Sprained Wrist, What Does It Consist Of?

A sprained wrist occurs with strain on the ligaments in that joint. Sometimes it can be accompanied by the tearing of any of these ligaments or muscle fibers in the area.

That is, usually, a wrist sprain occurs when a ligament in that joint is stretched too much. It is very common to occur when we fall on top of the hand. Likewise, it is also common in athletes who make repetitive efforts with this part of the body.

It is a pathology with a lot of incidence. The ligament that most tends to get injured and cause this circumstance is the Scapho-Selunar; it is a ligament that joins two of the small bones in the wrist.

Also, sprains can have multiple causes and treatments. In this article, we’ll explain everything you need to know about a sprained wrist, how to identify its symptoms, and how to relieve it.

What is a sprained wrist?

As we’ve already mentioned, the wrist sprains when we make an inappropriate movement with that joint and some of the ligaments are stretched excessively.

It is an injury that can have different degrees of severity. This depends on the damage that occurs to the ligament itself. However, all degrees produce pain and make it difficult to perform normal movements. The degrees, from the smallest to the greatest severity, are:

• Grade 1 wrist sprain is the mildest injury, in which some of the ligaments have been stretched too far without tearing. It can also occur in multiple ligaments at the same time.
• Grade 2: The damage that occurs is moderate. Ligaments are partially broken. In fact, they have almost 50% of their fibers broken down.

• Grade 3: In this case, the ligaments are completely broken. It is the most severe degree and treatment is usually more complex.

What are the causes of this?

The most common is that the wrist sprain occurs when you fall to the ground and lean on one hand. When we reach out to break the fall, we force the ligaments to stretch farther than normal.

The area that is most often injured is the Scapho-Selunar ligament. It is, to put it simply, the one that contacts the scaphoid bone, which is above the pad of the palm, with the lunate bone.

However, it can also occur due to excessive strain on this joint. For example, it is typical for athletes who make repetitive movements with this area of ​​the body, such as tennis players or paddle tennis players .

How to treat a sprained wrist?

As we’ve already said, a sprained wrist causes a lot of pain and, in addition, limited movement with this joint. In fact, these types of pathologies are often complicated by not being treated properly.

Therefore, first, when faced with a sprained wrist, rest is recommended. Avoid forcing the joint so it can heal properly. On the other hand, when the injury occurs, the ideal is to put ice in the area.

It is very common for bandages to be used in the treatment. However, we should try to make a proper dressing that does not compress the area too much. Otherwise, the blood will not arrive correctly and recovery will be more complicated.

In other cases, a sprained wrist may even require surgery. In these cases, there are different ways to do it: by open surgery or by arthroscopic surgery. The last is to make a small incision and introduce a camera that guides the surgeon.

In conclusion

If you feel discomfort in this area and think you may have sprained, see your doctor as soon as possible. A sprain needs to establish early treatment to avoid further complications.