Daily Mobility Exercises by Dr. Kelly Starrett › Forums › General › Ganglion Cysts of the wrist

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    • 03/19/2015 at 8:03 pm #71298
      AvatarJOHN NICHOLS
      Participant

      Hi MWod, 

      I am currently dealing with a small ganglion cyst in my left wrist and looking for some advice/ remedies to help get rid of it. I figured I could ask here to see how other crossfit athletes have dealt with the same problem.The cyst was brought on by a 300lb front squat with the bar pressing on j the knuckle of the left hand (I had to front squat with 1 hand in the front rack (left) and the other just floating out in front (right) not touching the bar due to a past injury to my right wrist). Although I know this is not the correct technique, it is not how I normally front squat, and I couldn’t keep the bar on me any other way, I made a poor decision in the heat of the moment. 
      The cyst is in my left hand, very small, and located on the dorsal part of the hand over the 3rd and 4th extensor compartment. It is causing impingement and pain in my left hand when I put the wrist in extension. Any pushing movements seem to just aggravate the cyst. I also noticed my left forearm has become severely tight and knotted. I have had the cyst viewed twice by ultrasound, it located just above the retinaculum, and it appears to come from in-between my wrist bones (like a stereotypical ganglion). 
      Although this may seem like a minor issue, about a year ago I had the same thing occur in my right hand, and I kept training hoping it would just pop. However, it ended up calcifying, pressing on a nerve, severely limiting extension,  and causing my thumb, index, and middle fingers to go numb and stay that way for about 6 months (I am a college student who was taking classes at the time so surgery wasn’t an option right away). I had a surgery to remove the cyst on my right hand, and 8 months later my right hand is still not right, I cannot use it for crossfit. I really just don’t want the same thing to happen to my left hand.

      Here’s what I have been doing in attempts to get rid of the small ganglion in my left hand
      1) graston work 2x a week on the left forearm, followed by heating for 15 minutes with an electrical blanket
      2) About a  month ago, I went to an orthopedist to have it drained, he said it was too small to drain the cyst and opted to fenestrate it with a small gauge needle and inject it with cortisone, this treatment was ineffective as I still have the cyst
      3) I have eliminated any pressing movements in my workouts, and opt for light pulling movements instead
      4) Two days ago I went to have acupuncture, which did not reduce the size of the cyst/ or cause it to go away
      5) I have attempted the famed “bible method” although it was ineffective due to the small size/location of the cyst
      I am contemplating getting a second cortisone shot in the left wrist. Any advice anyone could give is much appreciated. Thanks for your time. 


    • 03/22/2015 at 8:42 pm #75878
      AvatarAnonymous
      Guest

      Max–
      I’ve heard you can take a large book ie a dictionary whack it and break it.
      Don’t know if that actually works or not.

    • 03/23/2015 at 7:26 pm #75882
      AvatarAlex Daubon
      Participant

      Glad to see I’m not the only one. I have a small ganglion cyst in my left wrist, the Doctor said it was too small to drain, so I have just been living with it. Sometimes it restricts mobility, the best I can do is stretch wrists daily, and floss every now and then. My Grandfather was a doctor and he said in his day they would wack it with a large book – I think I’d rather just live with it….

    • 03/29/2015 at 9:38 am #75887
      AvatarJOHN NICHOLS
      Participant

      Just wanted to post an update.

      When I reference the bible method, I was alluding to smacking it with a Bible. I tried this many times, with no luck or breaking the cyst.
      I went back for a 2nd cortisone injection under ultrasound, and the doctor couldn’t find the cyst, citing that the cyst was gone put replaced with a large amount of swelling near the ring and pinky finger tendons. He gave me voltaren and told me to apply it 3x daily for 2 weeks. I will repost if I have any luck getting rid of the swelling (even though it still feels like a small cyst to me).
    • 05/17/2015 at 10:59 pm #76019
      AvatarJOHN NICHOLS
      Participant

      anyone know any good minimally invasive hand surgeons? the cyst is only growing and growing. 

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