How to care for a sprained wrist

A fall can cause a fracture or significant ligament injury that resembles a sprain. Marked tenderness, deformity, or inability to use the hand should not be managed as a minor sprain without assessment.

A sprain stretches or tears ligaments that stabilise the small wrist bones. Pain, swelling, bruising, reduced grip, and discomfort with bending or twisting may follow a fall onto the hand or a sudden wrench.

Pain on the thumb side after a fall can come from a scaphoid fracture, which may not create obvious deformity. Clicking, a sense of instability, or persistent pain during pushing can indicate a more substantial ligament injury.

Remove rings promptly if swelling is developing. Rest from lifting, gripping, and weight-bearing through the hand. A wrapped cold pack and elevation can improve comfort. A removable support may protect the wrist, but it should not feel excessively tight or cause tingling, colour change, or greater pain.

Move the fingers, thumb, elbow, and shoulder regularly. Once fracture and major instability are excluded and pain begins to settle, restore wrist movement gently, followed by grip and wrist strengthening. Increase load in small steps rather than repeatedly testing painful push-ups or heavy lifting.

Seek urgent care if the wrist looks deformed, a wound exposes deeper tissue, pain is severe, or the hand becomes numb, weak, cold, pale, or blue. Prompt assessment is also appropriate for strong tenderness over a bone, major swelling after a fall, or inability to grip and use the hand.

Arrange review if pain or swelling is not clearly improving, thumb-side tenderness persists, or the wrist clicks, gives way, or remains limited during daily activity.

Ask whether examination or imaging suggests a fracture or unstable ligament, how long support is appropriate, which movements should begin now, and what grip or weight-bearing milestones should guide return to work or sport.