Causes / typical injury mechanism: Wrist sprains are common upper-extremity injuries that often result from acute trauma or repetitive motions. Acute trauma typically involves excessive load bearing, axial force, or a twisting injury. Repetitive movements are often associated with manual labor and sport activities.

Classic history and presentation: Patients will present with pain, difficulty with wrist movement, swelling, and possibly bruising about the wrist following acute trauma or overuse activities.

Prevalence: Wrist sprains are common orthopedic upper-extremity injuries.

Risk factors:

• Overuse activities
• High-risk activities
• High-risk sports
• Falls

Pathophysiology: Wrist sprains result from partial or complete tearing of the carpal ligaments and capsular structures.

Grade / classification system: There is no specific classification system. Triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) tears and scapholunate injuries commonly share overlap in the diagnosis of wrist sprain and have specific classification systems.