CONDITIONS

Wrist sprain

A wrist sprain is an injury where the ligaments in your wrist stretch or tear. Ligaments are bands of tissue that attach bones at a joint.

Typically, the injury happens during a fall. Your wrist can suddenly twist or bend, causing damage to the ligaments.

Most wrist sprains can be treated with home remedies and exercises. If your sprain is serious, you might need a splint or surgery.

Read on to learn about the different types of wrist sprains and what treatment and recovery looks like.

Causes

Usually, a wrist pain is caused by physical trauma to the wrist. This typically happens when you fall onto an outstretched hand, an injury known as FOOSH.

You can sprain your wrist if it:

• suddenly twists
• moves in an abnormal position
• bends backward
• sustains heavy impact

This often happens during sports that commonly involve falls, such as:

• basketball
• gymnastics
• mountain biking
• skateboarding

The injury can also be caused by overuse, which might occur in sports like tennis and boxing.

Wrist sprains can happen to anyone, not just athletes. You can sprain your wrist during accidents like slipping on ice or tripping over an object.

Symptoms

A sprained wrist is very painful, especially when you move it. It might also:

• feel tender
• feel warm
• make popping or tearing sounds
• be difficult to move
• feel weak

A mildly sprained wrist might be slightly swollen.

In more serious sprains, the swelling can be severe. You may have bruising.

Diagnosis

A doctor can diagnose a wrist sprain by using different tests. This lets them rule out other injuries, like a wrist break or strain.

Possible tests include:

• Physical examination.At your initial appointment, a doctor will look for swelling, tenderness, and bruising. They’ll assess your mobility.
• MRI or CT scan. MRI and CT scans create images of your ligaments and tendons. A doctor can use them to check the severity of your injury.
• X-ray.A doctor may order an X-ray to confirm your wrist is not broken.