Wrist Doctor

At OAK Orthopedics, the region's most preferred orthopedic practice, our doctors have the knowledge and experience to treat a variety of wrist conditions and injuries.

Wrist pain may not seem like a big deal at first, but over time, it can prove to be debilitating. Even a simple wrist injury can cause significant discomfort and lead to impaired mobility. This makes it challenging to keep up with everyday tasks at home, school, or work. Fortunately, if you injure your wrist, there are treatment options available that can restore you to full functionality. The first step is meeting with a wrist specialist who can evaluate your wrist, diagnose the problem, and present you with a treatment plan.

While simple wrist problems can sometimes be addressed with home remedies, we recommend seeing a wrist doctor if:

  • You have an obvious injury or deformity, such as significant bruising or a visibly broken bone
  • Your pain has traveled into your hand or elbow
  • Your symptoms persist for more than a week
  • Your wrist condition prevents you from carrying out everyday tasks
  • Your wrist condition prevents you from sleeping properly at night
  • Your wrist pain worsens despite the use of home remedies

Our orthopedic doctors can diagnose all types of wrist ailments, including injuries involving the tendons, ligaments, nerves, and bones. Our specialists also see patients for chronic issues, such as carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritis, as well as more sudden or traumatic injuries, such as fractures and sprains. Some of the most common causes of wrist pain include:

  • Distal radius fractures
  • Dupuytren's contracture
  • Ganglion cysts
  • Kienböck's disease
  • Scaphoid fractures

When you first meet with an orthopedic specialist, you'll receive a full physical evaluation. In some cases, X-rays or other forms of imaging may be necessary. From there, your doctor will be able to recommend the proper treatment plan, which can involve nonoperative solutions or, in some cases, may require surgery.

For wrist conditions, nonsurgical solutions include everything from heat and ice therapy to the use of a splint to some basic physical therapy. Often, this is sufficient for easing your pain and restoring your full range of motion. However, if nonsurgical treatments are not successful, a surgeon may need to perform wrist surgery.

If you do undergo wrist surgery, be advised that it will take a few weeks for your body to heal. During this time, pain medication may be administered to ensure that your discomfort is minimal. Also, physical therapy will typically be recommended to keep your healing process quick and your wrist as healthy as possible. Your wrist surgeon will discuss all of the details of your recovery and answer any questions you may have.

The ultimate goal of any wrist procedure is to correct the problem and get you back to your normal life, allowing you to carry out your home, school, and work tasks without any impairment.

Specializing in What Moves You at OAK Orthopedics

At OAK Orthopedics, our world-class team of orthopedic experts is devoted to providing customized treatment plans focused on each patient's individual needs and goals.

Our specialty-trained wrist doctors, Dr. Wesley Choy, Dr. Alexander Michalow, and Dr. Kermit Muhammad, have extensive experience in treating a variety of wrist conditions and injuries. Nonsurgical methods will always be recommended first before considering surgery. However, there are situations in which conservative treatments will not provide adequate relief, and wrist surgery is the best option to fix the problem. Our wrist surgeons are skilled in performing many surgical procedures for the wrist and utilize state-of-the-art technology in doing so. Rest assured that when you see one of our specialists, you're in the care of the region's most preferred orthopedic providers. 

If you have wrist pain that you'd like to have evaluated, we encourage you to contact our team of orthopedic doctors today at one of our three locations in Bourbonnais, Frankfort, or Watseka. Call (815) 928-8050 for our Bourbonnais or Watseka office or (815) 469-3452 for our Frankfort office, or request an appointment online with one of our experienced wrist surgeons.