Wrist Pain: 2 Simple Exercises to Relieve Wrist Pain and Prevent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

When you have wrist pain, it can feel sad and frustrating. You start to worry about carpal tunnel syndrome. Will you need to wear a brace or, worse yet, have surgery? Fortunately, there are some simple wrist exercises that can alleviate pain and worry.

Muscle, bone and fascial restrictions.
Carpal tunnel symptoms develop from repetitive movement of the wrist and from holding the hands in awkward positions. Over time, the forearm muscles become overloaded. The bones of the hands and wrists change position. Your connective tissue, or fascia, becomes tight and restricted.

As these tissues change, they restrict blood flow and nerve conduction. Your arms and wrists may have sensations of:

or muscle tension
or sharp or stabbing pains,
or dull aches or persistent aches,
or numbness and tingling, and
or muscle weakness.

Movement and therapeutic exercises.
A common movement that causes these problems is extension of the wrist. Your arms point downward (towards a keyboard or desk, for example), while your hands remain raised. The angle of your wrist is compromised.

Keeping the wrist extended for long periods of time, such as continuous work shifts without breaks, will quickly give you problems.

But if wrist extension is the root of your pain, you can prevent these problems and get immediate relief with a few exercises. These exercises will flex your wrists, giving your muscles the opposite workload and maintaining your balance.

Isometric resistance means you don’t need weights, tubes, or any exercise equipment. Practice them throughout the day, as often as you need them.

First wrist flexion exercise: Sit at a desk, stand by a counter, or stand next to a flat surface. With your palm facing up and your wrist flat, press your fingertips against the bottom of the flat surface. Keep your fingers straight and flat so that the focus is on the wrist. Press firmly against the surface. Hold for 10-20 seconds.

Second Wrist Flexion Exercise: Similar to the first exercise, find a flat surface where you can press your bottom, such as your desk, a counter, or a table. Instead of pressing with the pads of your fingers, you will press with the palms of your hands. Start the pressure from the palms of the hands, keeping the wrists straight or slightly bent. Again, hold for 10-20 seconds. You should feel this in your forearms more than the first exercise.

Feel it.
You should feel these exercises in your forearm and wrist muscles. Check that your wrists and fingers are straight and flat. The intent of these exercises is to strengthen the wrist and arm, but not to strengthen the fingers.

If you feel sharp pain, reposition your arms and wrists so they are straight or slightly bent. Avoid wrist extension, as described earlier in this article. If you still feel pain while holding the correct position, try using less force while pressing up. Start off gently and build strength as you practice.

If your wrist pain comes from work, print this article and keep it handy during your workday so you can easily and properly follow these exercises for faster relief.