What is a sprained wrist?
A sprained wrist is a relatively common condition characterized by damage or tearing of the connective tissue (such as ligaments, cartilage and joint capsule) of the wrist. The wrist comprises the joining of 8 small bones in the hand and the two bones of the forearm (radius and ulna) (figure 1). Between the wrist bones lie many small joints, each of which comprises of strong connective tissue wrapping around the bony ends and cartilage which lies between the joint surfaces, cushioning the impact of one bone on another during activity. During certain movements of the wrist, stretching or compression forces are placed on the joints of the wrist. If these forces are excessive due to too much repetition or high force, injury to the joints may occur. This may involve damage to the cartilage or tearing to the connective tissue surrounding the joint. When this occurs, the condition is known as a sprained wrist.
