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Hand and Wrist Pain

Hand and wrist pain isn't just inconvenient. It can make using your hands impossible! Rumour has it that using your hands iss important.

We offer chiropractic and massage therapy to solve hand and wrist pain to anyone in Edmonton, Alberta. 

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woman holding her hand due to hand pain

Understanding Hand and Wrist Pain

Hand and wrist pain are a very common issue in Edmonton. Understanding the causes and using prevention strategies will go a long way to stopping them.

Be able to hold things again

Hand and wrist pain, stiffness and tightness can make it impossible to hold onto anything!

Return to work and life

Hand and wrist pain can make it difficulty to get dressed, play your sport or even brush your teeth!

Get a good night's sleep

Is elbow pain affecting your sleep? People keep telling you "wow, you look tired!"? That ends today!

Common Causes of Hand and Wrist Pain 

Here are some of the most common conditions we see in our office. Below we will discuss the following hand and wrist pain conditions.

1. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

2. De Quervain syndrome

3. Tendonitis

4. Arthritis

5. Trigger Finger

6. Fractures

woman holding her right elbow due to elbow pain

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Strikes Edmonton!


Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be debilitating!

Carpal tunnel syndrome can wake you up out of a deep sleep. Your hand may feel like it is on fire, or throbbing. Maybe like electricity is pulsing through your fingers. It  occurs due to compression of the median nerve as it travels through the 'carpal tunnel', a passage way between your wrists bones, and the transverse ligament in your wrist. Your tendon's, and the median nerve travel through this tunnel. 

Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome may include:

  1. Pain or tenderness in your wrist, palm, and typically the first 3 digits. Thumb, pointer, and middle fingers.
  2. Weakness in your hand. Dropping things and an inability to pick up items.
  3. Difficulty moving your wrist. Lifting or twisting is challenging
  4. Pain that worsens with activities involving gripping or twisting motions, and at night.

Our chiropractors are experienced in diagnosing and treating carpal tunnel syndrome, and by utilizing a combination of manual therapies, exercises, and lifestyle modifications they can help to alleviate the pain and promote healing.

woman holding her wrist and hand because she has hand pain from carpal tunnel syndrome

Solving Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

A person suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome from typing at a computer

Effective Treatment for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Chiropractic care and massage therapy offers effective treatment options for carpal tunnel syndrome and other forms of wrist and hand pain.

Here's how we can help:

  1. Chiropractic Adjustments: Gentle adjustments to the hand, wrist, and elbow joints and surrounding areas can help restore proper alignment, reduce inflammation, and alleviate pain.
  2. Soft Tissue Therapy: Techniques such as massage, myofascial release, and trigger point therapy target tight muscles and fascia, promoting relaxation and improved circulation.
  3. Therapeutic Exercise: Customized exercise programs aim to strengthen the muscles in your forearm and hand, improve flexibility, and prevent future injuries.
  4. Acupuncture: Acupuncture and IMS are effective methods at solving your carpal tunnel syndrome.
  5. Shockwave Therapy: This method of treatment is very effective for tendon pain conditions. For mild to moderate cases of carpal tunnel syndrome, shockwave therapy can be used to treat it effectively.
  6. Posture Correction: Poor posture and ergonomics can contribute to carpal tunnel syndrome. Our chiropractors can provide guidance on proper ergonomics and posture to reduce strain on your carpal tunnel, and wrist.
  7. Lifestyle Modifications: Making changes such as modifying activities that aggravate symptoms, using proper equipment and technique during physical activities, and incorporating rest and recovery can support healing and prevent recurrence of carpal tunnel syndrome, as well as hand and writs pains.

By addressing the underlying causes of your hand and wrists pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome and providing comprehensive care, our chiropractors and massage therapists strive to help you achieve long-term relief and improved function.

The good news?

We can help solve your carpal tunnel syndrome!

If you need help, schedule an appointment today!

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De Quervain syndrome

Wrists and thumb pain pain can be brutal

When the tendons in your forearm and thumb hurt, it can be nearly impossible to grab and hold onto anything.

It feels like a stabbing pain at the base of your thumb. I've seen de Quervains syndrome drop a grown man. 

How does de Quervains syndrome occur?

The most common cause is from repetitive strain or repetitive micro trauma. When you use your muscles and tendons they undergo stress and strain.

In a usual situation it isn't a big deal. Your body i sable to repair the micro injuries that occur to us all day, every day after all. However, if you are performing certain tasks and movements without giving your body enough time to recovery, this is where injuries occur... 

That stress gradually builds sup to the point of causing inflammation, thickening of the tendinous sheath, tendinosis, and to be blunt, pain and disability.

Test to tell if you have De Quervain Syndrome

Make a 'thumbs up sign' with your arm straight out in front of you. Now tuck your thumb into your hand. Tilt your hand towards your pinky finger.

Does that reproduce the pain?

If not, you don't have De Quervain's syndrome. If it does, you likely do!

The treatment options for De Quervain Syndrome

  • Rest - using a thumb splint can help you rest the tendon, and give it time to recover.
  • Ice - ice is nice at reducing inflammation, and reducing pain.
  • Acupuncture - This can help reduce the pain and help alleviate the muscular tension
  • chiropractic - your chiropractor can use a variety of therapies to help resolve the pain, and re condition the tendon's
  • Massage Therapy- a great option to alleviate inflammation, and reduce muscular tightness, spasm and pain.

The most important aspect to treating De Quervain's Syndrome is to stop provoking it, and to re habilitate it. This means following your healthcare providers advice!

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Hand and Wrist Tendonitis 

Hand and wrist tendonitis pain is due to injury and inflammation of the muscles and tendons

Wrist and hand tendonitis results from inflammation and microtears in the tendons around the wrist and hand. Tendonitis is often caused by repetitive stress and overuse, leading to pain, swelling, and restricted movement.

The good news about and and wrist tendonitis??

Chiropractic and massage therapy are effective, non-invasive treatments to alleviate your tendonitis pain!

Chiropractic Care

Our chiropractors are highly effective in treating hand and wrist tendonitis. They employ a range of techniques to address the underlying causes of tendonitis, including joint manipulation and mobilization, soft tissue therapies, radial shockwave, acupuncture, IMS, and ergonomic advice.

Gentle adjustments to the fingers, hands, wrist, and elbow joints help restore proper movement and reduce stress on the tendons. This decreases inflammation, alleviates pain, and improves overall joint function. Additionally, our chiropractors can assess and correct any biomechanical issues or posture problems that may contribute to the strain on your hand and wrist, stopping the pain in its tracks and preventing tendonitis returning.

Massage Therapy

Our massage therapists are also helpful in speeding up your tendonitis recovery.

By targeting the soft tissues surrounding the hand, wrist, and really entire arm with techniques such as deep tissue massage, myofascial release, and trigger point therapy they will help you get better. These therapies work to relax tight muscles, improve blood circulation, and break down scar tissue, which can reduce pain and facilitate the healing process.

By enhancing the flexibility and strength of your hand and forearm muscles and tendons, massage therapy helps restore normal movement patterns and prevents further injury. Regular massage sessions can also provide relief from the chronic pain associated with tendonitis, improving your quality of life.

Lets face it, massage feels great, and its nice to be able to hold onto things without pain!

Combined Approach

Combining chiropractic care and massage therapy offers a comprehensive treatment plan for elbow tendonitis. They work well together to help you move better, feel better, and live life better

If you have tendonitis, we recommend leveraging the strengths of both chiropractic care and massage therapy so that you can achieve effective and lasting relief, paving the way for a return to an active and pain-free lifestyle.

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Hand and Wrist Pain From Arthritis

If you can't fully bend or straighten your fingers and wrist, you may have arthritis

Arthritis can wreak havoc on your hands and wrists.

It can lead to you being unable to use your hand. You lose your ability to button up buttons. To write your name with a pen. Using a fork can become a struggle...

Not to mention using your hands to grab and carry anything at all. That often becomes out of the question!

The good news is that both chiropractic and massage therapy when combined are able to help with both hand and wrist pain from arthritis.

If you are finding it near impossible to get rid of your hand and wrist pain, schedule an appointment today!

There are many symptoms of arthritic pain in your hands and wrists. Here are a few...

  • Hand and wrist pain is often described as dull or aching, and stabbing with movement
  • Stiffness or difficulty moving your hand and wrist
  • Pain that worsens with certain activities, such as after using your hands a lot
  • Mild to moderate swelling may happen in your finger and wrist joints.
  • Muscle spasms in your forearm, wrist, and hand.

Several factors can contribute to the development of wrist and hand pain from arthritis. These include:

  • Sleeping in positions that stress your hand and wrist.
  • Severity of arthritis - are they mild, moderate or severe age related changes?
  • Repetitive stress from poor posture or occupational activities
  • Diet & exercise habits
  • How often do you stretch and exercise your hands?
  • A history of injuries such as whiplash after a motor vehicle collision, or a fall injury, or fractures.

At Riverbend Chiropractic & Wellness, we offer a variety of therapies aimed at treating hand and wrist pain associated from arthritis and alleviating the pain and discomfort. These therapies are non-invasive and focus on restoring proper movement, reducing inflammation, and improving the function of your hand and wrist. Here are some of the key therapies we provide:

  • Chiropractic Adjustments: Chiropractic adjustments, also known as joint manipulation, involve gentle, targeted movements of the spine and extremities to restore normal movement and reduce pressure on the joints. By restoring proper alignment, chiropractic adjustments can help alleviate pain and improve mobility in your body.
  • Soft Tissue Therapy: Soft tissue therapy techniques such as massage, myofascial release, and trigger point therapy can help relax tight muscles, improve circulation, and reduce inflammation in your elbow and arm. These therapies can complement chiropractic adjustments by addressing muscular imbalances and promoting overall relaxation and healing.
  • Therapeutic Exercise: Specific exercises and stretches targeting the muscles and ligaments surrounding your hand, elbow and arm to help improve strength, flexibility, and stability. Our chiropractors can prescribe customized exercise programs tailored to each patient's needs to support long-term recovery and prevent future injury.
  • Posture Correction: Poor posture can contribute to the development of and and wrist pain by placing excess strain on these area's. Our chiropractors  provide guidance on proper posture and ergonomic modifications to help patients maintain optimal alignment and reduce the risk of exacerbating their symptoms.
  • Lifestyle Modifications: Making lifestyle changes such as maintaining a healthy weight, staying active, practicing stress management techniques, and avoiding activities that aggravate your and and wrist pain can play a crucial role in managing and and wrist arthritis and promoting overall health.

By combining these therapies, our chiropractors aims to provide comprehensive care for individuals suffering from arthritic hand and wrist pain. Our goal is to address the underlying causes of pain and dysfunction in your hand, wrist and arm, restore optimal body biomechanics, movement, function, and empower patients to actively participate in their recovery and long-term wellness.

If you're experiencing arthritic hand and wrist pain, and would like some help to fix it consider giving us a call.

Schedule An Appoiontment

Trigger Finger

If your finger is locking, or snapping, you may have trigger finger

Trigger finger is the 'lay person' description of a medical condition called stenosing tenosynovitis. It develops when the flexor tendon that controls finger movement becomes irritated, causing it to thicken. Gradually over time this can form nodules.

This thickening nodule can lead to a narrowing of the sheath surrounding the tendon, making it difficult for the tendon to glide smoothly. When the tendon catches or gets stuck as it passes through the narrowed sheath, it can cause the finger to lock in a bent position and then snap straight.

This is typically considered a gradually progressive condition that develops over a long period of time. 

Factors that contribute to developing trigger finger include:

Repetitive Gripping: Activities that involve prolonged or repetitive gripping can strain the tendons in the fingers.

Medical Conditions: Conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and gout can increase the risk of developing trigger finger.

Age and Gender: Trigger finger is more common in people between the ages of 40 and 60 and tends to occur more frequently in women than in men.

Occupational Hazards: Jobs that require repetitive hand use and gripping, such as manual labor or using hand tools, can increase the risk of developing trigger finger.

Inflammation: Any condition that causes inflammation in the hand can contribute to the development of trigger finger.

Early symptoms of trigger finger include a sensation of stiffness, a popping or clicking sound when moving the finger, and tenderness at the base of the affected finger.

If left untreated, it can progress to a point where the finger becomes locked in a bent position. 

TriggerThe elbow joint is often involved when there is elbow pain.

It may not move how it is supposed to. This can lead to pain, often felt 'deep' in the elbow, or not 'quite right'.

When this happens, the muscles that cross the joints start to tighten, spasm and seize.

The good news is that both chiropractic and massage therapy when combined are able to resolve this problem.

If you are finding it near impossible to get rid of your elbow pain, schedule an appointment today!

Treating Trigger Finger

Treatment options include rest, splinting, anti-inflammatory medications, steroid injections, and in severe cases, surgery to release the tendon.

  • Rest: give your tendons time to recover
  • Splinting your finger straight
  • Anti-inflammatory measures such as medication, topical creams, foods, supplements, etc.
  • Soft tissue therapy such as massage, or myofascial release to alleviate muscular and tendon tension.
  • Acupuncture
  • Shockwave therapy can help break down scar tissue and adhesions.

At Riverbend Chiropractic & Wellness, we offer a variety of therapies aimed at treating cervical spine facet syndrome and alleviating the associated pain and discomfort. These therapies are non-invasive and focus on restoring proper movement, reducing inflammation, and improving the function of your body. Here are some of the key therapies we provide:

By combining these therapies, our chiropractors and massage therapists aim to provide comprehensive care for individuals suffering from hand and wrist pain. 

If you're experiencing hand or wrist pain, and would like some help to fix it, then give us a call.


Schedule An Appoiontment

Fracture Causing Hand and Wrist Pain 

If you want to be able to use your hand in 5 years, you need to rehabilitate your wrist and hand fracture!

If you've fractured your hand, you need to get it evaluated, and splinted at the hospital, or a fracture clinic.

The good news, is that bone typically heals within 6-8 weeks. I know this seems like a short period of time, but when living through the healing, it feels like forever! (having fractured a few bones, i know!)

How to maximize your recovery after a fracture

Maximizing post-fracture rehabilitation involves a combination of medical treatment, manual therapy, and self-care stretches and exercises. Here are some strategies to ensure an effective recovery:

Medical Treatment

Follow Medical Advice: Listen and follow your doctors recommendations regarding immobilization, medications, and follow-up appointments.

Manual Therapy

Start Early but Safely: Begin therapy as soon as your doctor permits - but not sooner. Early mobilization can prevent stiffness and muscle atrophy. First we need to ensure the bone is healing correctly. Then you can have gradual mobilization of the area to minimize stiffness, pain, and muscle atrophy.

Professional Guidance: Work with a provider who knows what they are doing! They should  develop a personalized rehabilitation program for you that includes exercises for range of motion, strength, and flexibility.

Consistency: Attend all scheduled sessions and diligently perform prescribed exercises at home. The rehab is difficult and can take time. But if you don't take the time now, it will likely continue to be aa problem in the future.

Self-Care Practices

  1. Nutrition: Eat a balanced diet rich in calcium, vitamin D, and protein to support bone healing.
  2. Hydration: Stay well-hydrated to maintain overall health and aid in recovery.
  3. Rest and Sleep: Ensure you get adequate rest and sleep to promote healing.
  4. Smoking and Alcohol: Avoid smoking and limit alcohol consumption, as both can impair bone healing.

Exercise and Mobility

  1. Gradual Increase: Gradually increase the intensity and duration of exercises as your condition improves.
  2. Low-Impact Activities: Engage in low-impact activities like swimming or cycling to maintain cardiovascular fitness without putting excessive strain on the healing bone.
  3. Strength Training: Incorporate strength training exercises to rebuild muscle strength around the injured area.

Monitoring Progress

  1. Regular Check-ups: Attend all follow-up appointments to monitor the healing process and make necessary adjustments to your rehab plan.
  2. Pain and Swelling: Keep track of any pain or swelling and report significant changes to your healthcare provider.

Mental Health

  1. Stay Positive: Maintain a positive mindset and set realistic recovery goals.
  2. Seek Support: Join support groups or seek counseling if needed to cope with the emotional aspects of recovery.

By combining these strategies, you can maximize your post-fracture rehabilitation and work towards a full recovery.

  • Neck pain, often described as dull or aching
  • Stiffness or difficulty moving the neck
  • Pain that worsens with certain movements or positions, such as turning the head or looking up or down
  • Headaches, often originating from the base of the skull
  • Muscle spasms in the neck and upper back

Several factors can contribute to the development of neck pain as a result of a joint injury. These include:

  • Sleeping in awkward positions
  • Arthritis - age related changes
  • Repetitive stress from poor posture or occupational activities
  • Diet & exercise habits
  • 'Text Neck"
  • injuries such as whiplash after a motor vehicle collision

At our chiropractic office, we offer a variety of therapies aimed at treating cervical spine facet syndrome and alleviating the associated pain and discomfort. These therapies are non-invasive and focus on restoring proper alignment, reducing inflammation, and improving the function of the cervical spine. Here are some of the key therapies we provide:

  • Chiropractic Adjustments: Chiropractic adjustments, also known as spinal manipulation, involve gentle, targeted movements of the spine and extremities to restore normal movement and reduce pressure on the joints. By restoring proper alignment, chiropractic adjustments can help alleviate pain and improve mobility in your elbow.
  • Soft Tissue Therapy: Soft tissue therapy techniques such as massage, myofascial release, and trigger point therapy can help relax tight muscles, improve circulation, and reduce inflammation in your elbow and arm. These therapies can complement chiropractic adjustments by addressing muscular imbalances and promoting overall relaxation and healing.
  • Therapeutic Exercise: Specific exercises and stretches targeting the muscles and ligaments surrounding the elbow and arm to help improve strength, flexibility, and stability in the neck. Our chiropractors can prescribe customized exercise programs tailored to each patient's needs to support long-term recovery and prevent future injury.
  • Posture Correction: Poor posture can contribute to the development of cervical spine facet syndrome by placing excess strain on the neck and spine, which can refer pain to your elbow. Our chiropractors can provide guidance on proper posture and ergonomic modifications to help patients maintain optimal alignment and reduce the risk of exacerbating their symptoms.
  • Lifestyle Modifications: Making lifestyle changes such as maintaining a healthy weight, staying active, practicing stress management techniques, and avoiding activities that aggravate elbow and arm pain can play a crucial role in managing cervical spine facet syndrome and promoting overall spinal health.

By combining these therapies, our chiropractors aims to provide comprehensive care for individuals suffering from elbow pain. Our goal is to address the underlying causes of pain and dysfunction in your elbow, restore optimal body biomechanics, movement, function, and empower patients to actively participate in their recovery and long-term wellness.

If you're experiencing elbow pain, and would like some help to fix it consider giving us a call.


Bottom line - if you are tired of struggling with hand and wrist pain, our chiropractors and massage therapists can help!

Schedule An Appoiontment
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