Hand complaints

What are hand complaints

Hand pain is discomfort in and around the hand, fingers and thumb. Pain may come from tendons, joints, capsule or small muscles of the hand. Sometimes complaints migrate to the wrist. People often call this wrist and hand pain. The pain may remain localized or radiate to forearm and elbow. In osteoarthritis hand complaints, wear and tear of the articular cartilage plays a role and causes stiffness in the morning and when squeezing.

Symptoms of hand complaints

• Pain or stiffness with grasping, lifting, typing or smartphone use.
• Click or shock in one finger with stuck in bent position.
• Weakness when squeezing or opening jars.
• Dull or tingling sensation in fingers after repeated strain.
• Visible swelling around knuckles or tendon sheaths.

Recognize these signs. Have your symptoms assessed. Starting early speeds recovery.

Causes of hand complaints

Frequent and one-sided use of mouse or telephone stimulates tendons and tendon sheaths. Working with fine motor skills or repeating the same grip can cause strain. With osteoarthritis hand complaints, you see stiffness and swelling that increases with load. A fall on the hand or a direct bruise can irritate the joint. Neck and forearm tension also sometimes play a role. For general medical education, hand pain nhg is a familiar term. In children, we see hand complaints child especially after sports, falls or playing instruments.

What you can do yourself

• Alternate load and rest. Short breaks help tendons recover.
• Temporarily decrease pinch strength in sports and work and choose tools with larger grip.
• Warm up the hand before exertion and cool briefly in case of obvious overexertion.
• Move keyboard and mouse closer and use forearm as support.
• Does pain increase or continue to recur. Schedule an intake.

Hand pain treatment at The Physio Man

We start with an intake and analysis of your load. We test grip strength, tendon glide tests, finger and thumb mobility and look at wrist and forearm. We adjust the load to your work and sports, so you can build up without relapse.

A treatment program usually consists of

• Exercise therapy for tendon sliding, strength and coordination of hand and forearm.
• Mobility and comfort techniques for joints and soft tissues.
• Work and tool advice for keyboard, mouse and grips.
• Progressive build-up with clear pain limits and measurable steps.
• Home program that fits your goals and daily routine.

Exercises that help

• Tendon sliding Gently make a hook hand, flat fist and full fist. Return to open hand. Ten repetitions without forcing.
• Thumb pose Touch each phalanx with the thumb, then extend fully. Ten repetitions.
• Isometric pinch Squeeze lightly into a soft ball five to 10 counts and relax. Eight to 10 repetitions pain-free.
• Wrist control Forearm on table. Move wrist small up and down within comfortable limits. Ten repetitions.

If an exercise feels sharp or swelling increases. Reduce the stimulus and resume gently later.

When immediate help is needed

• Sudden inability to move after a fall with visible stance change.
• Redness, warmth and fever with swelling in a finger or thumb.
• Deafness with loss of strength that does not diminish.

If these signs occur, contact your primary care physician or urgent care. Wrist and hand complaints after trauma may require imaging.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do we speak of osteoarthritis hand complaints

For persistent stiffness, swelling and pain around knuckles or base of thumb that increases with load and decreases at rest. We test mobility and strength and provide a targeted plan to improve function.

What if both wrist and hand are sensitive

Wrist and hand problems often go together. We examine the chain from hand to shoulder and distribute the load with technique advice and targeted exercises.

Can children safely train for hand injuries

Yes with modified load. With hand complaints child we build up playfully and pay attention to technique, rest and variation. When in doubt about injury we refer.

Your next step

Don’t stick around with pain or uncertainty. With a clear diagnosis and a smart plan, you’ll regain confidence in grasping, lifting and working.

Make an appointment at The Physio Man now and work with us to build strong, functional and pain-free hands.