TFCC Tear

“The abnormalities like TFCC tears increase with age. The result says the affecting rate is much lower in the younger generation (below 30). It is about 27% whereas the rate increased to 49% in terms of the old generation (70 or above). TFCC tear means damage in the Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex (TFCC) which lies at the junction of wrist and forearm bones. Acute pain in the wrist is the most common symptom of TFCC tear. This condition is treatable with proper medication and treatment procedures. Axis Clinics is the best place that provides all the necessary and advanced treatment options to heal your TFCC tear.” – National Library of Medicine

What is TFCC Tear?

TFCC stands for Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex, which stabilizes your wrist. The complex structure of TFCC includes ligaments, cartilage, and tendons. They link the bones of your wrists and forearms.

TFCC tears usually occur due to accidents like falling on your hand or twisting or fracturing your wrist. Since, TFCC stabilizes and cushions your wrist, a tear can weaken your hand and cause a poor grip.

You may experience acute pain around the wrist part of your hand. Tears in TFCC can occur with any sudden impact or activities that cause pressure in the wrist area. Older adults are usually prone to such injuries because of their poor bone strength.

What are the clinical signs of TFCC? Symptoms of TFCC Tear

TFCC tears usually raise the symptom of acute pain in your wrist. Sometimes, as a result of acute injury, you may not feel any chronic pain. You may have symptoms like:

Clicking or popping sound around your wrist or forearm whenever you are trying to rotate that.
You may face some severe difficulties in rotating your wrist.
Your wrist’s ulnar side will be more painful than the opposing side.
You will experience a reduced ability to grip any object tightly.
Your wrist can be weaker than normal.

Causes and Risk Factors: TFCC Tear

You can have TFCC tears if you experience any sudden shock to your wrist. You may experience sudden shock due to injuries. The main root cause of TFCC tears is accident or injury. Even tears can also occur from the TFCC structure weakening.

What causes a TFCC wrist injury?

If you fall on your hand suddenly, it can cause a fracture in your radius and tears in your TFCC. A sudden twist in your wrist can also cause TFCC tears.
The pillars of TFCC, ligaments, and tendons may rupture and cause TFCC tears. Such degradation occurs due to age. Your TFCC will get weaker with age, and thinner tissues are more vulnerable to tearing.

What are the risk factors for TFCC injury?

Age is a major risk factor for TFCC tears because the tissue becomes thinner with age and is more prone to tear.
An additional danger level is random damage. You can have fractures as well as TFCC tears due to sudden falls on your hand or heavy wrist exercises.

How to diagnose a TFCC tear? Diagnosis of TFCC Tear

Expert healthcare professionals will follow a set of steps to diagnose if you TFCC tear, or its severity.

Initially, the doctor will check your medical history and ask how much your wrist pain is bothering you. They will also ask you the duration of your wrist pain.
After that, healthcare professionals perform some physical examinations. They will press your wrist and try to access the area of pain, which can give them some clues about the causes of your wrist pain.
If they are not able to find the cause of your pain, they will recommend that you have imaging tests of your wrist, such as X-rays, MRIs, and more.

TFCC Tear Treatment

The treatment for Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex tear depends on various factors. It includes the type, extent, and cause of the damage. However, you can try the following conservative methods to find relief in times of need.

TFCC tears often heal on their own if you give plenty of rest to your wrists. For this, you can wear a splint or cast, as it will immobilize your wrist and prevent it from moving. Another way to get rid of the pain is using pain relievers like ibuprofen or naproxen. You can also get corticosteroid injections to reduce the inflammation and pain.

Besides, doing gentle exercises also helps to improve your range of motion, flexibility, and strength. However partial tears can be treated with Regenerative orthobiologics and complete tears might require surgical repairs .So, you can regain your wrist’s full function after 12 weeks of surgery.

TFCC Tear: Recovery and Rehabilitation

A triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) tear is a wrist injury that can cause pain, instability, and limited motion. Recovery and rehabilitation focus on reducing discomfort, restoring strength, and regaining functionality.

Key Aspects of Recovery:

Mild tears may be treated with rest, immobilization, and anti-inflammatory medications.
Partial tears will require Regenerative orthobiologics intervention and severe cases may require surgical intervention.
Wearing a wrist brace or splint to immobilize the wrist during the healing process.
Following the physician’s instructions for activity restrictions.

Rehabilitation Process:

Gentle stretching exercises to improve flexibility.
Strengthening exercises targeting wrist and forearm muscles.
Resuming daily tasks and sports gradually to avoid re-injury.
Monitoring for persistent pain or instability.
Proper care and a tailored rehabilitation program can significantly improve outcomes for individuals with TFCC tears.

How do you prevent TFCC tears? Prevention Tips for Avoiding TFCC Tear

You can prevent TFCC tears by doing warm-up exercises before engaging in any heavy activity that involves arm or wrist twisting.
You should always strengthen your muscles by doing proper exercises.
Try to walk mindfully to avoid sudden falls.

When to See a Doctor?

If you have suffered minor injuries to your TFCC, you can cure them without any crucial treatment. That means you have to do some basic exercises or wrist stretching to regain the strength of your TFCC. However, If you do not feel acute pain in your wrist, consult an expert doctor for an in-depth diagnosis, and the best treatment option.

Conclusion

TFCC tears are common, especially in older people. If untreated, they can cause long-term problems. Thus, proper treatment is necessary, and you can trust the Axis Clinics for that.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a TFCC injury feel like?

Feelings of TFCC injury are equal to TFCC tear symptoms. The symptoms will include acute pain in the wrist of your hand. You may experience inflammation and swelling around the wrist of your hand. If you have a TFCC injury, it may include clicking and popping sound-like symptoms in your hand. To get relief from the acute pain, you have to visit a physician who can treat your injury scientifically.

Can TFCC tears heal on their own?

In most cases, TFCC tears heal on their own with some minor therapy or rest. Sometimes, TFCC can be severely injured, which needs surgery to be cured. After your surgery, TFCC will take almost 3 months to regain its proper strength. You have to choose a renowned therapist to get appropriate treatment.

Is TFCC tears an accidental case?

Yes, in most cases, TFCC tears happen due to accidents like falling on your wrist or hand. A sudden fall can cause severe TFCC tears, so you should be very careful. If you are experiencing any symptoms related to TFCC tears, you should visit a therapy clinic immediately.

How can TFCC tears be prevented?

Some basic precautions can prevent triangular fibrocartilage complex tears. Before doing any heavy wrist exercise, you should warm up your muscles. Despite that, when you are lifting any object, you should always pick it up properly. These are the most common ways by which your TFCC can get injuries.