The wrist and hand is a very complex area. Although it is a small region, it consists of a complex system of muscles, nerves, tendons, and joints which work together to enable us to perform what are known as fine motor skills such as typing or buttoning a shirt. In order to accomplish these tasks there are many separate muscles that must properly move and control the many bones of the wrist and each individual finger.
In many cases, the muscles located in the forearm, wrist, and hand become strained leading to pain and injury. In the large majority of cases the muscles become strained from repetitive use. Keep in mind that these muscles are small and as a result can fatigue easily with prolonged or extended use. The chance of an overuse type of injury occurring is greatly increased with jobs that involve computers or any other occupation that required prolonged use of their hands. In most cases, the task itself is not overly strenuous, but it is the repetitive nature of the task, performed in a compromised position, that leads to the problem.
Soft tissue adhesions can develop and as they accumulate in the muscles, tendons, and ligaments they interfere with the normal function of the tissues. It is common for these adhesions to form around the nerves that run down the arm to the hand leading to nerve conditions such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, or other common nerve entrapments. At this point symptoms such as pain, tightness, numbness, tingling, and weakness at the forearm, hand, and wrist will start to become noticeable.