Hand and wrist injuries are often the result of repetitive motion that causes wearing and tearing on the muscles. The most common example of an activity that involves repetitive motion is regular keyboard use. However, athletes can also experience this condition and suffer the consequences even after getting off the field.
An estimated one-quarter of all sports injuries involve the hand or wrist. If caught and treated early by a professional hand therapist, an athlete can recover properly and return to playing on the field in no time.
The sad truth is, however, that many patients avoid getting physical therapy immediately after an injury and just continue to ignore the pain, hoping it passes.
- Types of Athletic Hand and Wrist Injuries
There are two main groups of athletic hand and wrist injuries: Traumatic or acute injuries and chronic or overuse injuries.
- Traumatic Injuries
This type of injury is common for athletes who play close-contact sports such as wrestling, hockey, and football. It often encompasses ligament tears, dislocations, tendonitis, bone fractures or breaks, with fingers being commonly affected.
With continuous physical therapy, a patient should be fine and heal naturally and effectively.
- Overuse Injuries
This type of injury often occurs in athletes that play basketball, golf, or tennis. The most common overuse injuries are stress fractures, nerve injuries, tender inflammations, and dislocation.
- Finding High-Quality Treatment
Physical and occupational therapy are an athlete’s best chance of properly recovering from a sports-related injury. A professional therapist, such as the ones we employ at Outcomes Therapy can advise them on the best ways to manage their conditions to prevent further damage or injury. Furthermore, they can also prescribe the right treatments and/or medications that can help hasten an athlete’s healing.
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