Vague Wrist Pain

Pain & Rehab Forum [Moderated]
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I am having some vague wrist pain that mostly appears to be on the ulnar side of my wrist. I get most of this pain with turning a door knob or typing on a computer. I also have pain with extension of the wrist and worse when I extend the wrist with finger extension (pain is mostly on the backside of the wrist with this movement). However, I sometimes also feel pain on the palmar side of the wrist with opposition of the thumb or maybe even making a fist. Overall, the pain is worst in the morning just after waking and gets better as the day progresses. Perhaps, I have two different problems. I realize actual diagnosis is tough merely on the forum… but here are three specific questions.

  1. At the time of doing a KB overhead press, I do not feel any pain. The wrist is mostly in a neutral position. Based on prior readings of some very informative article (Pain in training: What do? | Barbell Medicine), I should not avoid this movement? I also do not seem to get pain when doing a deadlift. I have had continuing pain for 6 weeks and not sure if I have just repeatedly aggravating it.

  2. Pain goes up and down from day to day. What is the best way to gauge if what I did yesterday aggravated my symptoms?

  3. Any recommendations on using heat therapy?

Thanks!

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Hey tashfeen - thanks for the questions. Sorry to hear about your wrist/hand symptoms. We need a consultation to give individual advice.

  1. Based on what you’ve stated in this thread, it’d be unlikely I recommend avoiding a particular movement but rather finding tolerable dosage of activity.

If you’ve had persistent symptoms for six weeks without improvement while implementing what’s outlined in the article you linked, then likely time to see about getting some assistance. We’d be happy to consult with you. See HERE for our intake paperwork.

  1. Daily fluctuations in symptoms are often common aspects of this process. Symptoms may fluctuate for innumerable reasons beyond just dosage of activity. However, usually we advise engaging with desired activities to tolerance where tolerance can be defined as not feeling debilitated during or after activity. Think of debilitated as not having your thoughts/attention consistently focused on a body region where you are experiencing symptoms and/or unable to accomplish prior activities with minimal to no issue.

  2. I typically do not recommend heat application.

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Thank you so much for your advice. I will post an update in a few weeks as I implement the article.

Out of curiosity, does the management of a tendinopathy versus chronic pain from a ligament differ?

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Really just depends on the individual and context.

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4 weeks in and seem to be having stable symptoms. Not bad deal given that I still have the opportunity to still workout.

I noticed my wrist pain is the worst in the morning just after waking up. Pain improves after using the wrist in normal day activities. It basically starts to feel better after stretching it out a bit. Any insight on this?

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Glad to hear you are doing ok.

Often folks have similar reports in such scenarios, symptoms higher initially upon waking (after being inactive) and feeling better with some activity. Perhaps the movement is the reason and/or we become distracted with daily attentional demands.