Wrist pain can be debilitating. It can prevent you from doing the things that you enjoy and greatly reduce your quality of life, depending on its severity. But many people don’t know how to alleviate wrist pain or restore mobility in their wrists. This blog post will give you a few exercises that will help relieve wrist pain and restore mobility in your wrist.
The wrists are one of the most used body parts of a person and are always under demand—leading to frequent aching and general pain. That's why having "proper" wrist flexibility and stability is needed, preventing further wrist injury and pain.
The quick and easy way to avoid wrist pain is by exercising your wrists regularly. These simple exercises will strengthen the muscles that support your wrists, making them less prone to injury as well as more flexible for key activities.
The downside of being so committed to work or school is that it can lead to a lack of exercise. This in turn leads to unhealthy habits like eating poorly, not drinking enough water, and missing periods of sleep which are all bad for healthy living. The good news is there's one thing you can do; take care of yourself in these five ways:
With that in mind, here are some of the best and most effective wrist exercises and stretches to alleviate pain and prevent further issues.
Under the Wrist Stretches
Wrist pain is a very common problem and it can be caused by many different factors. The wrist contains 8 carpal bones that connect the forearm to the hand. In addition, tendons, muscles, arteries and nerves run through this area as well. When any of these structures becomes inflamed or irritated they can cause symptoms such as pain in your hands or wrists and even numbness/tingling in other parts of your body like your arms or legs.
These type of stretches work underneath the wrist, creating more space where the back of the forearm meets your hands' palms, and here are variations to try:
- Talk to the Upside Down Hand - This stretch can be done while sitting down or standing up and can help ease tension on your wrists to your fingertips.
This stretch can be done while sitting down or standing up and can help ease tension on your wrists to your fingertips. Sit with both hands outstretched palms facing each other, then move fingers apart until they meet the edge of a table or desk top. Gently lean forearms onto the surface so that weight is evenly distributed between arms and tabletop. Keep fingers spread wide like claws, lift one arm at a time as high as it will go without bending your wrist back towards you and use gentle pressure from the opposite hand to guide it farther away from the body. Hold for 3-5 seconds before switching sides. You should feel relief after just a few repetitions.
- Wrist Stretch - You can do this exercise on your hands and knees for the best results, restoring your flexibility and range of motion, all while easing the pain.
With this stretch, you can get your wrists back to full function while keeping the pain at bay. How? Just get on your hands and knees with your palms flat on the floor in front of you. Bring one arm forward so that it's just in front of your body and the other arm backward until they're twisted around each other, each hand grasping their own opposite wrist. Slowly straighten out both arms behind you as far as possible without any discomfort before returning them to their original position. Do half a dozen repetitions for each side then repeat on the other side.
You know that feeling when you want to move but can't because it hurts too much? It feels like nothing's helping--like there's no relief coming anytime soon
Front of the Wrist Stretches
Wrist pain is a common complaint for many people, and can be hard to treat. There are several different things you can do to help prevent wrist pain or ease the discomfort if it develops. Stretching your front of your wrist area will increase blood flow, which helps with healing and relieves stiffness.
Front of the wrist stretches work the top of your forearm into your hand, and the most common varieties include:
- Bent Wrist - This exercise can help ease pain and reduce swelling, healing your overall wrists.
- Fist to Fan - This is an excellent wrist exercise that can ease a day's worth of work tension in seconds.
- Thumb Touches - This exercise is a great way to strengthen your fingers, hands, and wrists, helping prevent further injury.
- Moving Prayer Stretch - This stretch is a common yoga pose that aids your lower back muscles along the spine and is also an excellent exercise for your wrists.
Conclusion
Exercising not only eases the pain on your wrists but can also improve mobility, reducing the chance of getting injured over time.
The best part is, wrist stretches and exercises are easy to do, and you can do them at home or the office, helping you ensure optimal wrist and general hand health. However, if you're still experiencing chronic pain despite trying the exercises mentioned, it's time to set an appointment with a chiropractor.