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Wrist and Hand Pain

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Expert Assessment and Treatment for Wrist Pain, Hand Injuries and Nerve-Related Symptoms

Wrist and hand pain can significantly affect work, sport and everyday activities such as gripping, lifting, typing, driving or opening jars. Symptoms may develop suddenly after a fall or impact, or gradually due to repetitive loading, training changes or sustained hand use.

At Flex Physiotherapy Burgess Hill, wrist and hand pain is assessed and treated using a structured, evidence-based approach. We focus on identifying the underlying cause of your symptoms and delivering the most appropriate combination of rehabilitation, objective testing, imaging and targeted treatment to restore strength, control and confidence.

You do not need a GP referral and can self-refer directly.

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Common Causes of Wrist and Hand Pain

Wrist and hand pain can originate from tendons, ligaments, joints, nerves or surrounding soft tissues. Pain location, swelling, grip weakness, clicking, instability or nerve symptoms all help guide diagnosis.

Wrist and Hand Conditions We Commonly Treat
  • Wrist sprains and ligament injuries
  • Tendon related wrist pain
  • De Quervain’s tenosynovitis
  • Extensor or flexor tendon irritation
  • Triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) related pain
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Ulnar nerve irritation at the wrist
  • Thumb base osteoarthritis (CMC joint OA)
  • Trigger finger or trigger thumb
  • Hand and finger joint osteoarthritis
  • Post-fracture wrist and hand rehabilitation
  • Post-surgical wrist or hand rehabilitation
  • Overuse injuries related to gym training, golf, racket sports or climbing

Tendon Related Wrist Pain

Repetitive gripping, lifting or loading can irritate the tendons around the wrist and thumb.

Symptoms may include:

  • Pain with gripping or lifting
  • Localised swelling or tenderness
  • Pain with thumb movement
  • Reduced grip strength

Management focuses on progressive strengthening and restoring tendon capacity. Where symptoms are persistent or diagnosis is unclear, ultrasound imaging may be used to assess tendon structure, sheath irritation and surrounding soft tissues.

In selected cases, ultrasound guided corticosteroid injection to a tendon sheath may be considered when pain and inflammation are significantly limiting rehabilitation progress.

Tendon Related Wrist Pain
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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve is irritated or compressed at the wrist.

Symptoms may include:

  • Numbness or tingling in the thumb, index and middle fingers
  • Night-time hand symptoms
  • Weakness in grip
  • Dropping objects

Assessment includes neurological testing and may involve ultrasound imaging to assess the median nerve and surrounding structures.

Treatment focuses on improving wrist mechanics, reducing nerve sensitivity and strengthening surrounding structures. In selected cases, an ultrasound guided corticosteroid injection into the carpal tunnel may be considered to reduce inflammation and nerve irritation when conservative management alone is not progressing.

Thumb Base Pain

Pain at the base of the thumb is often related to thumb carpometacarpal joint osteoarthritis. This can affect grip strength and everyday tasks such as opening jars or turning keys.

Ultrasound imaging can help assess joint inflammation and guide management decisions.

Treatment focuses on improving joint support, strength and load tolerance. Where appropriate, an ultrasound guided corticosteroid injection into the thumb base joint may be considered to reduce pain and allow more effective strengthening and functional rehabilitation.

Trigger Finger or Trigger Thumb

Triggering occurs when a tendon catches or locks during movement, often due to thickening of the tendon sheath.

Ultrasound imaging can confirm tendon sheath involvement and guide treatment. In selected cases, ultrasound guided injection to the affected tendon sheath may help reduce triggering and pain.

Trigger finger or Trigger Thumb e1780278323247
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Who We Help With Wrist and Hand Pain

We regularly support:

  • Office workers and keyboard users
  • Gym-goers and strength training athletes
  • Golfers and racket sport players
  • Climbers
  • Manual workers and tradespeople
  • Musicians
  • Active adults wanting to maintain independence
  • Individuals recovering from wrist or hand surgery

Our clinicians apply structured, data-driven principles to both competitive athletes and recreationally active individuals.

How Wrist and Hand Pain is Assessed at Flex

Your assessment is tailored to your symptoms, goals and activity level. This may include:

  • Detailed clinical history and symptom analysis
  • Assessment of wrist and hand movement
  • Ligament and tendon testing
  • Neurological testing for nerve involvement
  • Grip strength testing
  • Hand held dynamometry to objectively measure strength deficits
  • Ultrasound imaging where clinically indicated
  • Functional testing relevant to work or sport demands

The aim is to understand not just where your wrist or hand hurts, but why it hurts and what needs to change to support recovery.

Treatment Options for Wrist and Hand Pain

Treatment is individualised and based on a clear diagnosis.

Hands-on treatment and rehabilitation focused on restoring movement, strength, coordination and confidence. Progressive exercise therapy is central to long-term improvement.

Linked service: Physiotherapy

Joint mobilisations and soft tissue techniques may be used to reduce pain and improve movement quality to support rehabilitation progress.

Linked service: Sports Massage

Targeted rehabilitation to improve grip strength, tendon capacity and fine motor control while reducing recurrence risk.

Extracorporeal shockwave therapy may be used for selected persistent tendon-related wrist conditions where symptoms have not responded fully to structured loading alone.

Linked service: Shockwave Therapy

Diagnostic ultrasound may be used to assess tendons, tendon sheaths, joint irritation and nerve-related structures where symptoms are persistent or require further clarification.

Linked service: Ultrasound Imaging

Ultrasound guidance allows precise placement of medication into the relevant structure. Depending on diagnosis, this may include:

  • Corticosteroid injection for De Quervain’s tenosynovitis
  • Injection into the carpal tunnel for selected cases of carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Corticosteroid injection into the thumb base joint for osteoarthritis
  • Injection for trigger finger or tendon sheath irritation

Injections are used to support rehabilitation rather than replace progressive strengthening and load management.

Linked service: Ultrasound Guided Injections

Hand held dynamometry allows us to measure grip and wrist strength, track progress and guide safe return to sport or manual work.

Linked service: Sports Physiotherapy and Performance Assessment

Wrist and Hand Pain FAQs

Wrist pain often develops due to repetitive loading, changes in activity or reduced strength rather than a single traumatic event.

Clicking without pain is often not concerning. Clicking with pain, swelling or instability should be assessed.

Imaging is considered if there is a history of trauma, significant swelling, instability or symptoms not improving as expected.

Many cases improve with conservative management including exercise, load modification and wrist positioning strategies.

Complete rest is rarely helpful. Guided, progressive loading is usually more effective than avoiding use entirely.

If pain is persistent, worsening, associated with numbness or weakness, or limiting work or sport, assessment is recommended.

An injection may be considered if pain, inflammation or nerve irritation is limiting your ability to progress with rehabilitation. Injections are typically recommended when structured exercise and load modification alone are not providing sufficient improvement.

Depending on diagnosis, options may include corticosteroid injections for conditions such as De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, trigger finger, thumb base osteoarthritis or selected cases of carpal tunnel syndrome. All injections are performed under ultrasound guidance for accuracy.

Most injections are well tolerated. You may feel temporary pressure or discomfort during the procedure, and a short-term increase in soreness for 24 to 48 hours afterwards. This usually settles quickly.

Yes. Injections are used to reduce pain and inflammation so that rehabilitation can progress more effectively. Strengthening, load management and movement retraining remain essential for long-term improvement.

Book Wrist and Hand Pain Treatment in Burgess Hill

If you are experiencing wrist or hand pain and want a clear diagnosis and structured treatment plan, our team is here to help.

You can self-refer and book directly.

Expert assessment. Integrated care. Wrist and hand pain treatment at Flex Physiotherapy Burgess Hill.