Thursday , March 28 2024

Hand and Wrist Injuries are Common in Pickleball

Hand and Wrist Injuries Pickleball is a popular activity that seems to have taken Florida by storm. Everyone seems to be playing pickleball and loving it. According to the USAPA (USA Pickleball Association), 70% of the participants playing pickleball are over the age of 60. That’s a lot of seniors out there enjoying this exciting sport, but that also means that there are more injuries needing medical attention.

Pickleball can lead to many injuries throughout the body, but due to the constant torquing of the arm and wrist in Pickleball, wrist and hand injuries are very common. Proper stretching and warming up are always recommended before encountering any activity. Not overdoing it is also critical, but accidents and injuries are sometimes inevitable.

Hand Injuries
Hand injuries can be from exacerbating a preexisting carpal tunnel disorders or injuring the fingers. Fractures are not uncommon and usually are the result of falling with an outstretched hand. This in turn can also cause wrist, arm and shoulder injuries as well.

Wrist Injuries
Concerning the wrist, often these are related to tendonitis issues, which is when the tendons become inflamed and swell. A wrist sprain happens when stretching or tearing of the ligament occurs. The wrist ligaments are strong bands of connective tissue that connect the end of the hand and wrist bones. Your wrist ligaments stabilize and support the joints. When injured in sports such as Pickleball, the sport should be halted and avoided until you are healed. Stabilization, rest and anti-inflammatory medications often help patients recover within a few weeks.

Occupational Therapy (OT)
For these types of injury, occupational therapy is a recommend way to speed healing, recover optimally, and to train you to avoid reinjury. If you require surgery, PT is also highly recommended to increase the healing process.

Innovative Therapies Group has multiple Certified Hand Therapist onsite.

Exercises and Stretching Examples Provided by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons:

Medial Nerve Glides
• Hold each position below for 3 to 7 seconds.
• Make a fist with your thumb outside your fingers (1)
• Extend your fingers while keeping your thumb close
• to the side of your hand (2)
• Keep your fingers straight and extend your wrist (bend your hand backward toward your forearm) (3)
• Keep your fingers and wrist in position and extend your thumb (4)
• Keep your fingers, wrist, and thumb extended and turn your forearm palm up (5)
• Keep your fingers, wrist, and thumb extended and use your other hand to gently stretch the thumb (6)
• Repeat 10 to 15 repetitions a day

Wrist Extension Stretch
• Straighten your arm and bend your wrist back as if signaling someone to “stop.”
• Use your opposite hand to apply gentle pressure across the palm and pull it toward you until you feel a stretch on the inside of your forearm.
• Hold the stretch for 15 seconds.
• Repeat 5 times, then perform this stretch on the other arm.

Innovative Therapies Group understands that patient education is critical to alleviate further injury and to promote the most efficacious healing. Coupled with family participation, self-help management to promote and maintain independent function, mobility and communication is critical.

Occupational Therapy/Hand Therapy and Physical Therapy is used to help with numerous indications and conditions like retraining the body to improve gait and balance and also after hip, knee or shoulder replacement and so much more. There is no better way to alleviate pain, increase range-of-motion and live a more mobile higher quality of life than through therapy.

To find out more or to schedule your appointment, please contact Innovative Therapies Group today.

Innovative Therapies Group, Inc.
352-433-0091 | innovativetherapiesgroup.com

 

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