Working in the warehouse requires heavy use of my arms and hands. The doctor wants to do fusion surgery for my wrist arthritis. Won’t a surgery like this make my wrist and hand too weak to do my heavy job?

A wrist fusion is a tradeoff. You will lose some motion, but you will regain a strong and pain-free wrist. Regaining strength is especially important to younger people who need to work with their hands. These patients need strength more than flexibility. Wrist fusion gives them a strong wrist that is good for gripping. Patients who need more movement than strength should consider another type of operation, such as an artificial wrist joint replacement.