Our wrists are one of the most delicate parts of our bodies and perhaps the most delicate part we use when exercising. It comprises several small bones and joints that connect the lower part of our arms to our hands. Because of the role they play in the way we move, our wrists are a pivot point for a ton of daily activities – both in and out of the gym.
With that said, if you haven’t exercised in a long time or you’re a beginner altogether, then you may find that your wrists are hurting when you’re performing planks, push-ups, pull-ups, and other movements that involve your upper body and require for your hands to engage in the exercise truly. However, this pain is not always a reason to worry, and it definitely doesn’t mean you should give up on your training. Instead, allow us to walk you through all the reasons why your wrists may hurt during exercise and help you explore ways to prevent it by learning more about the benefits of wrist wraps.
So let’s get started.
What Causes Wrist Pain?
There are several reasons why your wrists might be hurting during exercise. They include – improper positioning of the wrists, overuse, or simply overloading them. If you haven’t trained for a year and you suddenly decide to go to the gym and work out for an hour, doing all sorts of movements that put pressure on the wrist tendons – then you shouldn’t be surprised it starts to hurt after because you’ve simply exhausted it. Additionally, if you go to the gym every day and you play another kind of sport, your wrists are likely also getting overused, leading to their tendons becoming painful, inflamed, and swollen – a condition that over time can turn into tendonitis or something more permanent and serious.
Another issue that can cause wrist pain is limited shoulder mobility. If you’re unable to move your shoulders through the full range of motion, your forearms and your wrists will take on more of the load during a workout, ultimately leading to increased inflammation in that part of the body.
Finally, not having proper form during an exercise, especially if you’re performing multiple sets and reps or if you’re lifting heavy weights, can lead to wrist pain and potentially other issues. That’s why if you’re a beginner or if you’re doubting your technique, you should consult with a personal trainer just to make sure you’re not hurting yourself.
How to Prevent Wrist Pain
First and foremost, if your wrist pain is caused by overexercising, then you should take a rest and follow the doctor’s orders on how to treat the inflammation. However, if your wrists are currently doing okay and you’re wondering how you can prevent future issues, then let’s take a look at a few things you can do.
Strengthening Your Wrists
One way to make sure your wrists can take the load of your workouts is by strengthening them. This is done by performing specific exercises such as a farmer’s walk and wrist flexion and extension with a dumbbell. Additionally, you can squeeze a specific ball for physical therapy that works the muscles of the forearm and thus improves the strength of the tissue that surrounds the wrist joints and tendons.
Protect Your Wrists
One of the benefits of wrist wraps is that they give you a way to protect your wrists by wrapping them securely. This can also be done with athletic tape or with a wrist brace, and it’s mandatory for people who have had serious wrist injuries and are returning to training. By doing so, you will ensure that your wrists are provided with extra stability and are kept in a neutral position so that they’re not bending one way or another and getting inflamed.
Maintain Proper Form
Performing exercises with bad form is a certain way to inflame your tendons and get wrist pain quickly. Especially if you’re consistent with the incorrect form, to avoid that, you should either consult with a professional on the correct way to perform each exercise or if you don’t have the means for that, you have to at least research online and get educated on the proper form of all the main movements including push-ups, pull-ups, deadlifts, presses and more. By taking those precautions, you will minimize the damage your wrists take and will decrease the odds of getting injured.
In Conclusion
Hopefully, this article helped you learn more about what you can do to avoid pain and protect your wrists during exercise. If you’re noticing any discomfort during your workouts, you should look for the reason immediately, as waiting and training through the pain will only make the situation worse and may lead to serious injuries that will take months to heal.