In today’s digital age, our wrists bear the brunt of our busy lifestyles. From tapping away on keyboards to gripping handheld devices to doing things like push-ups, planks, and downward dog, it’s no wonder wrist pain is a common complaint among fitness enthusiasts, office workers, and athletes alike. But many of us don’t think about wrists are until we’ve got wrist pain.
As a personal trainer and yoga teacher, one of the most common requests I receive is for stretches to ease wrist discomfort experienced during workouts and yoga classes. Now I love stretching, however many of the skills in which people experience wrist pain already passively stretch wrists to their full range of extension, which happens when you close the distance between the back of your hand and the top of your forearm.
Additionally, many of us spend a significant amount of time tapping away on devices like keyboards and cellphones which require holding wrists in a static position for extended periods.
While stretching may feel good and can temporarily ease discomfort as it has a short-term analgesic (pain-reducing) effect, for longer-term relief strengthening the wrists is the way to go.
This 10-minute routine has five simple exercises for wrist pain that help by strengthening the muscles that support the wrists. It’s a good idea to approach any new exercises gradually to give your body time to adapt. Start with one set of 8-10 repetitions one or two times a week and slowly increase to as many as two to three sets of up to 15 repetitions two times a week.
Ready to get started? Grab a light dumbbell, a resistance band, and a hammer, and let’s take the first step towards healthier, more resilient wrists. Your wrists will thank you for it! —Karin
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