There are hundreds of movements you do throughout the day that put pressure on your wrists, but these movements can seem far from commonplace when the pressure they cause is triggering wrist pain. 

People who are feeling wrist pain are a part of a fairly large group. A medical survey reveals that 6% of respondents reported feeling wrist pain within the past week. You might have noticed that your wrist pain increases with the level of pressure you place on your wrist. This is a common complaint for people with wrist injuries. Physical therapists can help you understand why you’re feeling increased wrist pain with pressure, and they can help you find effective treatment for your wrist pain as well. 

Three reasons you may feel more wrist pain with increased pressure on your wrist 

1. The pressure is aggravating a fracture — There are eight carpal bones that make up each of your wrists. A fracture in any one of these bones can be the source of your wrist pain. Putting strain on your wrist also puts more strain on the fractured bone, which can lead to increased pain and swelling. 

2. The pressure is increasing nerve irritation — Irritating the median nerve in the wrist is a common source of wrist pain. When this happens, it’s called carpal tunnel syndrome, which can occur in as many as 150 in every 1,000 Americans per year. Any movement that increases the strain on your wrist could also increase the irritation or pinching of your median nerve. 

3. The pressure is straining injured wrist ligaments — Falling onto their outstretched hands is a common way that people strain a wrist ligament. The reason? This puts a high level of pressure on your wrists, which can overstretch or tear a wrist ligament. Putting a lot of pressure on your injured wrist as it heals can lead to a spike in your pain. It can also cause your injury to worsen or increase your healing time. 

Rehab Access can help if you’re feeling pain when putting pressure on your wrist

Does your level of pain increase with the level of pressure you’re putting on your wrist? Our team at Rehab Access Physical Therapy can help you figure out why this is. We can do a free screening to determine what underlying issue is causing your pain. Then, our physical therapists can construct an individualized treatment plan for you that can: 

• Reduce your pain. 
• Improve wrist posture and flexibility. 
• Help you do normal daily tasks in ways that don’t interfere with your recovery. 
• Decrease your risk of future wrist injuries. 

Contact our team today for more information about what we can do to treat your wrist pain or to schedule your initial appointment.