Hi,
As you know, I have forums on my websites for hand-wrist pain (carpal tunnel syndrome) and for repetitive strain injuries of the rest of the body. Recently someone posted a list of reasons (arthritis, sprains, etc.) for wrist pain, and while it was accurate to a degree, it totally left out any muscle involvement. This is exactly what happens too many times when a person goes to see a medical practitioner for answers to pain.
I decided I wanted to share my response to his message because it’s good information and may help someone:
I agree with you that there are many causes of wrist pain, and one of the primary and most common is repetitive strain injuries to the muscles of the forearm. Each of the forearm muscles insert into your wrist and hand and are responsible for the intricate movements we can do with out hands. Due to the stress the tightened muscles will place on the tendons, if the pressure isn’t released from the muscle fibers the tight tendons will cause pain and dysfunction.
I’ve had many clients who were told they had arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome, and all that was actually happening was the flexor and extensor tendons were so tight due to tension in the muscles that they were preventing the joint from moving. I’ve also had many people who had bone growth showing up in x-rays and it was caused by the body sending bone cells to the tendons to hold on to them because the tension was going to tear the tendon from the bone. In each case, releasing the tension in the muscle fibers took the pressure off the tendon insertion point, and the person was able to move easily and pain-free again. I’ve also had clients who had a baker’s cyst that was relieved by first releasing the muscle fibers that inserted at the point of the cyst, and then applying direct pressure onto the cyst, making it pop.
As for sprains, here again the muscles need to be treated. When a person has a sprain (wrist, ankle, or anyplace else) the muscles were quickly overstretched and then snapped back, and they don’t snap back nice and easy, instead they snap back into knots (spasms). Each spasm is now pulling on the muscle fiber, which is pulling on the joint. You can’t move because the muscle is too tight to let you move in the opposite direction. It’s always wonderful to watch someone self-treat the muscle fibers of (for example) the forearm or lower leg and get huge pain relief and mobility.
I certainly understand that there are conditions such as arthritis, etc., but I have seen literally thousands of people get relief from pain when they treated the muscles, so why not try that first?
Hope it helps you, or someone you know, to look outside of the norm when seeking relief for pain.
Wishing you well,
Julie