Sore Wrists? The Exercises Giving Me My Flexibility Back

As someone who types all day for work, I battle chronic wrist pain. My wrists ache and feel stiff, making daily tasks a struggle. I worried I’d have to live with this discomfort as an inevitable side effect of typing. Recently though, I came across some simple stretches and movements that have transformed my tender wrists. Now they feel strong and flexible, allowing me to work and play pain-free.

In an instructional video, a physical therapist explained how to “build strength and flexibility in your wrist so your wrists will feel amazing again”. He shared that many people struggle holding plank and push-up positions “without feeling pain in their wrist” because those moves require major mobility. The good news? There are easy modifications to build up wrist strength over time.

First, try planks on your knuckles instead of flat hands. Get in push-up position and rest on your "first two Knuckles and really squeeze your fist tight to make sure that you have a nice tight wrist". This takes pressure off tender wrists. You can also grab inexpensive push-up handles. These “put your wrist in a neutral position it's no longer bent backwards like this anymore causing pain.” They let me do planks comfortably while working towards flat hand strength.

For direct wrist stretching, he recommended a simple move on all fours. Turn hands outwards so fingertips face knees. Press fingers actively into the ground, then sit hips back towards heels for a deep stretch. Do 30 seconds palms down, then flip to stretch the backs of wrists too.

Building coordination is also key. He cued watchers to “take your hand out like this and I want you to slowly do a wrist Circle” around the middle finger. Work on smooth motions in both directions to “gain the access that you need to the muscles that make those movements smooth". My wrists feel more supple just by doing slow circles while I watch TV!

Finally, close and open the hands to create strength. “Extend your hands so spread your fingers lock your elbows and bring the backs of your hands towards the backs of your forearms.” Then reverse the motion, stretching the fingers wide. Simply alternating these wrists curls has relieved tension and restored my range of motion.

I’m thrilled that these basic stretches and movements have given me my flexibility back. My wrists feel supple and pain-free thanks to strategically building strength through my routine. Typing and lifting no longer bother my joints. If you also suffer from wrist pain, give these exercises a try before resorting to braces or medication.