Hand & wrist

A number of factors have been associated with wrist, hand and finger pain. These include:

• A sprain/strain or a fall onto your wrist or hand.
• Repetitively movements. 
• A sudden increase or decrease in your normal activity or exercise levels.
• Muscle weakness.
• Nerve irritation - pain travelling from the neck into the hand.
• Carpel tunnel syndrome – nerve pain due to compression affecting the hand.
• De Quervain’s tenosynovitis – pain and swelling in the tendons of the thumb.
• Other conditions such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or fibromyalgia.
• Increased stress, worry or low mood.
• Poor sleep, fatigue or feeling run down.
• Other lifestyle factors such as being overweight and smoking.
• A flare up of longstanding wrist, hand or finger pain.

• Pain in the wrist, hand or fingers
• Stiffness
• Reduced grip strength
• Reduced movement in any of the joints
• Swelling
• Misshapen finger joints
• Tingling and or numbness in the hand, fingers and or thumb
• Difficulty straightening your finger or thumb

You may experience constant or intermittent (comes and goes) symptoms that are worse with certain activities and eased by others.

• In the first few days after an onset of pain, changing or reducing your usual activities may help. However, there is strong evidence that keeping active and gradually returning to all your usual activities and exercise will help you recover.
• It is normal to experience some pain during your recovery, but it does not mean you are damaging your wrist, hand or fingers.
• It is recommended to try to continue at work or return as soon as you are able. Your employer, GP or health practitioner will be able to advise on how to return to your normal work duties.

Self help tips

• Apply a heat or icepack to the painful area – for up to 15 minutes. Never apply heat or ice directly to the skin.
• Pain medication can help to reduce the pain and help you move more comfortably, which can help your recovery. Speak to your local pharmacist about medication or other methods of pain relief . It’s important to take medication regularly.
• Keep moving. Regular movement and exercise is safe and helpful for your pain. It is important to build up gradually – the exercise or activity you enjoy most, is likely to help your recovery.
• Good sleep habits and managing stress may help you cope better with your pain.

Please see our condition specific self help guides below, with exercises and management advice for you to try to self manage your condition. 

TBC

• Wrist, hand and finger pain is common without any damage to the joints.
• X-rays and scans often DO NOT show the cause of your pain.
• Movement and exercise is NOT harmful for the wrist, hand or fingers.
• Your wrist, hand and fingers can become stronger and healthier with regular movement and exercise.
• Improving your sleep and general health is all also important for your pain.

Call your GP surgery if:

• Your pain is getting worse.
• You have tried the self-help tips daily for 3-4 weeks and the symptoms have not improved.
• You are suddenly unable to straighten your finger or thumb.
• You have pain, tingling and numbness in one or both hands that is waking you at night and/or affecting your grip.
• You have pain and morning stiffness in your fingers and/or wrists which takes more than 30 minutes to settle.

Seek immediate medical advice if:

• After a fall or injury
  • Your wrist, hand or fingers are misshapen
  • You are unable to move your wrist, hand or fingers
• You have a sudden loss of power and/or feeling in one or both arms and/or hands.
• Your wrist or fingers are hot, red, swollen and painful.

• X-rays or scans or are NOT usually required to diagnose wrist, hand or finger pain.
• X-rays or scans are NOT able to tell us how much pain you are experiencing.
• X-rays and scans often show joint narrowing and osteoarthritis which are common in people WITHOUT wrist, hand or finger pain. These findings are unlikely to change the way you manage your pain.
• X-rays and scans are best used where a serious injury (e.g. a broken bone) or conditions such as cancer or infection are suspected.

• If you’re off work sick for seven days or less, your employer will normally ask you to complete a self-certificate for sick leave as soon as you return to work.

• If you're off work sick for more than seven days your employer will normally ask for a fit note (or Statement of Fitness for Work) from your GP.

• You can read more information here: Getting a fit note (www.nhs.uk)

The British Society for Surgery of the Hand

Hand Disorders | The British Society for Surgery of the Hand

Hand Conditions | The British Society for Surgery of the Hand

Hand Injuries | The British Society for Surgery of the Hand

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle

Making healthy lifestyle changes can help you improve your overall health and wellbeing. Some of the main areas to address are shown below:

Exercise - NHS

Healthy weight - NHS

Tips to help you lose weight - NHS

Fall asleep faster and sleep better - Every Mind Matters - NHS

Eat well - NHS

Alcohol advice - NHS

Quit smoking - NHS

Mental health - NHS

Psychological talking therapies - LSCFT

Mental health support for veterans, service leavers and reservists - NHS

It’s important to consider addressing these lifestyle changes alongside your physiotherapy treatment. Your clinician will be able to offer further advice or signpost you to other organisations or local services for further support with improving your wellbeing.