Wrist Pain and Stiffness Treatment in Mineola, NY

MULLIGAN CONCEPT

Wrist Pain and Stiffness

Wrist pain and stiffness often follow a fall, a fracture and time in a cast, a sprain, or repeated loading such as push-ups, yoga or lifting. At Enhanced Physical Therapy in Mineola, we use Mulligan wrist mobilization with movement to help you bend, extend and turn the wrist with less pain, then rebuild grip and strength.

Certified Mulligan Practitioner Over 10 Years of Experience

Our clinics director is a Certified Mulligan Practitioner (CMP) with over a decade
of experience using this evidence-based approach. Each treatment is customized to
your specific diagnosis and movement limitations to achieve optimal outcomes.

Common signs of wrist pain and stiffness

Stiff wrist after a cast, brace or injury
Pain pushing up from a chair or doing push-ups
Trouble turning your palm up
Weak grip or pain lifting a pan
Pain on the little-finger side of the wrist when twisting

What causes it

Falls on an outstretched hand, sprains, weeks in a cast, repetitive gripping and weight-bearing exercise are common causes.

How we examine it

We screen for fractures and ligament injuries that need imaging, then measure motion, grip and specific wrist tests. We test Mulligan glides during the movement that hurts or is stuck.

Mulligan techniques we use

Radiocarpal MWM. A gentle glide of the wrist bones while you bend or extend the wrist.
Supination MWM. A glide that helps you turn your palm up.
Self-MWM with a strap. A home version, useful for push-up and yoga wrist pain.
Mulligan wrist taping. Tape to support pain-free activity.

What the research says

In a multicenter trial of 67 adults after a wrist fracture (Reid 2020), adding MWM to exercise improved turning the palm up by about 12 degrees at 4 weeks and 8 degrees at 12 weeks, with no difference by 6 to 12 months. In other words, it may speed up early recovery. A case series found wrist self-MWM helped wrist pain with weight-bearing.

What else is in your treatment plan

Your plan includes manual therapy, range of motion work, grip and forearm strengthening, swelling control and practice of daily tasks or sport.

How long recovery takes

After a fracture, most people regain useful function over 2 to 4 months. Sprains and overuse pain often improve within 4 to 8 weeks.

If you are over 65

Wrist fractures from a fall are very common after 50. If you broke your wrist in a simple fall from standing, ask your doctor about a bone density test. As well as restoring wrist movement and grip, we look at your balance and leg strength to help prevent another fall.

When to see a doctor first

Call your doctor, or get urgent care, if you have any of the following:

Pain at the base of the thumb after a fall (possible scaphoid fracture): get an X-ray
Visible deformity
Numbness, color change or a cold hand
Severe swelling
Wrist pain with a hot, red joint

Wrist pain and stiffness treatment near Mineola

Enhanced Physical Therapy is at 137 Willis Ave, Suite 100, Mineola, NY 11501, a short walk from NYU Langone Hospital-Long Island. We see patients from Mineola, Garden City, Williston Park, New Hyde Park, Carle Place, Westbury, Albertson and Manhasset, and across central Nassau County.

Frequently asked questions

Should I get an X-ray for wrist pain?

If you fell on your hand and have certain signs, yes. We screen and refer when needed.

Why is turning my palm up so hard after a fracture?

The forearm joints stiffen during casting. Mulligan techniques may help it return sooner.

Can I keep doing push-ups or yoga?

Often with hand position changes. We guide you.

I broke my wrist in a simple fall. Should I get my bones checked?

If you are over 50, ask your doctor about a bone density test.

Written and clinically reviewed by Jacob Kurian, PT, MSPT, CMP, DPT, Certified Mulligan Practitioner, Enhanced Physical Therapy, Mineola NY. Last updated October 14, 2026.

Move Better, Feel Better

If this is limiting your work, sleep or activity, call Enhanced Physical Therapy at (516) 833-5880 to book an evaluation with Jacob Kurian, Certified Mulligan Practitioner. Mulligan treatment may help reduce pain and improve movement, and we will tell you honestly what to expect.