Wave Goodbye to Hand and Finger Pain
Do you frequently run your hands or fingers after a long day’s work, trying to massage out your discomfort? Do you struggle to write a to-do list or use your toothbrush? Our hands may be small compared to the rest of our body, but they’re massively important in our day-to-day lives. And when you’re experiencing hand pain, it can have an outsized impact on your quality of life.
Hand and finger pain are common, especially with the rise of smartphones and computers, which require small, repetitive hand motions to operate. However, they are far from the only sources of hand pain: gardening, construction work, or playing an instrument can all lead to hand pain.
No matter what might be causing your hand or finger pain, the Aspen Ridge Physical Therapy team will help you get to the bottom of it. Whether you’ve developed carpal tunnel syndrome or rheumatoid arthritis, our physical therapist will help you manage your symptoms so you can use your hands to their full extent.
Don’t let hand and finger pain keep you from your daily activities. Schedule an appointment at our Layton and Syracuse, UT click today!
A Few of The Common Causes of Hand and Finger Pain
Our team will always begin with a comprehensive evaluation of your hand, fingers, and wrist to determine the root of your hand discomfort. Identifying the source is the first step to finding the right treatment!
Here are just a few of the common causes of hand or finger pain we see in our office:
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: This common condition occurs when the median nerve, which runs through your wrist and into your hand, becomes irritated. Symptoms include pain, numbness, and tingling in the hand and wrist.
- Arthritis: Arthritis is an inflammation in the delicate joints of your fingers, leading to pain, stiffness, and swelling. The two most common forms of arthritis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, can both affect the hands.
- Radial or Ulnar Nerve Injuries: Although carpal tunnel syndrome is the most well-known, the other two nerves in your hand can also sustain damage, leading to pain, tingling, and numbness in different parts of your hand.
- De Quervain Syndrome: If you experience pain, swelling, or immobility in the base of your thumb, it could be De Quervain syndrome, an overuse injury caused by repetitive grasping motions (such as holding a tennis racket or gardening tools)
How Aspen Ridge Physical Therapy Will Help You Manage or Resolve Your Hand Pain
Once we’ve identified the source of your hand pain, our physical therapist will work with you to develop a customized treatment plan that addresses your specific symptoms, condition, and overall goals. We aim to help you do what you want, whether clipping your roses or playing your favorite video game.
We’ll pull from a variety of different treatment approaches, including the following:
- Manual Therapy: Gentle finger mobilizations or soft tissue manipulation of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in your hand can help reduce pain, promote mobility, and, if you have an injury, facilitate healing.
- Hand Exercises: We’ll show you targeted hand and wrist exercises that strengthen and stretch your hand’s muscles, helping to decrease pain and improve overall function.
- Movement Modifications: Because repetitive stress injuries cause many hand pain cases, we’ll help you avoid or modify the movements that caused the injuries in the first place. This includes ergonomic adjustments to ensure your workstation is as hand-friendly as possible!
- Orthoses: Often, splints, braces, or finger rings can help manage hand pain by immobilizing the affected joint. We’ll let you know if an orthosis is right for you.
If you have hand or finger pain, the Aspen Ridge Physical Therapy team is here to help! Request an appointment today.
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