Orthopedics Sports Injuries Tendonitis Wrist Tendonitis: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment By Jonathan Cluett, MD Updated on July 13, 2023 Medically reviewed by Amy Kwan, PT Print Table of Contents View All Table of Contents What Is It? Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment Prevention When to Contact a Healthcare Provider Wrist tendonitis is irritation and inflammation of the tendons at the wrist joint. It can be caused by overuse and repetitive movements like texting, playing video games, or writing. Treatment for wrist tendonitis can include rest, icing, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), hand therapy, and cortisone injections. This article gives you an overview of wrist tendonitis, including what it is and who's most likely to get it. You'll learn the symptoms and causes of wrist tendonitis and how it's diagnosed and treated. Verywell / Joshua Seong What Is Wrist Tendonitis? Tendons are structures that connect a muscle to bone. They allow joints to move. The wrist tendons connect your forearm muscles to the hand and finger bones. They're divided into two groups: Extensors: Three tendons across the back of the wrist that bend the wrist backwardFlexors: Three tendons across the front of the wrist that bend the wrist forward Tendonitis usually affects one of these tendons, but it can involve two or more. Often, wrist tendonitis occurs in the areas where tendons cross each other or pass over a bony area and become irritated. This can lead to pain when you move the wrist. Tendon Sheaths The wrist tendons glide through fluid-filled tendon sheaths. These help with smooth movement. When the sheath is inflamed, it's called tenosynovitis. Wrist Tendonitis Symptoms Symptoms of wrist tendonitis include: Pain that's worse with movementSwelling around the wrist jointWarmth and rednessGrinding sensations (crepitus) with movement 1:34 Click Play to Learn More About Wrist Tendonitis This video has been medically reviewed by Oluseun Olufade, MD. Causes of Wrist Cracking and Popping Causes Any tendon can become irritated and cause pain, but tendonitis is more common in a few specific tendons. That's due to their anatomy plus common activities. Tendonitis can be caused by: TraumaOveruseRepetitive movement It can also be caused by several conditions, including: Gout or pseudogout (sudden, painful swelling in a joint) Autoimmune disorders (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, lupus) Diabetes (possibly due to blood flow to tendons being restricted) Some of these causes are related more to inflammation. In others, the main feature is chronic damage to the tendon (tendinosis). Diagnosis Healthcare providers diagnose wrist tendonitis based in part on your symptoms. They'll also give you a physical exam. Specific stretches can be used to identify which tendon is hurting. One example is a test for de Quervain's tenosynovitis. That's a type of tendonitis often seen shortly after childbirth. To test for it, your provider will have you: Bend your thumb into your palmMake a fist around itBend your wrist toward your pinky finger If the thumb side of your wrist hurts, it's most likely de Quervain's. This is called the Finkelstein test. Imaging typically isn't needed to diagnose tendonitis. But your provider may want an X-ray to check for fractures or arthritis. An X-ray doesn't show tendonitis. Ultrasounds and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be useful, though. They can show whether there's fluid around the aggravated tendon. Treatment Your healthcare provider will choose wrist tendonitis treatments based on the location, type, and severity of your tendonitis. Wrist tendonitis is unlikely to heal on its own without some kind of action, even if it's just home care or avoiding the motion that causes pain. Home Remedies Early goals usually focus on controlling inflammation and allowing the tendon time to heal. This may include a plan for wrist tendonitis treatment at home that involves: Immobilization: Resting your wrist and possibly making an at-home splint or case for further immobilization can help the wrist heal. Icing: Icing a few times a day reduces inflammation and relieves swelling and pain. Be sure you ice properly. Elevation: To reduce swelling, keep your wrist propped, possibly with a pillow, above your waist. Anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): NSAIDs help lower inflammation and pain. You can buy these over the counter (prescription NSAIDs are also available). Gentle exercises: You can do hand exercises at home that help to stretch and strengthen the joint. In-office Care If home treatment doesn't help your tendonitis, there are a couple of in-office treatments that your healthcare provider may suggest: Physical therapy: This involves working with a therapist to identify painful movements and perform range of motion and strengthening exercises.Cortisone injection: A powerful anti-inflammatory is injected right into the inflamed area. You can only have a few injections, though. Too many can weaken tendons.Ultrasound therapy: This is usually a quick in-office procedure in which a healthcare provider uses an ultrasound to identify the problem tendon and then uses a percutaneous needle tenotomy tool (a small needle) to break down and remove the damaged tissue. Surgery This is reserved for when other treatments fail. Most of the time surgery can be done with local anesthesia. The surgeon will make a small incision in the wrist and may remove inflamed tissues or release pressure from tight tendon sheaths. If the damage to the tendons is extreme, surgery may require general anesthesia. Physical therapy might be recommended while your wrist heals, which can take several weeks to a few months. Possible risks include: InfectionNerve injuriesSwellingBleedingScarringTearing of the tendon Bursitis vs. Tendonitis: What's the Difference? Preventing Flare-Ups Prevent flare-ups of wrist tendonitis by modifying activities that aggravate it. This may mean changing the way you lift or adjusting your grip. Other steps include: Wearing a splint, brace, or wrap during activities that irritate your wristNot masking symptoms with medication, which can lead you to overuse your wrist without realizing itPreparing your tendons for activity with gentle stretching and heat (ice afterward to quiet inflammation) If you can't control the symptoms, see your healthcare provider. When to Contact a Healthcare Provider If you have minor wrist pain that doesn't last, you probably don't need to reach out to a healthcare provider. But in some cases, you will want to seek medical care.You may want to contact a healthcare provider if you: Have been taking care of your wrist at home and still have pain after two weeksLose muscle mass in your wrist, hands, or fingersExperience swelling or redness in your wristAre experiencing stiffness in your wristYour wrist, hands, or fingers are numb or tingling If you have extreme bleeding or are unable to move your wrist, hand, or fingers, seek emergency care. Summary Tendonitis is common in the six main tendons around your wrist joint. This painful condition can be caused by injury, overuse, and inflammatory disorders. It's diagnosed based on symptoms, a physical exam, and simple tests. You may or may not be sent for imaging, like X-rays or an MRI. Treatment with rest, ice, and anti-inflammatory medication may help. Hand therapy and steroid injections may also work to speed up recovery time for wrist tendonitis. Surgery is a last resort. Modify your activities to keep tendonitis from coming back. If you need help with this, talk to your healthcare provider or physical therapist. A Word From Verywell Wrist tendonitis can be painful and debilitating, but you don't just have to live with it. Talk to your healthcare provider about your options. Most types of wrist tendonitis do get a lot better with treatment. Stick to the regimen and be careful how you use the injured wrist. That'll help you get back to doing the activities you enjoy. 10 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Vuillemin V, Guerini H, Bard H, Morvan G. Stenosing tenosynovitis. J Ultrasound. 2012;15(1):20-8. doi:10.1016/j.jus.2012.02.002 Johns Hopkins Medicine. Tendonitis. University of Pennsylvania, Penn Medicine. Tendonitis treatments. Diabetes in Control. Tendon pain linked to diabetes. Goel R, Abzug JM. de Quervain's tenosynovitis: a review of the rehabilitative options. Hand (N Y). 2015;10(1):1-5. doi:10.1007/s11552-014-9649-3 University of Rochester Medical Center. The best way to treat, prevent tendonitis. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Treating chronic tendon pain - using ultrasound. Penn Medicine. Tendonitis treatments. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Wrist arthroscopy. Penn Medicine. Wrist pain. Additional Reading Adams JE, Habbu R. Tendinopathies of the hand and wrist [published correction appears in J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2016 Feb;24(2):123]. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2015;23(12):741-750. doi:10.5435/JAAOS-D-14-00216 By Jonathan Cluett, MD Dr. Cluett is board-certified in orthopedic surgery. He served as assistant team physician to Chivas USA (Major League Soccer) and the U.S. national soccer teams. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit