Health Topic

Wrist Injuries and Disorders

Wrist pain can be caused by repetitive motions, injuries or other problems. Learn about various wrist disorders and injuries here.

Reviewed Reviewed by a registered pharmacistGeneral information

Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.

About Wrist Injuries and Disorders

Your wrist connects your hand to your forearm. It is not one big joint; it has several small joints. This makes it flexible and allows you to move your hand in different ways. The wrist has two big forearm bones and eight small bones known as carpals. It also has tendons and ligaments, which are connective tissues. Tendons connect muscles to bones. Ligaments connect bones to each other.

Some of the more common types of wrist injuries and disorders are:

  • Carpal tunnel syndrome, which happens when a nerve that runs from your forearm into your palm becomes squeezed at the wrist
  • Ganglion cysts, which are noncancerous lumps or masses
  • Gout, which is a form of arthritis caused by a buildup of uric acid in your joints
  • Fractures (broken bones)
  • Osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis. It is caused by wear and tear of the joints.
  • Sprains and strains, which are injuries to ligaments and injuries to muscles or tendons
  • Tendinitis, inflammation of a tendon, usually due to overuse

Certain things can put you at higher risk of having a wrist problem, including:

  • Doing sports, which can put you at risk for injuries and puts stress on your wrist. For example, you may fall on your outstretched hand when you are skating or snowboarding. Your wrist could be injured while doing contact sports. And other sports such as gymnastics and basketball can strain your wrists.
  • Doing repetitive wrist motions, such as typing on a keyboard, working on an assembly line, or using power tools.
  • Having certain diseases. For example, rheumatoid arthritis can cause wrist pain.

The symptoms of a wrist problem can vary, depending on the problem. A common symptom is wrist pain. Some other possible symptoms include swelling, a decrease in wrist strength, and sudden numbness or tingling.

Your health care provider may use many tools to make a diagnosis:

  • A medical history, which includes asking about your symptoms
  • A physical exam, including checking your wrist strength and range of motion
  • An x-ray or other imaging test
  • Blood tests

Treatments for wrist pain depends on the type of injury or disorder. They may include:

  • Resting your wrist
  • Wearing a wrist brace or cast
  • Pain relievers
  • Cortisone shots
  • Physical therapy
  • Surgery

To try to prevent wrist problems, you can:

  • Use wrist guards, when doing sports that put you at risk for wrist injuries
  • In the workplace, perform stretching exercises and take frequent rest breaks. You should also pay attention to ergonomics to make sure that you are using the proper wrist position while working.
  • Make sure that you get enough calcium and vitamin D to keep your bones strong

It sits within Bones, Joints and Muscles and Injuries and Wounds.

The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.

When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.

Research on Wrist Injuries and Disorders

942 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.

What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.

Research currently under way

Research already completed

Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.

Where to read more

Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.

Diagnosis and Tests

Treatments and Therapies

Prevention and Risk Factors

Related Issues

Clinical Trials

Medical subject headings

Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Wrist Injuries. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.

This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Wrist Injuries and Disorders, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.