Many people are familiar with thumb side wrist issues like carpal tunnel syndrome, but you may not know that the pinky side of your wrist can also easily become painful. The wrist is a complex joint between the forearm and hand, and it’s made up of bones, ligaments and cartilage. All these structures can be injured or damaged on either side of the wrist and cause pain. For people who are specifically feeling pinky side wrist pain, there are three common issues that could be causing it.
1. Wrist fracture
Wrist fractures are a common reason people feel pinky side wrist pain, and they’re particularly likely if you play sports. When most people fall down, their first reaction is to throw out an arm to catch themselves. This can lead to a hard impact on the forearm, wrist and hand. The impact can very easily lead to a fracture in one of the many bones in the wrist, including the pinky side ulna, lunate and pisiform bones. Such fractures can be very painful, and they can also lead to symptoms like swelling and weakness in your wrist.
2. Arthritis
The wrist joint itself is made up of five bones, and this means there’s a lot of cartilage in the wrist. Since the wrist is also frequently used during normal daily tasks, all this cartilage can get worn out as you age. For this reason, osteoarthritis can develop in the wrist and cause pinky side wrist pain. Rheumatoid arthritis can also attack the lining of the wrist joint along with your other joints, and this type of arthritis can also cause pain in the wrist.
3. Ulnar impaction syndrome
The ulna is the forearm bone that runs into the wrist on your pinky side. This is why the pinky side of your wrist is also commonly called the ulnar side. An issue with the ulna can lead to pinky side wrist pain, and one such issue is called ulnar impaction syndrome (UIS). This condition occurs when the ulna is slightly longer than the other bone in your forearm, which is the radius. This extra length puts additional pressure on the wrist joint and can lead to faster cartilage wearing and pain.
UIS is an especially common sports injury among athletes like boxers, gymnasts, tennis players and field hockey players. The condition is often caused by previous fractures to the radius, and this is because the healing of radial fractures can cause the bone to shorten. In turn, the shortening of the radius means the ulna pokes forward more, and this can increase a person’s risk of developing UIS.
Find treatment for pinky side wrist pain at Peak Performance
At Peak Performance, we’re committed to offering high-quality physical therapy for many injuries and medical conditions. If you’re dealing with wrist pain, our team can design a personalized treatment plan for you, and this plan can include therapy techniques like:
- Manual therapy
- Myofascial release
- Ergonomic training
- Anodyne® therapy
- Therapeutic exercise
- Sport-specific therapy
Take the next step to get our help with your wrist pain. Contact us today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.
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