Guide | Physical Therapy Guide to Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex Tear (2023)

TFCC is a group (or "complex") of ligaments on the small-finger side of the wrist. These ligaments keep the wrist bones stable, and attach the 2 forearm bones (the radius and the ulna) together near the wrist. TFCC tears commonly happen on the dominant hand. There are 2 types of TFCC tears:

• Type I. The most common type of TFCC tear, from traumatic injury, usually occurs as the result of a fall onto the outstretched hand, or from a sudden pull ("traction") on the wrist.
• Type II. This type of tear results from a degenerative injury that develops over time, usually occurring with age. Although degenerative TFCC tears have been diagnosed in people as young as in their 30s, they are most common in those aged 50 years and older. There is an increased risk of degenerative TFCC tears if a person has had a previous wrist trauma, or if one of the forearm bones (the ulna) is longer than the other (radius) from birth.

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With a TFCC tear, you may experience:

• Pain when leaning on the hand
• Swelling in the wrist
• Stiffness in the wrist
• Weak grip strength
• Clicking, catching, or creaking in the wrist
• Pain when turning a door handle or pushing up from sitting in a chair
• Pain when lifting heavy objects

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If you see your physical therapist first, the therapist will conduct a thorough evaluation that includes taking your health history. Your physical therapist will also ask you detailed questions about your injury, such as:

• How and when did you notice the pain and/or swelling?
• Have you been performing any repetitive activity?
• Did you fall on your hand?

Your physical therapist also will perform special tests to help determine the likelihood that you have a TFCC tear. Your physical therapist will gently press on parts of your wrist and arm to look for signs of tenderness or abnormal movement, observe how you can move your wrist and arm, and test your strength and flexibility.

To provide a definitive diagnosis, your physical therapist may collaborate with an orthopedic physician or other health care provider, who may order further tests, such as an X-ray or MRI, to confirm the diagnosis and to rule out other damage to the wrist, like a fracture or infection.

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Your physical therapist will work with you to design a specific treatment program that will speed your recovery, including exercises and treatments that you can do at home. Physical therapy will help you return to your normal lifestyle and activities. The time it takes to heal the condition varies from person to person, but successful results can be achieved more quickly when a physical therapist implements an individualized swelling-management, stretching, motion, and strengthening program.

During the first 24 to 48 hours following your diagnosis, your physical therapist may advise you to:

• Apply light compression by wrapping the wrist a specific way, using a compressive wrap
• Rest the area by avoiding any activity that causes pain in the wrist
• Apply ice packs to the area for 15 to 20 minutes every 2 hours
• Begin using a splint or brace to protect the TFCC
• Consult with a physician for further services, such as medication or diagnostic tests

Your physical therapist will work with you to:

Reduce pain and swelling. If repetitive activities have caused the TFCC tear, your physical therapist will help you understand how to avoid or modify the activities, to allow healing to begin. The physical therapist may use different types of treatments and technologies to control and reduce your pain and swelling, including ice, heat, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, compressive wraps, taping, bracing, splinting, exercises, and hands-on therapy, such as specialized massage.

Improve motion. Your physical therapist will choose specific activities and treatments to help restore normal movement in the wrist, hand, and arm. These might begin with "passive" motions that the therapist performs for you to gently move your wrist, and progress to active exercises and stretches that you do yourself. If a splint or brace for your wrist is recommended, your physical therapist will teach you how and when to exercise the rest of your arm and hand, to prevent any problems from lack of use.

Improve flexibility. Your physical therapist will determine if any arm muscles are tight, start helping you to stretch them, and teach you how to stretch them.

Improve strength. If your physical therapist finds any weak or injured arm, hand, or wrist muscles, your physical therapist will choose and teach you the correct exercises and equipment to steadily restore your strength and agility. These may include using cuff weights, stretch bands, and weight-lifting equipment.

Improve endurance. Restoring your arm's muscular endurance is important after an injury. Your physical therapist will develop a program of activities to help you regain the endurance you had before the injury, so you can return to doing the things you like to do.

Learn a home program. Your physical therapist will teach you strengthening and stretching exercises to perform at home. These exercises will be specific for your needs. If you do them as prescribed by your physical therapist, you can speed your recovery. If a brace or splint is recommended for you to use on your wrist, your physical therapist will explain how often you should remove it, and any exercises to do when it is removed.

Return to activities. Your physical therapist will discuss your activity goals with you and use them to set your work, sport, and home-life recovery goals. If you are an athlete, your physical therapist may coordinate care with your coach and/or athletic trainer. Your treatment program will help you reach your goals in the safest, fastest, and most effective way possible. Your physical therapist will teach you exercises, work retraining activities, and sport-specific techniques and drills to help you achieve your goals.

Speed recovery time. Your physical therapist is trained and experienced in choosing the best treatments and exercises to help you safely heal, return to your normal lifestyle, and reach your goals faster than you are likely to do on your own.

If Surgery Is Necessary

Surgical repair of the TFCC could be recommended. After surgery, you will follow a recovery program over several weeks or months, guided by your surgeon and your physical therapist. Your physical therapist will help you minimize pain and swelling, regain motion and strength, and return to normal activities in the safest and speediest manner possible. Physical therapy may be able to help you avoid the need for opioid pain medication as well.

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To help prevent a TFCC tear, your physical therapist may advise you to:

• Avoid falling on your hand. If you have poor overall balance and are prone to falling, your physical therapist can help you strengthen your muscles, improve your balance, and lower your risk of falling.
• Avoid repetitive, high-impact activities using the hands. If your work requires such activity, your physical therapist can work with you to strengthen the muscles of your arms, wrists, and hands, and determine your best positioning to complete necessary tasks.
• Use a brace or taping. Athletes and manual laborers may benefit from specialized braces or taping. Your physical therapist can recommend what is best to treat your specific condition.
• Gradually increase any athletic activity, rather than suddenly increasing the activity amount or intensity.

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All physical therapists are prepared through education and experience to treat TFCC tears. However, you may want to consider:

• A physical therapist who is experienced in treating people with orthopedic injuries. Some physical therapists have a practice with an orthopedic focus.
• A physical therapist who is a board-certified clinical specialist (certified hand specialist, or CHT) or who completed a residency or fellowship in orthopedic or sports physical therapy. This physical therapist has advanced knowledge, experience, and skills that may apply to your condition.

You can find physical therapists who have these and other credentials by using Find a PT, the online tool built by the American Physical Therapy Association to help you search for physical therapists with specific clinical expertise in your geographic area.

General tips when you're looking for a physical therapist (or any other health care provider):

• Get recommendations from family, friends, or other health care providers.
• When you contact a physical therapy clinic for an appointment, ask about the physical therapists' experience in helping people who have your type of injury.
• Be prepared to describe your symptoms in as much detail as possible, and say what makes your symptoms worse.

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