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5 Reasons You Should Be Stretching Your Wrists
Plus, the best wrist stretches to try.
By Leigh Weingus•
Should You Stretch Your Wrists?
The Benefits of Stretching Your Wrists Regularly
11 Best Wrist Stretches for Improved Mobility
Should You Stretch Your Wrists If They Hurt?
How to Improve Wrist and Grip Strength
The Takeaway
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When you think about stretching, your wrists aren’t typically the first body part that comes to mind. Hamstrings, quads, shoulders, backs—those are all obvious areas to stretch if you want to keep your body supple and pain-free. But whether you’re a weightlifter, or simply someone who works at a desk all day (or spends a little too much time tapping away on your phone), wrist stretches are important, too.
But who should stretch their wrists, exactly, and what are the benefits of stretching them regularly? We spoke with experts to find out—and got their takes on the very best wrist stretches to try.
Should You Stretch Your Wrists?
Most people can benefit from stretching their wrists occasionally, according to physical therapist Devin Vassella Trachman, but wrist stretches are especially important for certain groups. “Wrist stretches are very important for those who perform repetitive types of activities with their wrists,” she says. “Think: those who spend an excessive amount of time typing and writing. Also, it is important for people who incorporate frequent weight-bearing on their wrists–workouts that involve planks, push-ups, and yoga positions are examples of this.”
People who engage in certain hobbies may benefit from regular wrist stretching, too. “Hobbies such as cooking, gardening, rock-climbing, playing a musical instrument, or crafting require repetitive motions at your wrists,” Trachman says.
Specific job types can benefit from regular wrist stretches, too, according to Trachman. These might include:
Office jobs requiring many hours of typing or using a mouse
Hair stylists
Food service jobs requiring stirring, chopping, slicing, and dicing
Healthcare professionals performing medical procedures or administering injections
Drivers who require long periods gripping a steering wheel
One caveat: If you’re in a lot of pain or experiencing any odd wrist-related symptoms, you should always speak to a doctor or physical therapist before diving into a wrist stretching routine. “For anyone who experiences high levels of pain, numbness, or tingling in your wrists, it is recommended to consult your physical therapist for appropriate guidance before jumping into a routine that could potentially increase symptoms,” she says.
The Benefits of Stretching Your Wrists Regularly
The top benefits of stretching your wrists regularly include improved flexibility and range of motion, increased blood flow to the wrists (which helps with the overall health of your upper extremities), and relieving tension in muscles and tendons, according to Trachman. “Wrist stretches can also improve control and stability in your wrists for exercises like push-ups, planks, yoga poses that require longer weight-bearing periods, and improve grip strength.”
Increased grip strength (which goes hand in hand with wrist stretching) can also help improve athletic performance, Trachman says. So if you’re a tennis, pickleball, softball, or baseball player—and the list goes on—you should consider adding wrist stretches to your routine. Wrist stretches can also help improve recovery time.
Finally, when you have strong, well-stretched wrists, it helps from a functional movement perspective. Trachman says activities like opening jars and carrying heavy grocery bags will become easier when you regularly stretch your wrists.
11 Best Wrist Stretches for Improved Mobility
These are the best wrist stretches for improved mobility, per Trachman:
Wrist Flexion Stretch with Bent Elbow
Begin with your elbow bent by your side, palm face down.
Bend your wrist so that your fingertips face the floor and apply extra pressure into the stretch with your other hand. Hold.
Do 3 sets of 30-second holds.
Wrist Extension Stretch with Bent Elbow
Begin with your elbow bent by your side, palm face down.
Bend your wrist so that your fingertips face the ceiling and apply extra pressure into the stretch with your other hand on your palm. Hold.
Do 3 sets of 30-second holds.
Cavan Images/Cavan via Getty Images
Wrist Flexion Stretch with Straight Elbow
Hold the arm to be stretched straight out in front of you with your palm facing toward the ceiling.
Grasp your hand with the other hand, and slowly bend the wrist downward so that the fingers point toward the floor. Hold.
Do three sets of 30-second holds.
Wrist Extension Stretch with Elbow Straight
Hold the arm to be stretched straight out in front of you with your palm facing toward the floor.
Grasp your hand with the other hand, and slowly bend the wrist downward so that the fingers point toward the floor. Hold.
Do three sets of 30-second holds.
Wrist Prayer Stretch
Bring your palms together and lift your elbows in line with your wrists.
Start pressing your hands together and down until you feel a stretch in your wrists, hold the stretch, and then lift your hands back up to release. Keep your palms pressed together, elbows wide, and your shoulders relaxed.
Do three sets of 30-second holds.
Wrist Reverse Prayer Stretch
Begin with elbows bent out to your sides, backs of hands together in front of your belly button, fingertips down.
Continuing to press into backs of hands, raise wrists up towards chest, increasing the stretch, and hold.
Do three sets of 30-second holds.
Standing Bilateral Wrist Extensors Stretch On Table
Begin standing in front of a table and place your palms flat to the table with fingers pointing away from you.
With straight elbows and a soft stance, shift your weight forward over your hands to feel the stretch and hold.
Shift back to release your hands.
Do three sets of 30-second holds.
Wrist Extensors Stretch at Doorway
Begin standing at a doorway.
Lift your arm and press the back of your hand gently into the door until you feel a stretch. Hold.
Do three sets of 30-second holds.
Median Nerve Glide
Begin seated or standing with arms at sides.
On the side to be stretched, press the shoulder blade down.
Raise the arm out to the side to shoulder height with the elbow bent, forearm facing toward you, the wrist bent backward, and the fingers straight. In a comfortable range, straighten and bend the elbow so that your forearm moves away and back toward you, feeling a stretch in your arm.
Do three sets of five reps.
Radial Nerve Glide
Begin seated or standing with one elbow bent, hand in fist.
Slowly straighten arm, keeping wrist in same position so palm is facing ceiling.
Slowly return to starting position.
Do three sets of five reps.
Ulnar Nerve Glide
Begin seated or standing with arms at sides.
On the side to be stretched, press the shoulder blade down.
Raise the arm out to the side to shoulder height with the elbow bent, forearm facing away from you, the wrist bent backward, and the fingers straight. In a comfortable range, straighten and bend the elbow so that the forearm moves away and back toward you, feeling a stretch in your arm.
Do three sets of five reps.
Should You Stretch Your Wrists If They Hurt?
This will depend on the reason behind the pain, Trachman explains. “It is generally a good idea to stretch your wrists if they are sore from performing an activity that requires the use of muscles that are not used frequently or using them for an activity that was fatiguing,” she says. “However, if the soreness comes from an acute injury or inflammation, stretching could increase the condition.”
If you’re unsure about whether your wrist is sore or injured, it’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor or physical therapist. “I recommend consulting with your physical therapist or healthcare professional,” Trachman says. “Pay close attention to the severity and duration of symptoms, too.”
She explains that in general, a good stretch is an option if you rate your wrist pain as mild and you’re still able to perform normal activities of daily living without pain, whereas medical attention is a better option if you describe your pain as sharp, shooting, throbbing, or severe.
How to Improve Wrist and Grip Strength
Strength and flexibility go hand in hand. So while wrist stretches are important, focusing on overall wrist and grip strength is key as well. As Peloton instructor Andy Speer said previously in The Output, strong grip strength is crucial for a strong workout—especially if you’re incorporating dumbbells or other weights into your routine.
If you know or suspect that your grip strength is weak, Andy says strength will improve naturally as you work out more.
Peloton instructor Benny Adami adds that the below exercises can help improve grip and wrist strength:
Push-Up
Start in a push-up position (you can lean on your knees if needed). Place your hands under but slightly outside your shoulders.
Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor.
Push back up to the starting position.
Plank
Align your shoulders over your wrists with elbows pointed backward and fingers forward.
Avoid locking your elbows and maintain a slight bend.
Press down through your hands and up through your shoulder blades.
The Takeaway
Our wrists are important joints, and neglecting them will make our workouts weaker and make functional activities more difficult (don’t you want to be able to open that jar?). Luckily, with a combination of wrist strengthening and stretching exercises, you can easily improve the health of your wrists. With that in mind, if you ever suspect that your wrist is injured, see your doctor or physical therapist as soon as possible.
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