In modern society, many mothers experience suddenly wrist pain during breastfeeding after childbirth. At first they thought it was just a sprain, but they continued to do housework every day until the wrists swelled up, the thumbs were so painful that they couldn’t work hard, and even basic movements such as holding a cup and writing were difficult to complete.
How to check whether I have a mommy thumb?
【Mommy Thumb Self Test】
Why is there a “mommy thumb”?
This condition happens when the tendons on the thumb side of your wrist become inflamed or swollen. Usually happen on Mothers, they often use the strength of their arms to support the baby’s head when holding the baby, and the wrist is in a flexed state for a long time, which causes blood circulation obstacles in the wrist.
Of course, “mommy thumb” is not just exclusive to mothers. Frequent use of improper posture or excessive force when doing housework can also cause inflammation, pain and pain in the tendon sheath at the junction of the thumb and wrist. The swelling forms a “mommy thumb”.
Common symptoms of “mommy thumb”:
1、The thumb and wrist are constantly painful, swollen, unable to exert force, and the pain aggravates when the thumb moves.
2、Accompanied by symptoms such as tightness and swelling of the arm muscles. It hurts even more when the thumb is up.
3、The pain will increase when the wrists and arms are twisted, or the thumb is repeatedly flexed and extended.
Such as: twisting towels, writing and other activities that use the power of the thumb.
4、If not treated in time, the symptoms can be aggravated to hypertrophy of the tendon sheath, forming a raised tendon sheath cyst, which can be felt in the painful area.
How to prevent “mommy thumb”:
1、The correct posture for holding the child：
New parents must master the correct posture for holding the child. First, put the child’s main focus on the forearm, and the wrist just plays the role of gently holding the child. It is best to alternately hold the child on both sides of the arm. In addition, do not hold any posture for too long, and change postures frequently.
2、Avoid muscle injury:
Doing some proper exercises and housework after childbirth can promote postpartum recovery, but be careful not to take too long, because if the time is too long, the muscles will always be in a state of tension and fatigue, which is prone to damage. Whether it is during breastfeeding or holding a baby, when you feel soreness in your elbows and wrists, you should stop and rest immediately, otherwise the wrist joints will be overworked and you will easily get “mommy thumb”. At the same time, the thumb is often used vigorously at work. People who overuse it for a long period of time can easily cause damage to the tendons and nerves of the fingers and wrist.
3、Appropriate wrist joint exercises:
When you feel soreness in your wrist, you can move your wrist and turn left and right in a circle, which is not only eliminate the discomfort, but also exercise the flexibility of the wrist.
4. Wear【Wristguard】
You can wear a wrist brace, which not only relieves pain, but also protects the wrist joint and avoids excessive strain when holding a child or carrying heavy objects.
If you find or suspect that you have the above characteristics, you should seek medical diagnosis and treatment in time. Don’t think that it may be a minor sprain, not to miss the treatment time and delay the condition.
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