Suffering from Limited Wrist Mobility?
Start doing these stretches and exercises TODAY!
Why do I have Wrist stiffness?
Have you noticed that your wrist motion has, over time, become more limited? As our bodies age, the amount of lubricating fluid within our joints decreases, and the protective cartilage thins – making our joints less mobile. The wrists, in particular, are especially susceptible to becoming stiff, as the muscles that flex and extend the wrist are more prone to becoming tight and restrictive as a result of all the things we do with our hands!
To avoid further injury, it’s crucial to address wrist stiffness as soon as you notice it. With limited wrist mobility, people are forced to compensate with exaggerated shoulder and
As you age, joint movement becomes stiffer and less flexible because the amount of lubricating fluid inside your joints decreases, and the cartilage becomes thinner. Ligaments also tend to shorten and lose some flexibility, making joints feel stiff.
Numerous factors could be contributing to your neck pain! Your neck pain could be caused by tight/taught musculature, stiff joints/malalignment of the cervical spine, or in many cases – both! To best understand the underlying causes of your neck pain, we suggest that you pop on in for an evaluation! During your evaluation, our skilled Doctors of Physical and Occupational Therapy will complete various diagnostic tests to determine the various factors contributing to your neck pain.
What Can ProTailored Physical Therapy do to Better My Movement?
Our therapists have been specially trained to perform various hands-on manual techniques to address your musculoskeletal limitations. Some of the manual techniques you may experience at ProTailored Physical Therapy include:
- Active Myofascial Trigger Point Release of the muscles in the hand and forearm
- Joint Mobilizations and Manipulations (there are A LOT of little bones in the hand that can become rigid and stiff)
- Dynamic Cupping
- Dry Needling
- Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization | Known by most as “scraping”
- Nerve Tensioning and Flossing
- Muscle Energy Techniques
Could My Wrist Limitations be Impacting My Shoulder, Neck, and Back Pain?
Believe it or not, yes! Here at ProTailored Physical Therapy – we like to address the whole body. In doing this, we often look at how one injury or limitation may be negatively affecting another area of the body. We believe that by treating the whole body – we can better address mechanics and decrease the likelihood of recurring injury. When someone has limited wrist mobility – they are forced to compensate for their lack of motion in the wrist, by increasing their shoulder motion and bending their trunk.
The BEST Stretches and Exercises to Gain Wrist Motion QUICKLY!
WRIST FLEXION STRETCH
Begin by extending your arm directly out in front of you and pull your wrist back – apply overpressure with your other hand. Be sure to include the fingers in this stretch!
*If this stretch hurts your shoulder or is too intense of a stretch for you, see the modified version below!
Complete this stretch 2 times on each side and hold each time for 30 seconds.
MODIFIED VERSION
WRIST EXTENSION STRETCH
Begin by extending your arm directly out in front of you and pull your wrist down – apply overpressure with your other hand. To increase the stretch – tilt your hand away from your body.
*If this stretch hurts your shoulder or is too intense of a stretch for you, see the modified version below!
Complete this stretch 2 times on each side and hold each time for 30 seconds.
MODIFIED VERSION
WRIST EXTENSION STRETCH | Version 2
For this stretch, you will want to begin by extending your arms down onto a firm surface. You will want this surface to be a good height to lean on – a countertop, an end table, the armrest of a couch… you can get creative! Once you’ve positioned your hands as shown in the picture below – you will want to apply some gentle pressure through the wrists to get a great stretch!
Complete this stretch 2 times on each side and hold each time for 30 seconds.
GENTLE WRIST MOBILIZATION
Begin by firmly grabbing the base of the wrist. You will then want to apply a gentle distractive force by pulling directly away. While continuing to apply the distractive force, bend your wrist down and back up 10 to 15 times. Repeat this exercise 2 times for the best results!
