Benefits of Far Infrared Heat for Wrist Injuries and Wrist Pain

We all take the movement and flexibility of our wrists for granted. If you have ever experienced wrist pain, a wrist injury or damage from repetitive wrist movement you know how severely it can affect your life. The fact that we tend to damage our dominant wrist, as we use it the most, further increases the impact on our lifestyle.

The configuration of our wrist is very complex. This complexity is what causes the wrist to be easily strained or injured. The bones in the wrist start at the lower end of the forearm bones and continue to the start of the finger bones. The wrist consists of eight little bones called the carpal bones. These two rows of bones are separated by a slippery type of cartilage (articular) and are held together by ligaments. The ligaments allow the up and down and side to side movement of the wrist.

Wrist injuries include sprains which are a strain or tearing of the ligaments, damage to the cartilage between the bones or breaks in the bones themselves. There are many ways to injure your wrist. The most common wrist injury is caused by falling on outstretched hands, which is an instinctive reaction. Wrist injuries are characterized by one or more of the following symptoms - limited mobility, pain, heat/warmth, deformity or swelling.

In addition to wrist injuries, many people suffer from a number of degenerative problems and diseases which affect the mobility of the wrist and cause pain. Many of these issues are caused by repetitive motion, doing the same movement over and over again. One of the most common repetitive motion issues is carpal tunnel syndrome. This problem is usually associated with long term use of keyboards or laptop computers and can occur when the keyboard is at the wrong level for the arms or the wrist is not properly supported.

There are also a number of occupations that can cause repetitive motion wrist problems. For example construction workers are at risk from the repetitive use of hammers, screwdrivers, saws etc.

Treatment for wrist injuries or conditions can vary and are dependent on the severity of the problem. Most minor wrist issues are treated by simply restricting movement of the wrist. More serious injuries or wrist conditions are usually treated with a wrist brace and pain medication.

Far infrared heat therapy is ideal for treating all types of wrist injuries and conditions regardless of the severity. Far infrared heating pads deliver infrared heat deep into the soft damaged tissue where it can do the most good. The heat from a far infrared heating pad dilates the blood vessels allowing oxygen rich blood to flow to the damaged area. This increased blood flow promotes healing, flushes out toxins and helps control inflammation. Used as a daily preventive, far infrared heating pads can relieve pain and can help repair damage caused by repetitive movements such as keyboard use.