How to choose the right wrist brace for your needs

Whilst most injuries are preventable, sometimes the inevitable occurs and an injury is sustained. This may be due to an accident whilst playing sport, or a strain from lifting something too heavy. Whatever the reason, wearing a wrist brace can significantly help the healing of your current injury, with prolonged use preventing it from recurring. Here’s what you should look at when choosing the right wrist brace for you.

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What you should do when injury occurs

If you injure your wrist, it’s important that you listen to your body to determine how bad the injury is. It may have occurred from a fall, repetitive use, or even something as small as shaking hands. Minor sprains can be treated using the RICE method, which instructs you to follow the stages of Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation to help get back to strength as quickly as possible. A wrist brace with a firm, high guard level should be used for this type of injury to help keep your wrist protected.

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Sports injuries

Issues caused from playing sports often stem from the overuse of the bones, tendons and ligaments in the wrist and hand. It is important to understand how serious the injury is, as additional treatment may be needed. If you have suffered from minor ligament damage, an adjustable brace can help and may allow you to continue to play your chosen sport. You are able to tighten the support around the wrist to give you extra support, whilst still allowing a degree of flexibility, which makes it perfect for those who still require wrist movement.

Specialist wrist braces are available for almost all sports, from a support used for weight lifting to a bowling wrist support, such as those found here http://www.petesproshop.co.uk/acatalog/wrist-supports.htm. It is worth looking for a speciality brace for your chosen sport, rather than choosing a generic support for more common injuries.

Preventing injury

Whilst many athletes continue to use a wrist brace for a prolonged period of time, it is important to learn about your injury and how to stop it recurring. A brace works well to keep injuries protected, but those who often use their wrists in their sport may benefit from having one on hand for any minor niggles they may inevitably pick up along the way.