The wrist, like any joint, requires a certain amount of motion in order to properly function. A lack of mobility and strength in it can increase your risk for injury. Let’s be real though, the wrist is often neglected in most people’s training. Don’t you think? Deficits in strength and mobility of the wrist are relatively common, and lead to frequent complaints of wrist pain, or the constant use of wrist wraps among athletes (especially weightlifters). If you find yourself stopping to shake out your wrists during your training, then this conversation is for you.
Wrist: The Forgotten Joint and How to Take Care of It
Our bodies need more TLC than most of us give them. Mobility is not glamorous, but neither is pain and the skipped workouts that result. With that in mind, your wrists should not be something you address only after they start to hurt. While no one likes homework, you should work on your wrist health every day, whether it’s a training day or a rest day. A wrist routine I encourage focuses on three stretches and three strength movements.
Rotate your hands out, palms facing down, until your fingers are pointing back towards your body. While keeping your arms straight and continuously driving the heel of your hand into the floor, lean back to get your shoulders as far behind your hands as possible. Repeat 10 times, attempting to increase your range of motion with each repetition.
Begin with your palms facing down and planted to the floor, similar to the last stretch. Your fingers should point out and away from each other, and your arms should once again be straight. From this position, while maintaining straight arms, shift your body weight around your wrists in a slow and deliberate fashion, mapping out the periphery of a circle. Focus on really pushing your mobility at the wrists, leaning your body over them as far as possible with each angle of motion. Complete five large, deliberate circles in each direction (clockwise and counterclockwise).
This is the final stretch, and tends to be the most difficult for people. Place your hands palm-up on the floor in a wide grip, with your fingers pointing towards your body. From this position, perform a push up motion with a deliberate lockout at the top position, forcing a deep stretch in the wrist and forearm. Repeat this for 10 deliberate push ups.
All of this wrist work should only take about 1-2 minutes a day, and will help provide the mobility and strength through your wrists’ natural range of motion to help protect them from injury.
To know more, especially how to get rid of a limp wrist, head to this link: http://breakingmuscle.com/fitness/the-forgotten-joint-wrist-mobility-and-strength
Here’s another resource you can look into: http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/carpal-tunnel/preventing-carpal-tunnel-syndrome
Here’s a related video you might like:
Now you know how to take care of your wrist. Ready to do the exercises?
Here’s an additional article in case you’ve broken your wrist recently: https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/aftercareinformation/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=uf7416