Wrist pain on the little finger side after a car crash
A hand surgeon and a hand therapist look at TFCC injuries
The TFCC is a cluster of cartilage and ligaments on the little finger side of your wrist. It cushions the wrist. It also steadies the joint where your two forearm bones meet. A wrist that twists or takes a heavy load in a crash can be hurt here. Afterward, turning a door handle, lifting a pan or leaning on your hand may hurt or click. [1]
Other problems can cause the same symptoms. So where it hurts and what the exam shows count for more than a label. [1]
Pin down what is unstable
Point to the exact spot that hurts. Tell your doctor what happens when you turn your palm or put weight through your hand. Ask if a broken bone or another ligament injury was ruled out. [1]
A hand surgeon may examine the joint. Imaging may follow if the results would change your care. Some people have a TFCC tear on an MRI and feel no pain. Ask how anything on a scan fits with your symptoms. [1]
Know why you're wearing the splint
Treatment often starts with a splint, changes to activities that hurt and hand therapy. Ask which motion the splint blocks and when you can take it off. Keep moving the fingers that aren’t hurt, as directed. A therapist can teach you ways to grip and carry without twisting the sore wrist over and over. If symptoms hang on or the joint is unstable, talk about whether another treatment or a surgical opinion would help. [1, 2]
When to call or go back
Get urgent care if your fingers turn pale or cold or go numb for the first time. Call the hand team if the wrist feels more and more unstable or the pain and swelling build. Also call if everyday tasks are still hard after the treatment period you agreed on. [1]
Questions for the hand clinic
- Does my exam show the wrist joint is stable?
- Which activities and motions should I cut back on for now?
- If the pain doesn’t ease, when will we check it again?
Bring two painful tasks to your visit
Write down two tasks that bring on the pain. Take that list to your hand appointment. [1]
Sources and further reading
General information from the fields of hand surgery and hand therapy. A tear seen on a scan does not, by itself, prove it is causing your pain. What counts is the exam, how well you can use the hand and how stable the joint is.
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