What is Triangular Fibrocartilage Tear

Triangular fibrocartilage tear is a tear in cartilage or a ligament along the pinkie side of your wrist. The cartilage and ligaments in your wrist help to cushion and support to the bones of your wrist.

What are the causes?

This condition may be caused by:

• Falling onto an outstretched hand and overextending your wrist.
• Repetitive motions (overuse) that put too much pressure on your wrist.

What increases the risk?

This condition is more likely to develop in people who:

• Have one forearm bone that is shorter than the other.
• Participate in sports that put pressure on the wrist, such as:
  • Gymnastics.
  • Tennis.
  • Golf.
  • Baseball.
  • Racquetball.
  • Hockey.

What are the signs or symptoms?

Symptoms of this condition include:

• Pain or tenderness on the pinkie side of your wrist.
• A clicking or popping sensation in the wrist.
• Reduced grip strength.

How is this diagnosed?

This condition may be diagnosed based on:

• Your symptoms.
• Your medical history.
• A physical exam. During the exam your health care provider may move your hand and wrist to determine what is causing your pain.
• Tests, such as:
  • An X-ray. This may be done to check for broken bones.
  • An MRI. This may be done to check ligaments and cartilage and to look for broken bones that did not show up on your X-ray.
  • An arthrogram. This is a kind of X-ray called that is taken after a dye is injected into your joint.
  • Diagnostic arthroscopy. This is a surgical procedure that lets your health care provider see inside your wrist joint. It may be done if the cause of your wrist pain is not clear after you have other tests.

How is this treated?

Treatment for this condition may include:

• Resting the wrist. You may need to avoid or modify your participation in sports or other physical activity for a period of time.
• Icing the wrist. This can help with swelling and pain.
• Keeping the wrist raised (elevated) above your heart. This helps reduce swelling.
• Using a splint or cast. This helps keep the wrist still so it can heal.
• Physical therapy. This helps restore range of motion in the wrist and strengthen the wrist.
• Anti-inflammatory medicine, such as ibuprofen. These can help reduce pain and swelling.
• Surgery. More serious tears or complete tears may require surgery to repair a ligament.

Follow these instructions at home:

If you have a splint:

• Do not put pressure on any part of your splint until it is fully hardened. This may take several hours.
• Wear it as told by your health care provider. Remove it only as told by your health care provider.
• Loosen the splint if your fingers become numb and tingle, or if they turn cold and blue.
• If your splint is not waterproof:
  • Do not let it get wet.
  • Cover it with a watertight covering when you take a bath or a shower.
• Keep the splint clean.

If you have a cast:

• Do not put pressure on any part of your cast until it is fully hardened. This may take several hours.
• Do not stick anything inside the cast to scratch your skin. Doing that increases your risk of infection.
• Check the skin around the cast every day. Report any concerns to your health care provider.
• You may put lotion on dry skin around the edges of the cast. Do not apply lotion to the skin underneath the cast.
• If your cast is not waterproof:
  • Do not let it get wet.
  • Cover it with a watertight covering when you take a bath or a shower.
• Keep the cast clean.

Managing pain, stiffness, and swelling

• Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider.
• If directed, put ice on the injured area.
  • Put ice in a plastic bag.
  • Place a towel between your skin and the bag.
  • Leave the ice on for 20 minutes, 2–3 times a day or as needed.
• Move your fingers often to avoid stiffness and to lessen swelling.
• Elevate the injured area above the level of your heart while you are sitting or lying down.

Activity

• Return to your normal activities as told by your health care provider. Ask your health care provider what activities are safe for you.
• Do exercises only as told by your health care provider.

General instructions

• Do not use your wrist to support your body weight until your health care provider says that you can.
• Ask your health care provider when it is safe for you to drive if you have a splint or a cast.
• Keep all follow-up visits as told by your health care provider. This is important.

How is this prevented?

• Warm up and stretch before being active.
• Cool down and stretch after being active.
• Give your body time to rest between periods of activity.
• Make sure to use equipment that fits you.
• Be safe and responsible while being active to avoid falls.
• Do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week, such as brisk walking or water aerobics.
• Maintain physical fitness, including:
  • Strength.
  • Flexibility.
  • Cardiovascular fitness.
  • Endurance.

Contact a health care provider if:

• Your wrist pain does not improve or it gets worse.

Get help right away if:

• You have severe pain.
• You cannot move your wrist.

Triangular Fibrocartilage Tear Rehab

Ask your health care provider which exercises are safe for you. Do exercises exactly as told by your health care provider and adjust them as directed. It is normal to feel mild stretching, pulling, tightness, or discomfort as you do these exercises, but you should stop right away if you feel sudden pain or your pain gets worse. Do not begin these exercises until told by your health care provider.

Stretching and range of motion exercises

These exercises warm up your muscles and joints and improve the movement and flexibility of your wrist. These exercises may also help to relieve pain, numbness, and tingling.

Exercise A: Wrist flexion, active-assisted

1. Extend your __________ arm in front of you, and point your fingers downward.
2. If told by your health care provider, bend your __________ elbow.
3. Gently pull the palm of your hand down toward you until you feel a gentle stretch on the top of your forearm.
4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
5. Slowly return to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise B: Wrist extension, active-assisted

1. Extend your __________ arm in front of you and turn your palm upward.
2. If told by your health care provider, bend your __________ elbow.
3. Gently pull your palm and fingertips back so your fingers point downward. You should feel a gentle stretch on the inside of your forearm.
4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
5. Slowly return to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise C: Supination, active

1. Stand or sit with your arms at your sides.
2. Bend your __________ elbow to an “L” shape (90 degrees).
3. Turn your palm upward until you feel a gentle stretch in the inside of your forearm.
4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
5. Slowly return your palm to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this stretch __________ times a day.

Exercise D: Pronation, active

1. Stand or sit with your arms at your sides.
2. Bend your __________ elbow to an “L” shape (90 degrees).
3. Turn your palm downward until you feel a gentle stretch in the top of your forearm.
4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
5. Slowly return your palm to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this stretch __________ times a day.

Exercise E: Wrist extension, standing

1. Stand over a tabletop with your __________ hand resting palm-down on the tabletop and your fingers pointing away from your body. Your arm should be extended, and there should be a slight bend in your elbow.
2. Gently press the back of your hand down toward the table by straightening your elbow. You should feel a stretch in the top of your forearm.
3. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
4. Slowly return to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this stretch __________ times a day.

Exercise F: Wrist flexion, standing

1. Stand over a tabletop with your __________ hand resting palm-up on the tabletop and your fingers pointing away from your body. Your arm should be extended, and there should be a slight bend in your elbow.
2. Gently press your fingers and palm down toward the table by straightening your elbow. You should feel a stretch on the top of your forearm.
3. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
4. Slowly return to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this stretch __________ times a day.

Strengthening exercises

These exercises build strength and endurance in your wrist. Endurance is the ability to use your muscles for a long time, even after they get tired.

Exercise G: Wrist flexion, seated

1. Sit with your __________ forearm supported on a table and your hand resting palm-up over the edge of the table. Your elbow should be below the level of your shoulder.
2. Hold a __________ weight in your __________ hand. Or, hold a rubber exercise band or tube in both hands, keeping your hands at the same level and hip distance apart. There should be a slight tension in the exercise band or tube.
3. Slowly curl your hand up toward your forearm.
4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
5. Slowly lower your hand back to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise H: Wrist extensors, seated

1. Sit with your __________ forearm supported on a table and your hand resting palm-down over the edge of the table. Your elbow should be below the level of your shoulder.
2. Hold a __________ weight in your __________ hand. Or, hold a rubber exercise band or tube in both hands, keeping your hands at the same level and hip distance apart. There should be a slight tension in the exercise band or tube.
3. Slowly curl your hand up toward your forearm.
4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
5. Slowly lower your hand to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise I: Ulnar deviators

1. Stand with a __________ weight in your __________ hand. Or, sit with your healthy hand supported, and hold onto a rubber exercises band or tube. There should be a slight tension in the exercise band or tube.
2. Move your wrist so your pinkie travels toward your forearm and your thumb moves away from your forearm.
3. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
4. Slowly lower your wrist to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise J: Radial deviators

1. Stand with a __________ weight in your __________ hand. Or, sit with your healthy hand supported, and hold onto a rubber exercises band or tube. There should be a slight tension in the exercise band or tube.
2. Move your wrist so your thumb travels toward your forearm and your pinkie moves away from your forearm.
3. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
4. Slowly return to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise K: Forearm supinators

1. Sit with your __________ forearm supported on a table and your hand resting palm-down over the edge of the table. Your elbow should be below the level of your shoulder.
2. Gently grip a hammer or a soup ladle with your __________ hand.
3. Without moving your elbow, slowly turn your palm upward to a thumbs-up position.
4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
5. Slowly return your palm to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise L: Forearm pronators

1. Sit with your __________ forearm supported on a table and your hand resting palm-up over the edge of the table. Your elbow should be below the level of your shoulder.
2. Gently grip a hammer or a soup ladle with your __________ hand.
3. Without moving your elbow, slowly turn your palm upward to a thumbs-up position.
4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
5. Slowly return your palm to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise M: Grip

1. Hold one of these items in your __________ hand: a tennis ball, a dense sponge, or a large, rolled sock.
2. Squeeze as hard as you can without increasing any pain.
3. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
4. Slowly release your grip.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.