The pain is certainly real when it comes to overused wrists. Long hours of typing, encoding, working with your computer, or even gaming can cause wrist tendonitis. This is a common pain experienced in the wrist and hand that causes and alarming pain. Without proper medical attention, this can escalate to even worse conditions that will affect productivity at work and a person's overall health.
What is Wrist Tendonitis?
Tendonitis is commonly caused by repetitive or acute trauma or a combination of the two. Treatment for tendonitis is similar to whether a repetitive stress injury causes it or not.
According to VeryWellHealth.com, wrist tendonitis can also be due to tenosynovitis. This condition is described by inflammation and irritation of the tendons that can be found around the wrist joint.
Common symptoms and signs of wrist tendonitis are:
- Redness and warmth of the tendons
- Swelling around the wrist joint
- Grinding sensations when tendons are moved
Having wrist tendonitis can also be due to using a computer mouse, pinching, gripping, throwing, typing, and using a game controller.
VeryWellHealth also discussed the causes of wrist tendonitis. It mentioned:
"Any tendon can become irritated and cause symptoms of pain, but tendonitis occurs much more commonly in a few specific tendons as a result of the anatomy, and the specific activities people perform. The problems that can occur to the wrist tendons can vary depending on the specific condition. Some conditions are characterized more by inflammation, where others are characterized more by chronic damage to the tendon (tendinosis)."
Problems with gout and other autoimmune conditions also contribute to the risk of wrist tendonitis.
Non-Surgical Treatment for Wrist Tendonitis
Medical News Today shares some non-surgical treatment for wrist tendonitis:
Some non-surgical options for treating wrist tendonitis include:
- gentle stretching exercises
- bracing or splinting the wrist to decrease movement and prevent further injury
- NSAIDs to reduce pain and swelling
- a steroid injection into the wrist to lower the rate of inflammation
- occupational therapy to help people engage in activities that they may otherwise find difficult
If various home treatments did not get rid of wrist tendonitis, you should consult a doctor. The physician will make an examination of the wrist and recommend other possible treatment options. In some cases, when there are no other options, a person may be required for a surgery to fix wrist tendonitis.
Final Thoughts
Despite the fact that wrist pain can be uncomfortable and painful, you can have it treated at home. An essential reminder is to cease the activity that is causing pain and compression.
Healthline.com also advised to lighten up from repetitive tasks that may be causing wrist pain, such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
"If you find yourself straining or forcing tasks such as writing, typing, or using a cash register, relax your grip or reduce the force you're using. Try using a soft-grip pen or tapping keys more lightly", Healthline.com stated.
As always, prevention is better than cure. So, to avoid having wrist pain, you can do the following:
- Make sure to promote proper posture when working in a workstation.
- When working, keep your wrist relaxed.
- Make sure to learn how to use tools properly.
- Use an ergonomic keyboard.
- Utilize a good quality ergonomic vertical mouse.
- Take regular breaks at work to avoid the effects of repetitive tasks.
- Use wrist guards to prevent injuries when driving or playing.
- Drink more water and eat healthy foods
Also, do not forget to try doing some exercises that can ease your wrist pain. Too much using your hands can lead to worse cases, so make sure to take some rest to get rid of putting too much stress on your hands.
How Can Ergonomics Help?
Proper workplace ergonomics can play a vital role in preventing wrist tendonitis. Make sure that the keyboard and mouse are placed properly so that your wrist will not need to be stretched out too much. Also, using an ergonomic mouse can help you get rid of having wrist problems.
AnthroDesk's ergonomic vertical mouse can provide various benefits to prevent wrist problems.
Spending a lot of time on the computer? Our vertical mouse can help prevent injuries associated with the continuous use of a mouse as it allows your arm to stay in a more natural position. The use of a tempered ABS material makes the mouse more durable than other plastics used on traditional mice.
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- A vertical mouse helps in reducing strain on your wrist and arm
- Its DPI button allows for 1000-1600-2400-3200 DPI settings
- LED Light indicator changes colour based on your chosen DPI
For more ergonomics accessories, you can check here.
