How these injuries happen at work
Your hands do almost all of the work, so they get hurt in many ways. A slip on a wet floor or icy lot often ends with a hand thrown out to catch the fall, which can break or sprain a wrist. Fingers get crushed in machinery, slammed in doors and tailgates, or pulled into conveyor belts.
Other hand and wrist problems build slowly. Typing, scanning, gripping tools and using vibrating equipment all day can lead to pain, tingling, numbness or weakness in the hand, wrist and elbow. These repetitive strain problems are common in offices, warehouses, assembly lines and trades.
Hands are complex. Small bones, tendons and nerves sit close together, so an injury that looks minor can affect movement or feeling. If you notice numbness, trouble bending a finger or weak grip, mention it to your clinician.
Common situations
- Slipped on a wet floor at work
- Slipped on ice in the work parking lot
- Tripped over cords at the office
- Fell off a step stool stocking shelves
- Crushed my finger in machinery
- Hand caught in a conveyor belt
- Hand slammed in a door or tailgate
- Lost a finger in a machine at work
- Elbow pain from using tools all day
- Repetitive strain from typing
- Carpal tunnel from work
- Trigger finger from gripping tools
- Numb hands from vibrating tools
- Tendonitis from assembly line work
- Wrist and shoulder pain from scanning at a register
- Restaurant kitchen burn
- Cut my hand on a machine
- Deep knife cut in a restaurant kitchen
Getting medical care
People with hand and wrist injuries are often referred to hand and upper extremity specialists, orthopedics and physical or hand therapy. A licensed clinician decides what care is appropriate after an evaluation.
Some states and employers have rules about which provider you see first and whether you can see a hand specialist. Ask your employer or the adjuster how referrals work.
If you are given prescriptions, a splint or a brace, ask the pharmacy and the adjuster how work-injury prescriptions and supplies are handled. Many prescriptions can be filled locally or delivered to your home.
Prescribed medication? Learn about prescription home delivery and medications often used after work injuries.
Reporting it and the claim process
Workers' compensation generally may cover medical care and part of lost wages for job-related hand and wrist injuries, depending on your state and situation. That can include sudden injuries and, in many states, problems that build over time.
Deadlines to report and file a claim vary by state. Check with your state's workers' compensation agency as soon as possible. For repetitive strain, the starting point for a deadline can be unclear, so do not wait to report once you connect the pain to your job.
Keep a log of your daily tasks, symptoms and missed work. Keep copies of every report, restriction and bill.
When people often talk to an attorney
- A crush, cut or amputation leaves you with lasting loss of grip, feeling or motion.
- A machine, door or tailgate may have been defective or unguarded, raising third-party questions.
- Your claim for repetitive strain is denied because the insurer says it is not work-related.
- Surgery or hand therapy your doctor requested is delayed or denied.
- You cannot return to a job that depends on your hands.
Recovery and going back to work
Hand recovery often depends on therapy. Do the exercises you are given, wear any splint as directed and tell your clinician about numbness, stiffness or swelling.
One-handed or modified duty is common while a hand or wrist heals. Ask your employer for any offer in writing and share it with your doctor. For repetitive strain, ask whether your workstation, tools or task rotation can be adjusted.
Stay in touch with your adjuster and keep copies of all records. If your grip or feeling does not fully return, tell your doctor so it is documented.
Questions to ask
- Can I be referred to a hand specialist?
- Is hand therapy part of my care plan, and how are visits approved?
- Are splints or braces covered under my claim?
- Is one-handed or modified work available?
- Can my workstation or tools be adjusted?
- How are prescriptions handled, and can they be delivered?
- What deadlines apply for repetitive strain injuries in my state?
If it just happened
Emergency? Call 911- 1Call 911 if a hand is caught in a machine, a finger is crushed or partly cut off, or bleeding will not stop.
- 2Shut down a machine only if it is safe and you are trained; do not reach into moving parts.
- 3Remove rings and watches before swelling sets in, if you can do so gently.
- 4Keep the hand raised and still and press on any bleeding with a clean cloth.
- 5Tell your supervisor and report the injury in writing. Keep a copy.
- 6Write down what happened and who saw it; for slow-building pain, write down when it started and which tasks make it worse.
General information only — not medical or legal advice.
Other body parts & industries
Frequently asked questions
What should I do if I hurt my hand at work?
Protect the hand, press on any bleeding, and call 911 if a finger is crushed, cut off or caught in a machine. Report hand & wrist injuries at work in writing and get checked by a clinician.
Is carpal tunnel from work covered by workers' comp?
Repetitive strain problems in the hand and wrist may be covered in many states, depending on your situation. The rules for gradual injuries vary. Report it in writing once you connect it to your job.
I fell and hurt my wrist. Is it broken?
Only a clinician can tell, often with imaging. Wrist fractures can feel like sprains. Get checked and report the fall in writing.
What kind of doctor treats hand injuries from work?
Hand and upper extremity specialists and orthopedic doctors often treat hand injuries, along with hand or physical therapists. Your treating clinician will decide on referrals after an evaluation.
Can I keep working with a hand injury?
Sometimes, with one-handed or modified duty, depending on your doctor's restrictions. Ask your employer for any light duty in writing.
My hand got caught in a conveyor belt. What now?
Get emergency care right away. Once safe, report the injury in writing and note the machine and whether guards were in place. Some people choose to consult an attorney if equipment issues are involved.
Prescriptions.plus is an educational portal. We are not a pharmacy, law firm, medical provider, insurer or claims administrator, and nothing here is medical or legal advice. Educational purposes only. Workers' compensation rules and deadlines vary by state — check with your state's workers' compensation agency. Medical emergency? Call 911. Hurt outside of work? Personal-injury legal help: attorneys.plus (coming soon).