Sports hand and wrist injury treatment in Manchester
Whether you play competitive sports, play sports for fun, to relieve stress, or stay healthy, sports injuries do happen.
The most common injuries are often seen in the hands, wrists, elbows, and forearms. Often caused by repetitive strain, poor technique or action, or an accident during the sport.
The good news is that, as sports wrist injury specialists, we diagnose and treat a range of sporting injuries, tailoring treatment plans to you, helping you get back to what you love most.
Taking the time to listen, we provide a calm and reassuring environment and atmosphere, tailoring treatment plans to your needs.
Get in touch and book your appointment today.
Hand and wrist sports injuries
Some of the most common conditions we treat include:
- Hand and wrist fractures
- TFCC problems
- Tendon injuries
- Tennis elbow
- Boxers knuckle
- Metacarpal fractures
- Wrist impingement
- Mallet fractures and injuries
- And more.
Injuries might not seem serious at first; however, if left untreated, they can cause further problems, which can have a negative lasting effect on movement and function.
To ensure the right sports hand injury treatment for you, call our team today on 0808 1010337.
Hand surgery for athletes, Manchester
The hand is an incredibly complex structure and consists of multiple bones (8 small bones that attach the hand to the forearm), muscles, ligaments, tendons, and nerves.
All of these elements work together, in harmony, to allow us to move our hands and wrists and carry out everyday activities. However, due to the hand’s intricacies, the hand can be susceptible to injury.
Injuries to the hand and wrist can cause considerable pain, and it’s important that if you are suffering, you seek professional medical attention asap.
From heavy lifting to repetitive strain, awkward positions, and accidents such as falling, injuries in sports do happen.
Wrist guards can help prevent some injuries; however, they cannot provide 100% protection so it’s important to work with a professional to support you when you experience any problems or pain in your wrist, hands, or fingers.
Sports hand injury
Rugby/basketball/cricket
Thumb sprains can be caused by any sort of catching or gripping sport-related activity and result in an injury to the ligaments in the thumb.
Wrist sprains are also common and, for all considered a minor injury, the twisting and turning of the hand, forearm, or wrist can overstretch ligaments, causing them to tear.
Treatment options in these cases involve applying ice, taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication, and immobilising the joint for a few days.
Rehabilitation exercises are also recommended to help regain strength and full movement.
Ski injuries
The most common sports wrist injury found in the sport of skiing is skier’s thumb. In this instance, the ligament at the base of the thumb is torn, often due to falling with an outstretched hand and the thumb bending backwards as the hand still has hold of the ski pole.
This can result in pain, inflammation, bruising, and weakness in the hand and wrist. Treatment options depend on the severity, but can lead to splinting and even surgery.
Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow is a painful injury affecting the tendon on the outside of the forearm. Due to repetitive movements putting strain on the forearm muscles, this particular tendon can become damaged, with pain starting at the elbow and being felt all the way down the forearm.
Patients may experience a burning sensation in the arm, and you may experience difficulties in lifting and gripping.
Rest and anti-inflammatories are often the best course of action, and recovery can take anywhere from 12 to 24 months.
Golfers Elbow
Golfer’s elbow is often caused by overuse and repetitive strain injury, where the tendon on the inside of the forearm and elbow becomes inflamed and damaged.
De Quervain’s Tendonitis
Any sport that involves the hand or wrist can cause a person to suffer from De Quervain’s tendonitis – inflammation of the sheath that surrounds the tendon that runs down the forearm through to the wrist and thumb.
Often caused by poor technique, stress, and repetitive strain.
Weightlifting
Tendonitis is the most common injury weightlifters incur due to placing too much stress on the tendons.
Tendonitis can occur due to overuse, too much weight, and poor posture.
Rest, ice, and rehabilitation exercises are the most common treatment options.
Basketball
Basketball finger, also known as jamming finger, is common in this sport and other ball sports, and is caused when the hand/finger comes into contact with the ball, causing a sprain or dislocation, which, depending on the severity, can also lead to a fracture of the joint.
Mallet finger, different from jamming finger, affects the tip of the finger as this becomes damaged due to direct impact, causing it to drop down, resulting in damage to the tendon, meaning the patient is unable to completely straighten their finger.
Fractures
Fractures in the wrist and hand are caused by direct trauma, the most common being a distal radius fracture caused by a fall with an outstretched hand.
The distal radius is the large bone in the wrist situated near the thumb, with the scaphoid bone (much smaller) also in the same area and often affected, but can go undetected due to swelling.
It is vital that you take prompt and appropriate action when you experience a sports wrist injury, as this will make a difference to your long-term recovery.
Looking for a sports injury hand surgeon in Manchester? Look no further. Book your appointment with our team today.
Getting back to sport after hand fractures
We offer a range of treatment pathways to help you return to sport as soon as possible. From immobilisation to rehabilitation exercises, we also offer surgical options if repairing and reattaching ligaments is required, as well as physical therapy to help reduce inflammation and increase flexibility and motion.
We also provide patients with cortisone injections, and for more severe cases, joint reconstruction or replacement.
Our treatment of sporting injuries focuses on reviving tissue in the hand and wrist in order to relieve pain.
Treatments include:
- Rest
- Compression
- Massage
- Taping
- Splinting
- Acupuncture
- Injections
- Physical therapy
- Rehabilitation exercises
- Surgery
If you are struggling with an ongoing wrist or hand problem, request an appointment with our team and let us help you get the right treatment plan.
Private hand surgeon, Manchester
Whether you’re a pro athlete, a weekend sports enthusiast, or you simply like to take part in sporting activities for fun and relaxation, it’s important to be aware that sports injuries can and do happen.
This occurs as a result of an accident, improper techniques, and even a lack of conditioning.
The good news is, our professional and experienced team is on hand to help diagnose and treat a wide range of injuries all linked to the hand, wrist, and elbow.
Providing both surgical and non-surgical options, we aim to help you recover quickly and safely.
We use advanced diagnostics to create tailored treatment plans to help restore strength and flexibility while minimising the risk of further injury.
Offering the highest care and experience, don’t suffer any longer. Call our team today and book your initial assessment.
Call hand specialist sports injury, Cheadle.
What types of hand and wrist injuries can you treat?
As hand surgeon sports injury Cheshire specialists, we help diagnose and treat injuries such as tendonitis, stress fractures, acute fractures, jammed and mallet finger, wrist sprains, elbow injuries, joint instability, motion injuries, and so much more.
When can I return to sports after hand surgery?
This depends on the type of surgery and also your recovery rates; however, typically, hand injury recovery time for athletes is around 10 to 12 weeks, with light and low-impact training and activity possible from around 4 to 6 weeks.
When can I play sports after a wrist injury?
This depends on the type of wrist injury you are experiencing. Timeframes vary from 2-4 weeks for a minor sprain to 10-12 weeks for minor surgery, to potentially 6months and longer for more severe hand and wrist injuries involving tendon repairs and reconstruction. Our hand surgeon for athletes, Manchester, will work with you to appropriately diagnose the injury and provide a tailored treatment plan for you.
What types of treatment options do you offer?
We provide a range of treatment options from non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to help reduce pain and swelling, to splints to help immobilise the hand. We also provide rehabilitation exercises and physical therapy, as well as surgical options for more complex injuries, i.e., torn tendons or fractures.
Sport after wrist surgery is possible and most certainly allowed if you seek the right treatment as quickly as possible.
If you have experienced a sports-related injury, book an appointment with one of our specialists today.