The excruciating pain in my wrist was just diagnosed as intersection syndrome. What is it, and what is it that intersects to cause such pain?

Intersection syndrome is a painful condition of the forearm and wrist. It can affect people who do repeated wrist actions, such as weight lifters, downhill skiers, and canoeists. Heavy raking or shoveling can also cause intersection syndrome.

The pain from intersection syndrome is usually felt on the top of the forearm, about three inches above the wrist. At this spot, two muscles cross over–or intersect–two underlying wrist tendons.