Ulnar Collateral Ligament Tear - Exercise Program

The ulnar collateral ligament connects the head of the ulna to the pisiform at the wrist junction. It is this articulation that provides much needed stability to the wrist joint. But, if it is torn, the injury has farther reaching effects than what it initially seen, and this is due to the fact that the pisiform attaches to the fourth and fifth digits of the hand via the pisohamate ligament and the pisometacarpal ligament.
Because the pisiform has ligaments on each side, and is used as an anchoring mechanism for stability, the detachment of the ulnar collateral ligament now causes instability in the metacarpals as well as the fourth and fifth digits, even though the other two ligaments are still attached. The reason for this is that since the tension was been removed between the pisiform and ulna, there will now be slack in the other two ligaments as the pisiform drifts towards the ligaments that are still attached.
To help address this injury without surgery and increase wrist joint stability, a number of specific exercises are performed to enhance strength of the soft-tissues surrounding the ulnar side of the wrist joint, which in turn reduces symptoms, like wrist and elbow pain.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• ulnar
• collateral
• ligament
• tear
• exercises
• exercise
• therapy
• rehabilitation

[whosScotty]

i just recently noticed that i hurt my wrist, it seems to be this, where can i get a glove for these excercises? would i need to get one from physical therapy?

[URehab]

@whosScotty

You couold contact your local DME / medical supply store and ask them to order it for you from the manufacturer at flextend.om or do a local Google search for Flextend Orthotic Glove.

[HACKSTOCK32]

Hi, I'm 16 and i have the same problem, my wrists are very unstable and they are popping while I'm doing knuckle pushups, i don't have any serious pain tho. I started training with hand grippers, dumbbell curls and now I added your exercises too. Is there any chance of fully recovering and developing stabilized wrists for bare knuckle punching?

[URehab]

@HACKSTOCK32

Note: I am supplying this answer to your guardian due to the fact you are 16. Continue working on finger and wrist extensions for 3-months and then slowly work into the bag work with gloves. Each week, add a little more time and resistance and your wrists will gain a tremendous amount of stability. Anything worth doing right takes time, and in a matter of months you will see a big difference in your hand / wrist strength.

[HACKSTOCK32]

@URehab

Thank you for your reply. Will doing finger extensions using a rubber band instead of flextend work for me? and if not, can the 40$ version of flextend from repetitive-strain . com help me with my problem?

[URehab]

@HACKSTOCK32

No, rubber bands only allows full motion at the base MP joint and only partial motion at the PIP joint or the band comes off. Yes, the lower cost unit will work just fine and it makes a huge difference in the rate of recovery. Some people rig up their own contraptions to save money, which I don't blame them for trying, but I've tried them all and nothing compares with the effectiveness of " doing it right the first time" and with something that has been tried and proven.

[URehab]

@LilBlitz116

I changed my pull-up hand position and no longer perform over or under hand pull-ups, but instead, perform them in a neutral hand position. This eliminates the severe angle you create when you completely supinate or pronate the hand/wrist and then apply a lot of weight...Not implying you are heavy! :>) The squat rack I used has overhead pull-up handles that rotate 360-degrees but also move so that you can change the grip-width. I've had no problems since using these.

[LilBlitz116]

@HACKSTOCK32 i have the same problem in my wrist and when i do pull ups and stuff i feel slight pain but the instbility of my joint scares me.and i had 2 drop my training cuz of it.

[URehab]

@lovsoup

Thanks for your comment. Adjustments are fine, but not repeated adjustments. If something needs to constantly be forced back into place, there is a reason for it and that is that either muscles on one side of the joint are too tight and pulling it out of place or the muscles on the opposing side are too weak to hold it in place. Either way, the muscle imbalance needs to be corrected to eliminate the underlying cause, as repeated adjustments are only treating the symptoms.

[lovsoup]

@19or50 I would definitely look at finding a chiropractor for adjustments FIRST. I prefer chiros who are are also into holistic health ... its all connected