I don’t write about wrist pain, trigger finger, or carpal tunnel syndrome very often, but I received an email today from a new mother who is suffering and can barely hold her baby. To make matters worse, the doctor gave her painkillers, and she’s nursing. Since everything she puts in her mouth will end up in the baby’s milk, what a horrible idea that was!
The woman was saying that her wrist locks in place and she can’t move it, which can of course put the baby at risk, so this is a serious situation. When your fingers lock in place it’s called trigger finger, so let’s say that she is suffering from trigger wrist.
BTW, if you are a tennis or golf player, the same muscles that are causing this young mother such a problem are being repetitively strained as you play your sport, so this is an important topic for you.
I told her about her flexor and extensor muscles and how they insert into her hand, so when the muscles are tight they are preventing her wrist from moving. It’s like having a tight leather strap that originates at your elbow, crosses your wrist and inserts into your hand. If the leather strap is so short that it is pulling your hand and bending your wrist, you can see how you wouldn’t be able to straighten out your wrist without first releasing the tension on the strap. To learn more about the muscles, and also about a self-treatment for your forearm muscles, is the solution to this problem.
Wishing you well,
Julie