How to perform a carpal subluxation manipulation
carpal subluxation manipulation

How to reduce a carpal subluxation?

How to perform manipulation for a carpal subluxation in the wrist?

It is very easy to "reduce" a carpal subluxation in a fast way by using some manipulation techniques. Keep in mind the typical clinical image whereby extension is slighty limited and painful (in case of a dorsal carpal subluxation). Sometimes the subluxation goes together with a dorsal ligamentous lesion, which needs to be treated separately.

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Grip : for a right wrist, our right thumb is put distally on radius and ulna, our left thumb lies on the carpus. Both thumbs are parallel. Our left fifth finger maintains the patient’s wrist in a mid-position. Execution : the therapist faces away from the patient, in order to build in some traction at the wrist. He stands on one leg, uses part of his body weight in an oblique direction, and performs a few intensive antero-posterior glide movements. After each attempt the range of passive extension is assessed.

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