Wrist Arthritis Causes, Symptoms & Treatment Options

Overview

The wrist is a complex joint that connects the hand to the forearm. Wrist arthritis is a common condition that causes pain, swelling, and stiffness, making it hard to move the hand and do everyday activities.

Several types of Wrist arthritis can occur, with the most common being:

• Osteoarthritis: Degeneration of articular cartilage leading to joint surface wear and progressive loss of smooth motion.
• Post-traumatic arthritis: Inflammatory changes developing after previous injury or trauma to the wrist joint.
• Rheumatoid arthritis: An autoimmune disorder in which immune-mediated inflammation targets synovial tissue, often affecting multiple joints, including the wrist.

What causes Wrist Arthritis?

The underlying causes of wrist arthritis differ depending on the specific type of arthritis present.

• How Does the Injury Occur:
  • Wear-and-tear damage: Progressive deterioration of joint cartilage over time, often resulting in osteoarthritis and reduced wrist flexibility.
  • Previous wrist injury: Fractures, ligament tears, or sprains can alter joint mechanics, leading to post-traumatic arthritis in later years.
  • Autoimmune disease: Conditions like rheumatoid arthritis trigger immune-mediated inflammation that targets healthy joint tissues, causing chronic pain and swelling.
• Common Everyday Causes: Wrist arthritis may also develop in occupations requiring repetitive wrist motion, such as typing, construction work, assembly line labor, or playing musical instruments.

Wrist arthritis frequently occurs in athletes engaged in repetitive wrist and hand movements, such as:

• Golf: Continuous grip and swing motions place repetitive stress on wrist joints.
• Tennis: Repeated impact and rotation during strokes can strain the wrist tendons and cartilage.
• Baseball: Throwing and batting motions create repetitive compressive forces on the wrist.

Individuals involved in high-contact sports also face an elevated risk of post-traumatic wrist arthritis, including:

• Hockey: Frequent collisions and falls increase the likelihood of joint trauma.
• Football: Direct impacts and wrist hyperextension injuries can accelerate cartilage wear.
• Wrestling: Constant pressure and joint twisting can cause microtrauma, leading to arthritis.

Symptoms

The symptoms of wrist arthritis vary depending on the underlying cause and severity of the condition. Common clinical manifestations include:

• Wrist pain: Discomfort that may worsen with movement or activity.
• Swelling: Inflammation around the joint, often accompanied by tenderness.
• Decreased ROM: Difficulty bending, rotating, or extending the wrist.
• Weakness: Reduced grip strength or instability during hand movements.

Symptom intensity can range from mild to severe. Some individuals experience intermittent discomfort, while others develop persistent pain and significant restriction in wrist function.

Non-operative treatment

There’s no cure for arthritis, but treatment can help manage your symptoms, relieve pain, and improve your quality of life. Arthritis treatment usually begins with non-operative methods, such as:

• Modifying or reducing activities that exacerbate symptoms
• Immobilizing the wrist in a splint
• Taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen, to reduce swelling
• Doing targeted exercises to improve the range of motion of the wrist
• Getting steroid injections for pain relief and to reduce inflammation

Try these exercises to help address your condition:

Below is a PDF of the exercise program.

Wrist Arthritis

Surgical Treatment

If wrist arthritis symptoms persist despite conservative management, surgical intervention may be considered. Several operative procedures are available depending on the severity of arthritis and individual functional requirements. Standard surgical options include:

• Proximal Row Carpectomy: Removal of one of the two rows of carpal bones to alleviate pain and improve motion in cases of advanced osteoarthritis.
• Partial or Complete Wrist Fusion: Fusion of selected or all wrist bones to stabilize the joint, reduce movement, and minimize pain, typically indicated for advanced degenerative wrist pain.
• Total Wrist Replacement (Total Wrist Arthroplasty): Replacement of the diseased wrist joint with a prosthetic implant to restore function and relieve pain.