Wrist Osteoarthritis Injection Therapy
Specialist assessment and injection therapy for painful wrist osteoarthritis in our Fareham clinic.
Make an injection enquiry
What Is Wrist Osteoarthritis?
Wrist osteoarthritis develops when degenerative change affects one or more of the joints within the wrist.
It can cause pain, stiffness and reduced movement, particularly with gripping, lifting, pushing through the hand or activities that repeatedly load the wrist.
Some people notice discomfort during everyday tasks such as opening jars, carrying bags, gardening, gym work or manual tasks. Others are more troubled by stiffness, reduced grip strength or difficulty putting weight through the hand.
Wrist osteoarthritis may develop gradually over time, but it can also occur following a previous injury or fracture.
The amount of change seen on an X-ray does not always match the level of pain or difficulty someone experiences, so treatment is guided by your symptoms, function and clinical assessment, alongside imaging where useful.
Want to Learn More About Wrist Osteoarthritis?
Read more about wrist osteoarthritis, rehabilitation, flare management and the wider treatment options available.
When Can an Injection Help?
Injection therapy can be useful when wrist osteoarthritis is causing pain or joint irritation that is affecting grip, hand use, work, exercise or everyday activity.
It may also be helpful when pain is making it difficult to progress strengthening and rehabilitation or when a painful flare is significantly limiting normal wrist use.
Your specialist will assess where your pain is coming from, how the wrist is moving, previous treatment and what you would like to get back to before discussing whether an injection could be a useful option.
Which Injection Options Are Available?
Corticosteroid Injection
Corticosteroid is an anti-inflammatory treatment.
For wrist osteoarthritis, the injection is placed into the joint with the aim of reducing pain and irritation.
For some people, this makes gripping, lifting and everyday hand use more comfortable and provides a useful opportunity to improve strength and function through rehabilitation.
Learn About Corticosteroid Injections →
Durolane Injection
Durolane is a non-steroid hyaluronic acid treatment used for selected osteoarthritis presentations.
It is given as a single injection into the elbow joint and may be considered where a non-steroid option is preferred or where your specialist feels it is appropriate for your presentation.
Injection Therapy as Part of Your Treatment
Treatment for wrist osteoarthritis is based on how much pain and stiffness are affecting you and what you would like to be able to do.
Rehabilitation can help maintain or improve movement, strengthen the wrist and hand and build tolerance for everyday activities, work and exercise.
Splinting, pain relief, activity modification and strategies for managing flare-ups can also be useful.
Injection therapy can form part of this wider plan when reducing pain would help you use the wrist more comfortably or progress rehabilitation.
If symptoms remain significantly limiting despite appropriate treatment, your specialist can also advise whether a hand and wrist surgical opinion may be helpful.
Do I Need an X-ray Before an Injection?
Not everyone needs new imaging before treatment.
Wrist osteoarthritis can affect several different joints, so an X-ray can be helpful to confirm the diagnosis, identify which joints are involved or guide decisions about further treatment.
If you already have imaging, your specialist can review this alongside your symptoms and examination findings.
Specialist Elbow Osteoarthritis Injections in Fareham
Assessment and injection therapy for wrist osteoarthritis are provided at our Fareham clinic by Mike Gillingham, Upper Limb Specialist Physiotherapist.
Mike will assess how osteoarthritis is affecting your wrist and discuss whether corticosteroid injection, Durolane, rehabilitation, imaging or onward referral would be the most useful next step.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wrist Osteoarthritis Injections
Where Is the Injection Given?
How quickly might the injection work?
What Is the Aim of the Injection?
Is Durolane a steroid?
Can a wrist osteoarthritis injection be repeated?
Do I need a GP referral?
Not Sure Whether an Injection Is Right for You?
You do not need to know which injection option is most appropriate before contacting us.
Tell us about your wrist symptoms, how long they have been present and how they are affecting work, exercise or everyday activity. Your enquiry will be reviewed by our Upper Limb Specialist Physiotherapist, who can advise you on the most appropriate next step.
