Wrist and fingers

The wrist and fingers are key parts of the human skeletal and muscular system, enabling various types of movements and functions. The wrist is a complex joint assembly that connects the forearm to the hand. It consists of eight small bones, known as the carpal bones, arranged in two rows. These bones, along with the ligaments that connect them and the tendons that run through the wrist, allow for a wide range of movements. The wrist enables flexion, extension, radial and ulnar deviation (movement toward the thumb and toward the little finger) of the hand. These functions are essential for daily activities such as writing, holding objects, and participating in sports.

The fingers consist of three parts of bone: proximal, middle, and distal phalanges, except for the thumb, which has only a proximal and a distal phalanx. The joints between these bones are called interphalangeal joints, which allow for the bending and straightening of the fingers. The muscles and tendons that move these joints are responsible for fine motor skills and allow for precise and coordinated movements, such as typing, playing instruments, or writing. The fingers are richly supplied with nerve endings that detect touch, temperature, and pain.

How Can Physiotherapy Help You?

Physiotherapists address various conditions and issues that occur in the wrist and fingers. Some of the most common include:

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: a condition in which pressure is exerted on the nerve in the wrist, causing pain, tingling, and weakness in the hand and fingers.
• Tendinitis: inflammation of the tendon that can affect the wrist or fingers. It often occurs due to repetitive movements and is also known as "tennis elbow," although it can occur in any joint.
• De Quervain's Tenosynovitis: inflammation of the tendons on the side of the wrist near the thumb, causing pain and swelling when moving the thumb and wrist.
• Fractures and Injuries: physiotherapy is vital in rehabilitation after fractures of the wrist or finger bones to restore mobility, strength, and function.
• Osteoarthritis: a degenerative joint disease that can affect the wrist and fingers, causing pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis: an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints, including those in the wrist and fingers, leading to pain, swelling, and deformities.
• Ganglion Cysts: benign outgrowths that typically appear on the wrist or fingers. These cysts are filled with fluid and can cause pain or limit movement.
• Dupuytren's Contracture: a progressive thickening and tightening of tissue under the skin in the palm, causing the fingers to bend toward the palm.