Wrist Pain

Wrist pain often builds up gradually, from repetitive computer use, phone scrolling, manual work, or an old sprain that never fully settled, rather than from one specific injury. Because the wrist is used constantly throughout the day, even mild ongoing pain here can affect nearly everything you do.

Common causes

• Repetitive strain - from typing, phone use, or repetitive manual tasks
• Wrist sprains - stretched or torn ligaments, often from a fall onto an outstretched hand
• Tendon irritation - overuse of the tendons crossing the wrist, common with repetitive gripping or twisting motions
• Nerve compression - conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome causing tingling, numbness or weakness alongside pain
• Post-fracture stiffness following a wrist fracture, once the bone has healed but movement hasn’t fully returned

Why repetitive strain builds slowly

Unlike a sprain from a fall, repetitive strain injuries develop over weeks or months of the same motion repeated without enough recovery time. Pain often starts mild and intermittent, easy to ignore, then gradually becomes more constant and starts limiting grip strength and hand function. Catching it earlier makes treatment considerably faster.

What we assess

We check wrist range of motion, grip and forearm strength, and test for nerve involvement where numbness or tingling is present, since nerve-related wrist pain needs a different treatment approach to muscle or tendon-related pain.

Treatment approach

Manual therapy and, where appropriate, IASTM ease tightness and irritation in the forearm and wrist. From there, a graded strengthening programme rebuilds capacity in the wrist and forearm so it can tolerate the repetitive demands (typing, manual work, lifting) that caused the problem in the first place, alongside practical advice on workstation setup or activity modification to reduce ongoing strain.

Practical changes that help

• Taking regular breaks from repetitive tasks like typing or phone use
• Checking keyboard, mouse and desk height for unnecessary wrist strain
• Building forearm and grip strength, not just resting until pain settles

When to get it assessed

• Wrist pain lasting more than two weeks
• Numbness or tingling in the hand or fingers
• Weakness affecting grip strength
• Pain following a fall or direct injury to the wrist
• Ongoing stiffness after a previous fracture

If you work at a desk or with your hands

Repetitive strain wrist pain is one of the conditions most affected by day-to-day habits, so alongside in-clinic treatment we spend real time on the practical side: how your workstation is set up, whether a tool or grip is being used in a way that’s overloading the wrist, and small changes that meaningfully reduce ongoing strain without requiring you to stop working altogether.

Carpal tunnel specifically

If numbness or tingling in the thumb, index and middle fingers is a feature, particularly if it’s worse at night, carpal tunnel syndrome is a likely contributor. Physiotherapy, including nerve gliding exercises and addressing contributing wrist and forearm tightness, can meaningfully ease milder cases, though more significant or persistent nerve symptoms sometimes need a medical opinion alongside treatment.

Getting started

Alpha Physiotherapy is on PWD Road, Media Town, Rawalpindi. If wrist pain is affecting your work or daily activities, book an assessment and we’ll find out exactly what’s driving it.