Here we explain the common and less common causes of wrist pain by specific location or area.
Is your pain at the front or back of the wrist?
Dorsal wrist pain
This is pain located at the back of the wrist and is subdivided into radial (thumb side), central and Ulnar (little finger side) zones.
Click on the location of pain:
Radial wrist pain
The dorsal radial zone is the area of the wrist near the thumb over the palm side.
Most common:
- Extensor carpi radialis tenosynovitis – inflammation of the sheath surrounding the tendon.
- DeQuervain’s tenosynovitis – inflammation of the sheath that surrounds two tendons in the wrist at the base of the thumb.
- Scaphoid fracture – a fracture to the carpal bone in the wrist called the Scaphoid.
- Distal radius fracture (Colles fracture) – a fracture of the end of the radius bone in the forearm.
Less common:
- Intersection syndrome
- Anterior interosseous nerve compression/syndrome
- Radial nerve compression
- Extensor pollucis longus impingement
- Lister’s tubercle
Important not to miss:
- Carpal dislocation – dislocation of any of the small bones which make up the wrist.
- Radial epiphyseal stress reaction – an overuse injury affecting the growth plate of the radius bone. This is more likely to affect young athletes.
Central zone wrist pain
The dorsal central zone is the middle area of the back of the wrist.
Most common:
- Posterior interosseous/radial nerve entrapment
- Ganglion cyst – a ganglion cyst or wrist ganglion is a small lump that appears in the wrist and is often attached to a ligament.
- Scapholunate ligament sprain – wrist sprain affecting the ligament between the scaphoid bone and lunate bones.
Less common:
- Impingement syndromes
Important not to miss:
- Scapholunate dislocation – this is dislocation of the scaphoid bone where it connects to the lunate bone.
- Perilunar dislocation
- Kienbocks disease
Ulnar zone wrist pain
The dorsal ulnar zone is the area of the wrist on the inside near the little finger.
Most common:
- Extensor carpi ulnaris tenosynovitis – inflammation of the tendon sheath.
- TFCC tear – a tear of the triangular fibrocartilage complex found in the wrist.
- Ulnar styloid fracture
- Triqeutral fracture
Less common:
- Distal radioulnar joint instability
- Ulnar fracture
- Luno-triquetral ligament sprain
- Extensor carpi ulnaris subluxation
Volar wrist pain
This is pain on the inside, or underside, of the wrist. Wrist pain in these locations can also be divided into radial (thumb side), central and Ulnar (little finger side) zones.
Click on the area to view injuries:
Radial zone
The volar-radial zone is the front/inside of the wrist on the thumb side.
Most common
- Carpo-metacarpal osteoarthritis
Less common
- Flexor carpi radialis tendinopathy
Important not to miss:
- Carpal instability
Central zone
The volar central zone is the inside middle of the wrist.
Most common
Less common
- Pisotriquetral degenerative joint disease
Ulnar zone
The volar ulnar zone is the front/inside of the wrist on the little finger side.
Most common
Less common
- Hook of hamate fracture
- Ulnar nerve compression
- Flexor carpi ulnaris tendinopathy – wrist tendonitis/inflammation of the tendon sheath.
