Back and shoulder discomfort from wrist sprain?

by David J.
(Westminster, CA, USA)

Hello.

I sprained both of my wrists about 4 weeks ago.

Only moderate pain and I pretty much forgot about it until one week later I woke up and both hands had gone completely numb.

For the last four weeks I've had back, arm and shoulder pain and have noticed several lumps on my back. The funny thing is my wrists don't hurt at all but my shoulders seem to ache whenever I type, write, cut vegetables, etc. I'm still not sure whether my pain is connected to my wrists sprain or is due to something entirely different (a RSI for instance; my pain seems especially acute when I use the computer). I don't want to exaggerate my pain, it doesn't hurt to the point where I can't write long-winded questions, but it's uncomfortable and seems to be healing incredibly slowly.

Do you know what might be wrong?


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Joshua Answers:

Hi David.

Other than about the lumps, my main question is, how did you sprain both wrists? Did you fall and land on your hands? Did you fall out of a tree and grab a branch? Did you type all day and fall asleep with your head on your hands/wrists?

If you didn't I'm confident in saying that your wrist pain isn't causing your back pain. Which isn't to say that the impact that hurt your wrists didn't jar the rest of your body and result in your back and shoulders tightening up.

I bet I know exactly what is going on, but would like more information first as I hate to be wrong on a public forum....:)


1. How did you sprain your wrists?


2. Do they still get numb?


3. Have you had wrist or shoulder pain before?


4. Any other injuries past or present?


5. What do you do all day posture wise? Sit at a computer, desk, work outside?

Regarding the lumps, you should make a call about whether they are something to be concerned about. Lumps are far from my field of expertise, and I happily point people to doctors for that kind of thing.

Having said that, check them out and see what sort of lumps they are. Are they lumps like growths? Like mosquito bites? Like big lumpy red blotches on the skin?

It could be inflammation related, but lumps are unlikely to be directly connected to your shoulder/back pain.

Answer the above questions so I have more clues, and then I have a bunch to say in answer to your query. Maybe you have some pre-existing tendonitis, maybe not. We'll see.



Joshua Tucker, B.A., C.M.T.
The Tendonitis Expert
www.TendonitisExpert.com