One of the most frequent problems in the postindustrial era is wrist pain. This condition can be traced back to the Industrial Revolution and was then called “weaver’s wrists”, and actually includes many conditions. Wrist braces are the most popular tools when treating wrist pain.

These days wrist pain will be caused by tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome or a sprain. The job of the wrist brace differs in each case so you should get a proper diagnosis to see how to wear your wrist brace to promote a speedy recovery.

For tendonitis, the tendon sheath gets inflamed from over use – this is common with athletes doing sports that put a lot of torque on the wrist, like racketball or tennis. A wrist brace, in this case, is meant to keep the tendon sheathe from moving; it’s usually done in conjunction with anti inflammatory drugs or icing the wrist, and the brace is removed for physical therapy. A brace in this case usually allows the wrist to flex up or down, but not side to side.

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when there is compression and inflammation of the nerve sheath for the median nerve that goes over the joint of the wrist. People usually feel both wrist pain and ‘funny bone’ pinched nerves in the hand, which will go from the base of the fingers all the way up the forearm to the elbow.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is triggered by repetitive stress injuries – typing too much or using a mouse too much. In extreme cases, it can impair the use of the hand. Wrist braces for carpal tunnel syndrome try to keep the wrist from moving vertically, as the usual cause of this problem stems from bad ‘typing posture’, where people keep their wrists immobile at an angle where the nerve can be compressed.

Good wrist braces for carpal tunnel syndrome are nearly identical to a wrist brace for tendonitis, they’re just adjusted differently – they’re usually not as tight on lateral motion, and offer more support to the underside or inside of the wrist. Most will also have a rigid insert on the underside of the wrist to keep you from flexing your wrist like a hinge.

Wrist sprains and wrist breaks are the result of injuries to the ligaments around the wrist joints; unlike tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome, these are likely to get better without extreme amounts of physical therapy. A wrist brace for a sprain is designed to immobilize the wrist and keep you from flexing it in any direction. It also really hampers how you can use the affected hand a great deal.

No matter what ailment you get a wrist brace for, make sure to take the time to read the instructions on your wrist brace. When putting it on, try not to tighten it to the point where it’ll constrict blood flowand if you’re suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, wear it any time you feel a twinge.

Tom Nicholson spends his time caring for carpal tunnel sufferers. You can click here to learn more about having asore wrist.