doctor will examine the injured limb and prescribe the necessary treatment regimen.
Patients are often referred for x-rays. This is due to the fact that it is often difficult to determine whether a person really has a bruise or whether a bone has been dislocated or broken.
So, what treatment regimen can a traumatologist prescribe? Typically it includes the following indications:
Heat compress options:
You should absolutely not steam your sore hand!
Medicinal compresses. The following combinations are shown:
Such compresses must be kept for 40 minutes.
When the traumatologist considers that immobilization is no longer needed, the next stage begins—restorative. And in this case, almost everything depends on the patient.
How hard he tries to restore the functions of the hand, the better the result he will get.
Physiotherapy. It is best to start classes in a physical therapy room under the guidance of an instructor. He will teach you how to do the exercises correctly, after which you can practice at home. The exercises are aimed at flexing, extending the hand, and performing circular movements with the fingers. A traumatologist may recommend starting to perform such movements even with a fixed limb on the third day after the injury. This improves blood circulation and prevents finger stiffness. But you shouldn’t develop your hand yourself.
During classes, sudden, fast movements are absolutely excluded. If there is a limitation in mobility, you should not force things and perform exercises through pain - this will only worsen the situation. The mobility of the hand will definitely return if you practice regularly.
Massotherapy. It is also better to first go through at least a few sessions with a massage therapist so that he can teach you how to perform the movements correctly. After this, you can perform self-massage at home. Therapeutic massage eliminates any sudden, fast and unpleasant movements. On the contrary, they should be stroking and rubbing (but lightly). You need to start the massage from your fingertips towards your wrist.
If the bruise was very severe, an integrated approach may be indicated - therapeutic massage combined with limb development.
This manipulation should only be performed by an experienced massage therapist.