Finding Strength After Baby: Understanding Distal Arm & Wrist Injuries in the Postpartum Period

5 min read. 

By Ashley Christie - Female Focus Physiotherapy

Bringing a baby into the world can be one of the most incredible experiences in life. It is also one of the most physically demanding experiences your body will ever go through! As pelvic health physiotherapists, we often focus on pelvic floor and core recovery after birth, but there’s an area that deserves equal attention: the shoulders, arms, and wrists. In the early postpartum period, many new parents experience pain, stiffness, or weakness in the distal arm and wrist. These symptoms can significantly impact daily functioning, from lifting your baby and pushing a stroller, to feeding, carrying laundry, or using your phone. Today, we’re diving into why these injuries happen, how to recognize them, and how targeted support, like compression wear, can help your recovery.

So why are wrist & distal arm injuries so common after giving birth?
After labour and delivery, your body is in a state of repair with significant hormonal changes. There are key hormonal changes which increase joint laxity to assist in childbirth. Unfortunately, this effect doesn’t stop at the pelvis, and it can also influence joints in your arms, wrists, and hands, making them more susceptible to strain and injury. But that’s not all…

• Overuse & Repetitive Strain: Once your baby arrives, you may find yourself lifting and supporting your baby’s weight frequently, bending your wrists awkwardly during feeding, changing, or holding, carrying heavy car capsules, bags, and other equipment, and pushing uneven loads like prams or grocery bags. This repetitive loading, especially in a body still adjusting hormonally, can easily lead to overuse conditions.
  
• Altered Movement Patterns: Pain, fatigue, or compensatory movement (like arching your back instead of using your arm muscles) can put extra stress on the wrist tendons, which can lead to discomfort. 

What are some common postpartum wrist & distal arm injuries?
Here are the issues we see commonly in clinic:

• De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis: Pain on the thumb side of the wrist, especially with lifting or gripping.
• Carpal Tunnel Symptoms: Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the fingers and hand, especially at night or with prolonged use.

What can you do to manage these symptoms?
Recovering from wrist or distal arm pain doesn’t have to slow you down in motherhood.
Here are practical strategies to support healing…

1. Rest & Modify Tasks: Gentle rest, combined with task modification, can make a big difference. Avoid sustained gripping or awkward wrist positions where possible. Aim to keep a neutral wrist or imagine you have “paddle hands” for all activities!
2. Manual Therapy: Hands-on techniques may help reduce pain, improve mobility, and decrease muscle tension. This can be delivered by a trained physio or allied health provider.
3. Contrast Bathing or Warm & Cold Therapy: Applying cold compresses or heat packs to areas of pain or discomfort may reduce the discomfort you are experiencing.
   You can also try contrast bathing, where you submerge your hand and wrist into a bath of cool water for approximately 1-2 minutes and then transfer into a bath of warm water for approximately 1-2 minutes.
4. Gentle Therapeutic Exercises: Performing exercises that restore strength and control in the forearm, wrist, and hand help support the joints during daily tasks. Some examples:
   • Wrist flexion and extension with gentle resistance
   • Thumb opposition and finger spreads
   • Eccentric tendon loading movements
5. Postpartum wrist compression: Compression products, especially when thoughtfully designed for postpartum bodies, serve three key roles:
   1. Support & Stability - They provide gentle, consistent support around the wrist joint, reducing unwanted movement and giving your muscles a break.
   2. Proprioceptive Feedback - The compression increases body awareness, helping you avoid overloading the area during repetitive tasks.
   3. Symptom Relief - Improved circulation and reduced swelling can help ease pain and stiffness, particularly during those intense early weeks with your newborn.

There are medical grade compression options available, such as wrist compression sleeves - One example can be found here: Helping Hand Wrist Compression Sleeves.

When should you seek further help?
Contact a health professional if you experience:

• Persistent or worsening pain that doesn’t improve with rest
• Numbness or tingling in your fingers
• Significant weakness that affects daily tasks
• Pain that interferes with caring for your baby

A pelvic health physio or hand therapist can assess your movement patterns,
recommend exercises, and advise on whether additional support devices are right for
you.

Postpartum wrist and distal arm pain is common, but not something you should “just
have to get through” in the postnatal period. With understanding, strategic care, and
supportive tools, you can reduce pain and regain confidence in your everyday activities.

If you’re struggling with wrist discomfort, do not hesitate to reach out to us at Female
Focus Physiotherapy, for either virtual or face-to-face appointments! We can help you
feel strong and supported through every stage of your postpartum journey.