5 Mobility Stretches to Ease Achey Wrists
Do your wrists give you issues when you're working out during exercises like presses or pushups? What about in your normal everyday life, when you type on the computer?
In the latest installment of “The Fix” with physical therapist Daniel Giordano, DPT, PT, CSCS and Samuel Chan, DPT, ATC, CSCS of Bespoke Treatments, Giordano provides the rundown on five wrist mobility exercises. These moves are great for everyone, whether you’re a weightlifter or simply spend too much time at a desk.
Follow along with Giordano to see all the stretches in action, then put them into practice to promote pain-free movement.
5 Wrist Mobility Stretches
Wrist Rolls
Do five wrist rolls slowly one way, and then rotate them in the opposite direction. “The main thing we want to do is make sure we get every centimeter of that range of motion,” says Giordano. This will increase mobility and take pressure off of the joint.
The Wave
Interlock your fingers, then create a waving motion. Move through the range of motion and flexion-extension of the wrist.
Wrist Prayer Stretch
Put your hands together into prayer position at chest height. Push them together, keeping the palms and fingers together to create pressure, then move them down in front of you so you get a stretch all the way through your wrist into your forearms.
Forward Back Rocks
This wrist mobility exercise is done on your hands and knees. Rock forward (if you feel pain, you’ve gone too far) and then rock backwards keeping your hands flat on the ground. Do five of these and then flip your palms over, so they’re facing towards you with your thumbs facing each other on the inside and shift your weight back. Do five of these as well.
Side-to-Side Shift
Also on all fours, plant your palms firmly on the ground facing outward and shift your weight to the right, feel the stretch, and then shift back to center. (These movements should be very small.) Switch and turn your palms inwards (still facing the ceiling) so they’re facing each other. “We're not holding these stretches for long periods of time,” says Giordano. “We're actively stretching or dynamically stretching so that we can temporarily increase that range of motion, blood flow, and circulation back to the area and increase that range of motion, so you have full mobility of that joint.”
Once you complete this stretch, do wrist waves for a few seconds to see how your range of motion is, then do a few wrist circles. Done!
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