What Is A Wrist Brace?
Braces are garments that can be used to treat as well as prevent injury by providing enhanced stability to the joint. A wrist brace is a garment that is worn around the wrist so as to protect it during strong or overuse of the wrist or for allowing the wrist to heal from injury. In fact wrist braces are common accessories in injury rehabilitation processes[1], affecting the wrist. They immobilize the wrist joint and provide heat and compression to the wrist bones and the ligaments.
Wrist braces are made of a rigid tissue nylon fabric, or neoprene that allows restricted mobility of the hand and wrist and are generally fixed with velcro. You need to use a wrist brace if you experience numbness, pain in the hand or wrist, or if you have weak or injured wrist, suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome[2] or if you have bent wrist during sleeping.
Pros of Wearing a Wrist Brace:
Below are some of the pros of wearing a wrist brace:
- It keeps the wrist warm, safe and comfortable.
- Wrist brace encourages more restful sleep, as it reduces the pain and numbness associated with excessive bending of the wrist while sleeping.
- Wearing a wrist brace supports quick healing. This is because it limits the movement available at the wrist joint.
- Wearing a wrist brace can be beneficial, as it reduces pressure and increases space in the carpal canal, reducing the pain and inflammation.
- Wrist braces are also useful for sports persons, in protecting the wrist during activities where wrists require extraordinary effort, such as in weight lifting or bodybuilding.
- Using a wrist brace, or a pressure around the wrist helps in reducing the pain, sprains and strains. Wrist braces are also used in sports which force the wrist’s play, as those games that are played with a racket, such as tennis, badminton, and also hockey.
- Wrist braces are also easily available and are cost effective.
Cons of Wearing a Wrist Brace:
Some of the cons of wearing a wrist brace include the following:
- Wrist brace does not replace a sound rehabilitation program set by your exercise physiologist or physiotherapist.
- Some people may find wearing a wrist brace very uncomfortable, as it is possible that the added weight of the brace could feel heavy and bulky.
- Adjusting to a wrist brace can cause chafing of the skin. It is also that an improperly fitting wrist brace can cause skin redness and irritation.
- Though wrist braces are used to reduce pain and swelling, some people may experience swelling as a side effect of wearing the brace.
- Wearing the wrist brace for a long time can, in some cases, cause muscle atrophy, both before as well as during the movement.
- Wearing a wrist brace too long can make us over reliant on the support it gives us.
Conclusion:
Now that we know about the pros and cons of wearing a wrist brace, you can try out your braces, but only after consulting our physiotherapist or doctor. They would help you know about the best wrist braces for your condition and also help in managing your pain and ache of the wrist in the best possible way.
Also Read:
