Wrist Support – For One Wrist or Two

Wrist supports are becoming more and more common. Remember back before computers and keyboarding? Wrist support was required much less “back in the day.”  These days wearing a wrist support does not even raise an eyebrow when you are out and about traveling to the store or office.

After incurring a wrist injury, it is prudent to see a doctor as soon as possible to determine what regimen of care is needed for recovery and what type of wrist support may be used to aid in the recovery of the injury.

The mechanism of injury is a valuable aid in diagnosing the type of injury and will shed light on what may be wrong without having to perform some type of invasive surgery to diagnose the problem.  Many types of wrist injuries are sports related and require special devices and supports to allow the athlete to continue performing the sport while the injury is healing.

The other, and just as common type of injury is the one caused in the workplace.  Not necessarily the busy factory or assembly line, but the quiet office.  Many wrist injuries are due to typing on a keyboard 8-10 hours in a given day without adequate rest.

Wrist supports designed to aid carpal tunnel syndrome are typically made of a lightweight material and will hold the wrist in a neutral position while still providing the fingers full dexterity.  Most wrist supports are made of an elastic material that surround the wrist, and depending on the nature of the injury, can extend to the knuckles on one side and to the elbow on the other.

Wrist supports can be used to aid fractures along the forearm as well, to prevent added stress on the bone when the wrist and hand is used in carrying small loads.

Arthritis is another long-term injury that may require the use of a wrist support.  These support will often have velcro straps to provide ease of use and to allow the wearer to change the compression value of the support.

Supports used to aid in the recovery of more serious injuries may include aluminum splints of more durable and bulkier padding to offer an increased level of stability.  There are dozens of styles of wrist supports on the market today, with velco, snaps or lace up features, each one designed specifically for a certain type of injury so ensure that the support you are searching for matches your injury to avoid prolonging your healing process.

There are other considerations that you may take to avoid aggravating your injury like wearing a wrist support during your sleeping or resting periods to avoid rolling over or sleeping on top of the injured wrist.

If you are in an occupation or a sport that has a high risk of wrist injuries it may be a good idea to wear a wrist support as a preventive measure.  This is common among bowlers, for example.  Preventive medicine and methods are typically less costly and less painful than actually waiting for the injury to happen.

Wrist supports are made for all walks of life, body types, professions and recreational sports.  Finding the proper wrist support to prevent and injury or aid in the recovery of an injury can mean the difference of several weeks or several months in the healing process, once the injury has occurred.  It is always better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. And as always, be sure to consult with your medical health care provider for medical conditions.