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Common Hand and Wrist Sports Injuries

Participating in athletic activities can be rewarding and enriching in many ways, providing both physical and psychological benefits. However, there is always a heightened risk of injury associated with playing sports, and often these injuries occur to the hand or wrist. Many sports-related hand and wrist injuries can have a serious impact on your life, preventing you from performing routine daily tasks as well as robbing you of the ability to pursue your favorite athletic endeavors.

Two Categories of Sports-Related Hand and Wrist Injuries

Most sports-related hand and wrist injuries fall into two main categories:

Traumatic Hand and Wrist Injuries

Traumatic injuries most commonly occur in high-impact sports and are caused by a single event that damages one or more structures in the hand or wrist. Football players, basketball players, hockey players, skiers and wrestlers tend to suffer traumatic hand and wrist injuries regularly due to the nature of these sports.

Common examples of traumatic hand and wrist injuries include:

Chronic Hand and Wrist Injuries

woman with a chronic hand injuryChronic injuries are typically stress induced. They develop slowly over time and occur most often in sports that require you to engage in repetitive motions which result in the overuse of a specific structure in the hand or wrist. Tennis players, baseball players and golfers typically develop chronic hand and wrist injuries.

Common examples of chronic hand and wrist sports injuries include:

Preventing Hand and Wrist Sports Injuries

It’s impossible to eliminate the risk of hand and wrist injuries when playing sports. Sustaining trauma is inherently part of many athletic activities, as is overuse from engaging in repetitive motions. However, there are some steps you can take to reduce your risk of injury. These include:

When Should I Seek Treatment for a Sports-Related Hand or Wrist Injury?

Minor injuries can often be treated using at-home remedies such as:

However, if a minor injury doesn’t heal on its own after a short period of time, you should seek treatment from a sports medicine doctor to determine whether there is any serious damage to your hand or wrist that may require more extensive treatment.

If you’ve suffered a more serious injury, you should get examined by a sports medicine physician right away. In general, the following symptoms require immediate medical attention:

Colorado Advanced Orthopedics Can Help

At Colorado Advanced Orthopedics, we have extensive experience treating a wide range of hand and wrist injuries. Our board-certified orthopedic team has a strong background in sports medicine. Our team uses the most advanced diagnostic technology and treatment techniques to help you restore full function after your injury.

Our purpose is to provide advanced, excellent care and we strive to deliver an amazing patient experience throughout every stage of the process. You’ll benefit from working with one of the most experienced, fellowship trained orthopedic and sports medicine teams on the Western Slope who go the extra mile for you. We’re raising the bar for healthcare in the White River Valley to ensure you have access to the quality treatments you need.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

 

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