Long hours of typing, intense workout sessions, and other household activities can lead to painful and tired wrists. You’ll often feel this type of discomfort when you’re finally slowing down after a long day or right after strenuous activities.
4-10 million people experience wrist pain or carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel occurs when the median nerve is pressed or squeezed in your wrist. Additionally, the pain you feel can also be a sign of inflamed tendons that connect muscles to your bone, also known as tendonitis. Carpal tunnel, tendonitis, and other similar injuries may require serious medical attention from a hand doctor, especially if the pain is frequent.
The reason people get wrist pain is because of the stress your wrists absorb due to repetitive motions. These activities include typing for hours, engaging in different sports, and other activities requiring frequent hand and wrist movement. Repetitive exercises, such as planks or anything that involves carrying heavy equipment, may cause pain and discomfort.
If you’re experiencing discomfort in your wrists, one of the best ways to relieve yourself of the pain is by doing simple stretches. Stretching keeps your tissues from causing any strain. By doing some stretches, you are taking preventative measures to combat injuries such as tendonitis and carpal tunnel.
Now that you know the causes of your wrist pain, it is best to take necessary measures to relieve yourself from discomfort and pain. Here’s a list of different wrist stretches you can do to ease the strain on your wrists and prevent them from getting worse.
Under the wrist stretches
The following stretches are perfect for the back of your forearm to your palm. These stretches work that area around the wrists and give you more space for movements.
Stretch #1: Stand or sitting
First, you want to stretch your arm in front of you with your palm open facing the ceiling. You will then turn your palm down to make fingertips point to the ground. With your available arm, pull your fingertips and thumb down. This will allow you to stretch your palm and the bottom of your wrists. Hold this for a few more seconds and switch arms.
Stretch #2: Hand and knees
Grab a mat and get in an all-fours position. Make sure your knees are aligned with your hips, and your arms are beneath your shoulders. Slowly turn your right hand toward your knees’ direction to feel the back of your wrists stretch. Hold it for a few more breaths and switch to your other wrist.
Front of the wrist stretches
Stretch #3: Stand or sitting/hand and knees
Like the two stretches for the area under your wrists, you would want to modify these movements to help stretch the front of your wrists. Instead of your palms facing upwards, let them face the ground, point your fingers down, and pull with your available hand for the stand or sitting stretch. For the hand knees, lightly apply pressure on the front of your palms and stretch to specific directions.
You shouldn’t feel any pain during these stretches, but it is best to get proper hand pain treatment immediately if you do.
Other hand stretches
Other hand stretches can help relieve your discomfort. Simply clasping your palms to a fist, spreading your fingers open, and repeating this for 10 times will allow blood circulation and stretching. When you get proper medical assistance, your doctor may give you other stretches that are more suitable for your condition.
Conclusion
Different arm activities and repetitions can cause strain to your wrists and may affect how you work. By practicing arm and wrist stretches, you are not only relieving your wrists from pain, but you’re also helping the muscles and tissues around that area recover. If you’re experiencing severe pain, don’t ignore these strains and seek hand pain treatments from a professional right away.
If you’re looking for medical professionals who can assist you with hand pain treatments, our team at North Florida Hand & Wrist Center can provide you with these services. We take pride in our state-of-the-art surgical facility staffed by dedicated practitioners to relieve you from hand or wrist pain and discomfort. Book an appointment with us today!
