Stiff wrists? These exercises may help
What's the story
Wrist strength and flexibility are important for daily activities, sports, and other exercises. Doing wrist exercises regularly can help you avoid injuries, perform better during physical activities, and ease the pain of repetitive tasks. Adding a few simple exercises to your routine can go a long way in improving your wrist health. Here are five effective exercises to improve the strength and flexibility of your wrists.
Rotation
Wrist rotations
Wrist rotations are another excellent way to warm up the joints and increase flexibility. Just extend your arm in front of you with your palm facing down. Rotate your wrist clockwise slowly for 10 repetitions, and then switch to counterclockwise for another 10 repetitions. This loosens up the muscles around the wrist joint and promotes better range of motion.
Flexor stretch
Wrist flexor stretch
The wrist flexor stretch focuses on the muscles underneath the forearm. Stretch one arm straight out with your palm facing up. Pull back on the fingers with the other hand gently until you feel a stretch along the forearm. Hold the position for 15 to 30 seconds before switching arms. This stretch is helpful for alleviating tension from prolonged typing/gripping activities.
Extensor stretch
Wrist extensor stretch
This exercise targets the muscles on top of the forearm. Extend one arm with your palm facing down and use your other hand to gently push down on the back of your hand until you feel a stretch on the top side of your forearm. Hold this position for fifteen to thirty seconds before repeating on the other arm.
Resistance band
Resistance band exercise
Using a resistance band can effectively build wrist strength over time. Secure one end of a resistance band underfoot while holding on to it with one hand at waist level, palm facing upwards or downwards depending on preference or targeted muscle group (flexors vs. extensors). Slowly curl or extend against resistance provided by the band; repeat 12 times per set across three sets per session.
Ball squeeze
Ball squeeze exercise
The ball squeeze exercise is simple but effective in building grip strength as well as overall wrist stability through successive contractions against resistance. This is done by squeezing an object such as a stress ball tightly held between the fingers and palm area repeatedly over a period of time (lasting roughly five minutes daily). Always remember to perform this exercise without straining or risking injury factors involved during the execution phase itself.