TFCC Tear / Repair Stretches & Exercises (Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex) - Ask Doctor Jo

First start with stretching your wrist. Go gently first, bend your wrist down into flexion. Then bend your wrist up into extension. Then you can turn your hand with the thumb up, and bend up and down into wrist radial and ulnar deviation. Do this 10 times each way. You can use your other hand for some overpressure if you need more of a stretch. Hold each for 30 seconds and do 3 each way.

The next range of motion exercises are for supination and pronation. Bend your elbow to 90 degrees, and keep it by your side so you are getting the movement only at your wrist and elbow. Turn your wrist palm up for supination and palm down for pronation. If you need a little overpressure, you can use a hammer. The heavy end will help your wrist rotate further.

For the strengthening you can use a can of soup or vegetables, but we will use a resistive band today. Hold the band and bend your wrist up and down, first with your palm down and then up (extension and flexion), then turn your wrist so your thumb is facing up, and go up and down (radial deviation). Try 10 each way, and then work your way up as you get stronger. If you get to 20-25 easily, you can get a stronger band.

Finally, you can roll up a towel and squeeze it in your hand. Hold the squeeze for about 3 seconds and do it 10 times. If that gets easy, you can use a tennis ball.

DISCLAIMER: This video and any related comments are not medical advice. Doctor Jo is a licensed Physical Therapist and Doctor of Physical Therapy; however, she is not YOUR Physical Therapist and can't possibly diagnose you through the Internet. So don't use this information to avoid going to your own healthcare professional or to replace the advice they have given you. This information is only intended to show you the correct technique for physical therapy exercises and should not be used to self-diagnose or self-treat any medical condition. If you are not properly diagnosed, this information won't help, and it could make things worse. So seriously, check with your healthcare professional before doing these techniques. If you experience any pain or difficulty while doing these exercises, stop immediately and see your healthcare professional.

[AskDoctorJo]

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[ulpaper]

Hi Doctor Jo! Wanted to write this comment for a while but didn't have enough time lately. Anyway, I was diagnosed with TFCC tear last year and my whole life turned upside down since working out is one of the few things I really enjoy in life. Doctors said it's in pretty bad shape and only way for me to feel no pain is surgery which I refused. I tried numerous methods, watched many stretching videos, used all kinds of bracelets, until I came across this video in november. I was using wrist widget at the time but it wasn't helping as much as I was expecting. I did these exercises 2 times a day, first thing in the morning and right before going to bed, and my wrist felt so much better in a month. Towards the second month, the pain totally disappeared, I was able to use my wrist in daily activities just like my other wrist. I know the tear is still there but it is not a big issue anymore! I can do my workouts with the right equipment and everything else is just the way it was before the injury! And it's all thanks to you Doctor Jo! Right now I'm having neck pain probably because of bad posture while studying. But this time I knew your video about neck pain stretches could help me so I started doing them right away! Thanks again for all these videos and needless to say but, subbed! :)

[JustMan]

Best video around.
I don’t know if this is because i was already 4/5 weeks into the injury but i started doing these stretches at that moment and in a matter of a week / 10 days i got rid of the pain almost completely (except if i really “dig” the pain and try to apply pressure on the palm exactly where it triggers pain)

The supination/pronation holding 30 seconds each “side” while still trying to go “further” even through the pain has been super efficient.

[Moiez]

thank you for these videos Dr. Jo! One of my friends got injured exercising, and asked me for some help. I'm just a personal trainer with some knowledge of corrective exercises so I figured I'd do a little research and make an exercise program for him.

[eamonobroin]

Hi thanks for this video. It really helped me through 10 weeks of Tfcc injury. The excercises where a great help to get movement going again. Just wanted to say thanks. 💚👍

[charichard]

Super helpful! Had a partial tear in my TFCC back in 2015 and had physical therapy. This brought back core memories of exercises I used to do back then plus more tips. Thanks! Will definitely do these exercises and dynamic warm-ups/cooldown static streches.

[kelsterMcNelster]

Hi, I was the one that asked you if you could do a video on TFCC- thank you so much.

[HeatLedgerKicks]

Doc - just wanted to say I’ve watched a dozen videos on here and this was the MOST helpful. I experienced a tear during basketball and this helped a LOT

[alexavolin]

Hi doctor Jo. Thanks for the video. My question is: can these tears actually heal while doing these exercises? In which cases is the surgery indicated? And how long it takes to heal with these exercises?

[Tommy_]

Hi Doctor Jo 🙂Could you please explain why these exercises/stretches (might) help repair a TFCC tear? Is it all about increasing blood flow in the area? Or for keeping it active (since it otherwise needs to rest)? Or maybe something else?

[abbagayarga]

Hi, thanks for making this video it was important for me because o have been to the doctor but they told me that it will go over but it didn't, I have been training for a time but got injured in my wrist but because of this video I can go back to my training thank u making this video

[muhdnazreennazrun]

Thank you for all your video...it really help me...i have tfcc tear, miniscus tear and acl tear...ur videos are very good

[FootballFanLeanne]

I was just diagnosed with a TFCC tear yesterday, and fitted for a brace and told I need physio. While searching for information I stumbled upon your video, and attempted the excercises. I found my pain to be pretty severe doing them, but after 10 repetitions my wrist did feel slightly better for a bit. Thankyou for sharing!

[xolganatorx]

If your wrist is still in pain, can you still start these exercises? Thank you

[savannahm]

Thanks for this! Busted my wrist rock climbing and I'm trying to get back in shape and heal up!

[huatseng]

I was practicing with my Kali and this sharp pain won’t go away. I will try these exercises, thank youu 💚

[cchambers]

What if I hear popping sounds when I flex up and down??

[ununpnii]

I can’t full pronation and supination it’s too pain every exercise that you talking about make my hand crying but I will try everyday let see an improvement thank you dr.Jo

[MananRustagi]

Hello doctor! It's been 4 months and my TFCC injury is not healing. I got it while working out in the gym and I have taken all the medicines from an orthopedic doctor and also took 6-7 sessions from a physiotherapist.
Now I do these exercises as advised by you at home and use hot pack twice a day.
Will this be helpful in healing my TFCC? Please respond.

[gianvit]

I tore my tfcc like everyone else doing front delt exercises. Ten months later I am able to do normal everyday functions without pain but as soon as I pick up a weight, there it is. Sharp pain in the wrist which makes me lose all strength. I actually heard the tear bc of the position of my hand next to my ear so the sound replays over and over which doesn't help mentally with the slow healing process.
These excercises made my wrist crackle but felt loose only after 1 try even without resistence. Will definitely continue long term and check back and give more input on the video.
Thanks