Tendinitis of the wrist occurs when one or more of the many tendons that make up the wrist become severely inflamed. This inflammation results in pain, swelling and redness. It also causes difficulty moving your wrist without stiffness. Tendinitis can make it difficult to perform simple tasks using your wrists, such as turning a doorknob.

Repetitive stress is often the cause of tendinitis in the wrist. Many people can be at high risk for developing this condition, including people who often use hand tools, those who play sports such as tennis, and people who have poor posture when performing activities such as typing or texting.

How is tendinitis of the wrist treated?

Thankfully, tendinitis of the wrist is one of many musculoskeletal conditions that can be effectively treated with physical therapy. A licensed physical therapist can use one of many proven methods to help relieve your pain and treat your tendinitis at the source. Some of these methods may include:

• Manual physical therapy — Manual therapy involves your physical therapist using hands-on techniques to stimulate the soft tissue of the wrist and arm. This is an effective method of relieving pain as well as helping to relax muscles and tendons that have become tight or stiff. Your therapist may use their hands or special devices to apply manual therapy.

• Therapeutic exercise — Exercises can help to strengthen the area surrounding painful joints. It also helps to take the pressure off pinched nerves and other pain sites. Therapeutic exercise helps improve strength, flexibility and mobility, and to reduce chronic pain in the musculoskeletal system.

• Electrical stimulation — During electrical stimulation therapy, your therapist will deliver small electrical pulses into your body using special equipment. These pulses help to relieve pain and increase your flexibility by stimulating areas of painful and stiff tissue.

Where can I go for treatment for my wrist tendinitis?

The experts at Franklin Rehabilitation have years of experience in treating many common conditions. Our team of specialists can pinpoint the cause of your wrist tendinitis. We can then employ our proven methods to help relieve your pain and restore your mobility.

Our physical therapy program is sponsored by the American Physical Therapy Association and is designed to help you return to your everyday routine with minimized pain. A free screening can help us to determine the best methods of treatment for your needs.

Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.