Symptoms of a TFCC tear

The triangular fibrocartilage complex helps support the wrist near the ulna, the forearm bone on the little-finger side. An injury may hurt when you turn a door handle, use a screwdriver, lift, or bear weight through the hand. Swelling or tenderness may sit along the ulnar side, and the wrist can feel weak or unstable. These features can overlap with other causes of wrist pain, so symptoms alone do not confirm a tear.

Reduce activities that provoke pain, keep the wrist in a comfortable neutral position, and use cold briefly with a cloth barrier if it eases swelling. A clinician may examine grip, wrist movement, and forearm rotation, then decide whether imaging is useful. Treatment can include a wrist splint, physiotherapy, or selected injections depending on the injury and examination.

Arrange an assessment if ulnar-sided wrist pain persists, follows a fall or twisting injury, or interferes with work, sport, sleep, or grip. Seek urgent care after a significant injury if the wrist looks deformed, the hand becomes numb or unusually cold, or you cannot move the fingers normally.

Ask whether the tenderness and movement pattern fit a TFCC injury, whether a splint is suitable, which exercises are safe, and what changes should prompt earlier review.