When to Use a Wrist Brace

From Dr. Z - Carpal tunnel syndrome specialist

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When to Use a Wrist Brace

Table of Contents

Overview

  1. Wrist brace for general hand pain
  2. Wrist brace for repetitive stress
  3. Wrist brace for carpal tunnel syndrome
  4. Wrist brace for tendonitis

Summary

FAQs

About

Overview

Wondering whether or not you need a wrist brace? First determine what's causing the problem you have. For example, did you sprain your wrist? Do you have pain, numbness or tingling in your hand or fingers? Do you have a tired or overworked hand?


Hand or wrist pain  is the most common reason for using a wrist brace. Usually, the pain is due to having a simple wrist sprain, carpal tunnel syndrome, wrist tendonitis, or a tired or strained wrist. Each of these conditions require that you brace your wrist a different way.


Using the proper wrist brace for the exact condition you have is important. Otherwise, you’re just wasting money and not solving the real underlying problem. Below are the 4 most common conditions which normally require a wrist brace as a first-line treatment.

1. Wrist brace for general hand pain

young woman with wrist pain

Maybe you’ve simply overworked your wrist or hand over the weekend on a home-improvement task. Hyper-bending the wrist or prolonged gripping can do this. It results in strained tendons and ligaments. 


In fact, there are several harmful activities which are known to cause hand strain. They're listed here.


In such an instance, an all-purpose wrist brace will work just fine. It will allow your hand to rest - which is what's needed. You can buy these at almost any pharmacy or department store. They usually cost $10-20. 


Look for brace that supports your wrist in the neutral (flat) position by having a metal “stay” or “spine” on the palm side. Wear this type of wrist splint as needed ONLY to minimize painful movements until symptoms subside.

2. Wrist brace for repetitive stress

opening and closing a garden shear

Don’t just assume your hand pain is merely from being overworked. If your hand issues are due to repetitive stress then you may be looking at wrist tendonitis or even worse; carpal tunnel syndrome (see below). 


These occur when you make fast, forceful or prolonged repetitive movements with your fingers and hand. For instance, a grip-and-release action (as when using many hand tools) for long periods of time will create a repetitive stress disorder.


Generally, pain is the most common symptom of repetitive stress. But numbness and tingling in the fingers and hand, as well as weakness, are other common signs of this condition. 


When you consult with a doctor, they should give you a few pieces of advice. 

  • First, the doctor should tell you if you have tendonitis or carpal tunnel syndrome. Sometimes, it's hard to tell the difference. 
  • Second, the doctor should advise wearing a brace for tendonitis or carpal tunnel syndrome. 
  • Third, the doctor should show you which brace works best for you and your body type.

The doctor may give you a prescription for a particular model of wrist brace. Generally, you should wear this brace sparingly during the daytime, especially when you are working hard with your hands. However, wear it continuously at night as you sleep until symptoms disappear.


3. Wrist brace for carpal tunnel syndrome

wrist brace with a palmar spine

To treat carpal tunnel syndrome you need a specific type of wrist brace. It's called a "certified" carpal tunnel brace because it has a specific design feature. In fact, it has all of the features of a brace for tendinitis as above, with one major exception. 


A certified carpal tunnel brace does NOT have a metal "palmar spine" on the palm side. If it does, then it’s not a "certified" carpal tunnel wrist brace (even though the label may advertise it as such). Therefore, be careful; a palmar spine will cause more damage to your wrist joint. Click here to learn about choosing a carpal tunnel brace.


That’s because carpal tunnel syndrome is a problem of extreme pressure inside the wrist joint. At night, when you unconsciously bend your wrist, a metal spine at that point presses on the wrist joint. This further increases pressure inside. 


As a result, your carpal tunnel symptoms will be much worse in the morning. Over time, you may even develop more severe carpal tunnel syndrome.


Alternatively, a certified carpal tunnel brace will have the spine located elsewhere on the brace. Generally, that location will be on the side(s) of the wrist or on the back of the hand.


Also, you may need a wrist brace right after carpal tunnel surgery. The post-surgery requirements are identical to needing a certified carpal tunnel brace. Of course, just insure the brace does not irritate the surgical site.

4. Wrist brace for tendonitis

mountains

Tendonitis is also called "wrist tenosynovitis" or "wrist tendonitis”. It's sometimes spelled “tendinitis”. Symptoms of wrist tendonitis


It's when the tendons of the forearm are inflamed and become swollen. These are the tendons which allow you to grip (flexor tendons) or extend your fingers (extensor tendons). 


When they're inflamed, it’s helpful to rest your wrist and hand with a wrist brace until symptoms subside. Wearing it sparingly during the daytime (when over-working your hand), and constantly during sleep is helpful.

  • First, choose a wrist brace that holds the hand in the neural (flat) position. 
  • Second, make sure it has a metal stay (or spine) in the palm side of the splint (unlike for carpal tunnel). 
  • Finally, make sure the brace extends at least half way up to your elbow. This helps prevents stres on the wrist joint. 

Summary

When you wear a wrist brace for wrist or hand pain you should consider the reason for that pain to begin with. If you have an ordinary problem like hand pain, wrist pain or wrist tendonitis, then most generic braces will work just fine. However, generic braces should never be used when treating carpal tunnel syndrome. This condition has very specific issues that most wrist support devices do not address.

FAQs

  • Is there any brace that's good for all conditions?

No single brace has a universal application. Each medical condition has it's particular requirements, so use the proper brace for that condition.


  • How bad would it be to just wear ordinary pharmacy brace for carpal tunnel?

In a worst-case scenario, wearing a non certified carpal tunnel brace will cause your condition to worsen. You will wake up in the morning with worse symptoms. What's more detrimental is that you'll lose valuable therapy time by not using the proper brace, and that will allow your carpal tunnel to advance further.


  • I have carpal tunnel, I should never wear a brace during the daytime?

The only time you should wear a brace during the daytime when you have carpal tunnel is if you are certain you will be over-bending your wrist. For instance, if you're moving furniture, wear a certified carpal tunnel brace to guard against over-bending.

About

Biography: Dr. Z - CarpalRx Medical Director & author

Dr. Maik Zannakis (Dr. Z) 

Medical Director at the CarpalRx


Dr. Z is an acclaimed medical scientist renowned for his expertise in carpal tunnel syndrome and soft tissue disorders. With over 40 years of experience, he is credited with hundreds of medical journal publications and hundreds more web articles about carpal tunnel syndrome. After inventing the CarpalRx, Dr. Z became the go-to expert for carpal tunnel syndrome and wrist tendonitis. His opinions, inventions, and personalized care have distinguished Dr. Z as a trusted leader in this growing field. Read full Bio


Email: dr.z@carplarx.com

Phone: 800-450-6118