Wrist pain tends to be a common complaint of people. If you've had this before, it's a good idea to check your posture first to make sure there's nothing wrong with the wrist causing the wrist to press wrongly. If there are no errors in your posture, or the pain persists even after the error has been corrected, there are ways to change the exercise and prevent wrist pain. However, you should consult a doctor to make sure the pain is not caused by a wrist injury.
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Method 1 of 3: Perfecting Your Attitude
Step 1. Warm up your wrists and hands
You can warm up before starting your workout, but it's also a good idea to warm up your hands and wrists if you're planning on doing push-ups, especially if your wrist hurts during exercise.
- Warm up your wrists and hands and build flexural wrist strength, holding one hand and spreading your fingers apart.
- One at a time starting with the thumb, rotate each finger clockwise, then several times counterclockwise. Suppose you are drawing a circle with that finger. Focus on not moving the other finger.
- If you can't draw a circle with one finger without moving the other finger, this could indicate weakness in the hand and wrist muscles that will need to be addressed over time. Continue with one hand and make every effort to move only the rotated finger. After that, switch to the other hand.
- After completing this simple warm-up, your wrists and hands should feel warm, limp, and fresher than before.
Step 2. Check the position of the hands
Placing your hands too far or too close in front of you can put additional stress on your wrists. Turning the hand in or out also places the wrist at an awkward angle and can cause unnecessary stress.
- While in the normal push-up position, stop and look at your hands. Both should face forward, with all parts of the hands and fingers firmly on the floor.
- If your palms are cupped or you lift your fingers, all the pressure is put on the base of your palms and causes pain.
- Make sure your wrists are directly under your shoulders when your arms are fully extended, not in front or behind you. It's a good idea to ask someone else to look at the attitude of your hand and correct any mistakes.
Step 3. Avoid spreading your elbows
As a beginner, you may want to do push-ups by spreading your elbows out to your sides instead of keeping them close and bending them behind your body.
- Even if you do this to make the push-up easier, if you continue this stance, it will put too much strain on your wrist. Spreading the elbows can also cause elbow or shoulder injuries if not corrected.
- When doing push-ups, both elbows should be bent back, close to the sides, at an angle of about 45 degrees.
- If you're not sure where your elbows are, do a few push-ups and have someone else watch and watch your elbows. He will be able to better monitor your training attitude.
- Practice proper technique by pushing against the wall while standing. This way, you can feel the sensation of correct elbow bending during push-ups and understand it better.
Step 4. Engage the core muscles
Push-ups are not just an upper body exercise. If you do push-ups using only your upper body strength without using your core muscles, the extra pressure on your wrists can cause pain.
- You are not working your core muscles properly if one part of your body is slower to move than the rest of your body when doing push-ups. For example, if your waist hangs down, or your lower body rises after your upper body.
- If you notice your back swinging, or arching in your lower back, you'll need additional training to build core strength before continuing with push-ups so that you can do the exercise correctly without putting too much stress on your wrists.
- Do planks instead of push-ups to build core strength. It's a good idea to start with a half-plank, which means going down with your forearms, rather than your palms limiting pressure on your wrists.
Method 2 of 3: Changing Exercises
Step 1. Try rolling your wrist
Rolling your wrists during push-ups will give your wrists more relief while strengthening your forearms and wrists. Thanks to stronger wrists and forearms, regular push-ups can be done without pain.
- Make fists and start the push-up by placing your knuckles on the floor. Roll your fist forward, and try to touch the tip of your thumb against the floor. Both arms will be straight in this position.
- When rolling back, reverse the same rolling motion, but this time try to stick the base of the fist to the floor. Your elbows will bend, working your triceps, and you can feel a stretch in your wrist. To do a rolled wrist push-up, simply continue this back-and-forth roll-up for the same number of reps as a normal push-up.
- It's a good idea to start this push-up variation from a crawling position to support your weight more firmly. Gradually move your knees back until you can do this exercise in a full push-up position on your fingertips.
Step 2. Transfer your weight to your fingertips
To do this, assume that you are trying to hold onto a basketball as you begin the push-up position and push against the floor with your fingertips.
- Keep your palms flat, not cupped. You simply transfer the weight off your wrists so that you're not overly burdened by the weight or force of the push-up.
- Be sure to also keep the fingers flat. Do not curl your fingers on the floor as this can put unnecessary pressure on the finger joints.
Step 3. Raise your upper body
Changing the position of your hands can help limit wrist pain during push-ups and planks. Raising your upper body will reduce the percentage of weight your hands and wrists naturally carry.
- For example, you could place your hands on a bench or step that is a few inches from the floor. The rest, the movement is the same as a regular push-up.
- Do not forget that you still have to monitor a good attitude. Elbows should be bent back, and back straight so that the whole body moves up and down as a unit.
Step 4. Use dumbbells
Hold dumbbells when doing push-ups to keep your wrists straight, and relieve the pressure you are carrying. The size or weight of the dumbbells doesn't matter as they will rest on the floor. Dumbbells just need to be big enough to be gripped comfortably and heavy so they don't shift as you train.
- Have one dumbbell on each shoulder. When you enter the push-up position, grip the dumbbell handles with your palms facing each other.
- If the handle of the dumbbell rubs against your palm too hard, wrap it in a towel so it's easier to grip.
Method 3 of 3: Stretching and Strengthening the Wrist
Step 1. Perform finger pulse or palm pulse
This exercise can help strengthen the muscles in your hands and wrists. Apart from being used for strength training separately, you can also use it to warm up your hands, fingers, and forearms before doing push-ups.
- To do a finger pulse, place your fingertips on the floor with your palms up and then push. You can do this while sitting or crawling to support your weight. Do not do it from a push-up position. Feel the finger flexors stretch and release with each thrust. Do this exercise gently for about 12 repetitions.
- A palm pulse is similar to a calf raise, in that you raise your heel while keeping your toes and base on the floor; the difference, palm pulse trains the forearm. Strong forearms can help prevent wrist pain during push-ups.
- To do a palm pulse, both hands should be flat and firmly on the floor, just below the shoulders as if you were doing a normal push-up. You can do this from your knees to support your weight. Raise your palms while keeping your fingers and base of your knuckles flat on the floor, then gently lower them. Do as many as 12-14 repetitions.
Step 2. Release the wrist
Wrist releases can be done while standing or sitting, and will help stretch the wrist and muscles in the hand. Relax your wrists so they can handle the pressure of doing push-ups.
- Straighten your right arm forward, palm facing up. Bend your right wrist down and back so that your palm is now facing you and your fingers pointing toward the floor.
- Spread your fingers apart, then use the fingers of your left hand to pull your thumb back until you feel a stretch. Hold this position, breathe deeply and spread your fingers apart. Your fingers may tend to tighten or curl. Counter this tendency by keeping your fingers straight.
- After a few breaths, release your thumb and switch to your index finger. Continue the same movement for all fingers of the right hand, then lower the right arm and straighten the left arm to do the same.
Step 3. Try the gorilla pose
There are yoga poses that can help stretch and strengthen the wrist. Gorilla pose is done by bending deeply forward until both palms are under the soles of both feet.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend forward from the waist, bending both knees as much as possible so that both hands can rest firmly on the floor.
- Bend your wrists forward so that your palms are facing up and your back is against the ground. Raise your toes and slide your hands under your feet. Your fingers should point to the heel.
- While breathing deeply, massage the ankle joint with your toes. Hold the position for 20 breaths before returning to standing.
Step 4. Increase the range of motion of the wrist
The muscles and tendons in the hand and forearm move the wrist and finger joints. Regular range of motion exercises can help prevent wrist pain during push-ups. Do the exercise with one wrist at a time, and don't forget to work the other wrist.
- Use a towel rolled up on the edge of the table as a pillow, and spread your forearms along the table so that your hands hang over the edges. Slowly move your hands up until you feel a stretch, and hold them for 5-10 seconds, then release them to the starting position. Do 10 reps of the exercise, then rotate your arms so your palms are facing up and do 10 more reps.
- You can practice wrist supination and pronation while standing or sitting with your elbows bent at a 90-degree angle so your palms are facing the floor. Rotate your forearm to turn your palm so that it faces up, hold for 5-10 seconds, then turn back. Do 10 repetitions of the exercise.
- Ulnar and radial deviations are sideways movements of the wrist. Using a rolled-up towel on the edge of the table, rest your forearms along the table with your palms facing the side as if to shake hands. Move your hands up until you feel a stretch, hold for 5-10 seconds, then lower them to the center. Then, move your hands down until you feel a stretch. Hold the stretch for 5-10 seconds before raising it to the middle. This series of movements is one repetition. Do 10 reps for each wrist.
Step 5. Build hand and finger strength
Do exercises to strengthen the muscles and tendons of your hand so they can support more weight when in a push-up position and reduce stress on your wrists.
- Holding your hands in front of you while spreading your fingers and thumbs pointing outward, slowly move your thumbs along your palms. Hold for 5-10 seconds, then release back to the starting point. Do 10 reps to work your thumb arch and extension.
- Hold one hand out and straighten your fingers as if to make a 'stop' signal. Make hook fists, hold for 5-10 seconds, then straighten your arms again. Make a full fist, hold for 5-10 seconds, then straighten your arms again. Finally, make a straight fist (same as a full fist, only your fingers are straight and close in your palm instead of bent), hold for 5-10 seconds, then straighten your arm again. Do 10 reps for a full set of the exercise, then repeat with the other hand.
