The best wrist tendonitis exercises include flexion, extension, and weight training moves.
To prevent and treat tendonitis, your wrists must be flexible and highly mobile.
Wrist tendonitis is one of the most common injuries today.
Our modern world of computers, video games, and long car rides can put a serious strain on our wrists and put them in serious jeopardy.
A household ailment, wrist tendonitis can impact your quality of life by making a simple task that much more difficult.
If you find yourself struggling, here are some exercises you can do to get back to your best.
What Causes Wrist Tendonitis?
Repetitive motions can cause stress on your wrist joints. As there's no muscles in the wrist, the area is particularly vulnerable to injury - particularly over time.
Most of our modern inventions (such as computer mice and video game controllers) can put a great deal of stress on the wrists.
Even healthier habits such as weightlifting can damage the sensitive region around the wrist.
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Neglecting your wrists in the gym can hurt them, too. Our fitness culture is so fixated on lifting heavy and having huge pecs, biceps, and glutes, and it forgets how these aspirations can damage our fragile wrists if we don't take care of them.
Wrist Tendonitis Exercises:
Take a look at these exercises and decide which ones work best for you.
All of them target the wrist area to different extents, and each one will help your wrists survive the stresses of 21st century life.
Exercise One - Wrist Flexibility Drils
Let's start with a simple flexibility drill. It's something everyone can do and it can be done without any equipment.
Before starting a day of work or a long drive, make sure you stretch out your wrists by doing alternating sets on flexions and extensions.
Simply lift your wrist upwards, hold, and then drop it back down again and hold for a few more seconds. Aim to do three sets of ten.
You can also rotate your wrists around in circles for a few reps. This will ensure there's plenty of blood flow to the region and they're nicely prepared for the day ahead.
Exercise Two - Grip Training
Grip training won't make your wrists bigger (as nothing can) but it'll at least develop your forearms and make them more powerful. This means you won't have to rely on your wrists as much as you're carrying heavy things.
There are a plethora of ways to improve your grip training. Barbell exercises, such as deadlifts and rack pulls, will add serious power to your grip - as do pullups.
However, if you're limited on time or equipment, consider getting a handheld grip trainer or a stress ball.
These will help develop your grip and make your wrists more sturdy and secure. They're also a much cheaper alternative to weight training moves and you can do them on-the-go.
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Exercise Three - Wrist Windshield Wipers
Another exercise which can be done with no equipment, all you need to do is set your fingers together and move your wrists from side to side.
This will warm up your wrists and ensure they're prepared for the day ahead. Aim to do two or three sets of twelve reps.
It's important that you don't crack your wrists, and this can cause pain and discomfort in the area.
A much safer way to 'click' your wrists is to do the windshield wipers exercise as this produces significantly less strain on them in the long-run.
Exercise Four - Wrist Supination and Pronation
This one may sound fancy, but it's actually one of the easiest ones in this entire list.
All you need to do is flip your palms up and down for a few reps. It may sound simple, but it really is effective for warm-up. This exercise is particularly handy before a weight training session and should be an established part of your warm-up.
Exercise Five - Reverse Bicep Curls
This weightlifting exercise targets the forearms, biceps, and wrist flexors and extensors.
Think of the traditional bicep curl (with supinated palms) and flip it around - this will give you a bicep curl with a pronated (palms down) grip.
Aim to keep the weight light (as a heavier load can backfire and actually injure your wrists) and the reps high to encourage metabolic stress.
After regular training and progression, you'll notice that your grip, forearms, and wrists are noticeably stronger.
You can even do wrist curls. Grab an extremely light dumbell, hold it sideways, and flick your wrists up and down. After a few reps, your grip will tire and your wrists will get an intense workout.
Exercise Six - Farmer's Walks
One of the most simple exercises, farmer's walks involve picking up a pair of heavy dumbbells and walking with them.
They target the forearms and wrist flexors and are a perfect way to train for carrying heavy loads for distance.
Farmer's walks are also an isometric exercise - meaning there's no high-impacts to potentially damage your wrists.
They'll help your grip strength and make your wrists extremely strong if you do them consistently.
Aim to choose a manageable weight and walk a set distance with them three or four times with sixty seconds of rest in between sets.
What Else Can I Do To Treat Wrist Tendonitis?
Exercising alone can not heal severe wrist tendonitis. In extreme cases, surgery or other medical intervention may be needed.
You can also make your life easier by purchasing ergonomic keyboards, mice, and video game controllers.
If you're starting a weight training program, make sure you practice with proper, wrist-friendly form to prevent injury.
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Final Thoughts on Wrist Tendonitis Exercises
Every one of these six exercises can help you prevent the dreaded ailment of wrist tendonitis. No matter what your profession is, you'll benefit from adding these into your daily routine.
Don't let wrist tendonitis ruin your day. Keep them warmed up, strong, and mobile and you'll be well on your way to happy, pain-free days.
