Experiencing wrist pain while working out? Try these warm-up exercises

When doing a high plank or push-up, you should feel the burn in your abdominals, chest, shoulders and arms, not your wrists. — Photos: REVATHI MURUGAPPAN/The Star

Are you one of many who experiences wrist pain or discomfort every time you get on all fours, i.e. with your hands, knees and feet on the ground?

If so, there are many possible reasons for it.

People who dabble in sports or have jobs that require wrist motion, such as typing on the keyboard, working in an assembly line or using power tools, have a higher risk of wrist pain.

Or it could be due to a weak wrist, an injury or a health condition, such as osteoarthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome.

In most cases, wrist pain is caused by a lack of warm-up or improper form when performing exercises that require wrist support.

You would surely have seen people flicking, grabbing or rotating their wrists after or midway through a handstand, plank or push-up.

Remember, the wrist is made up of eight tiny, irregularly-shaped bones (carpals) that join your hand to the two long forearm bones: the radius and ulna.

The three main wrist joints allow you to rotate your hand and bend your wrist forward and backward, as well as side to side.

Although the wrist is not meant to be a weight-bearing joint, it has a significant function in day-to-day activities, which predisposes it to trauma.

So it needs to be strengthened and stretched.

When the wrist is straight, it is in a protected position, but when on all fours, the wrist is in a flexed position and pressure on it increases significantly.

This causes stress to the joints between the carpals and increased tension to the tendons crossing the wrist.

If the pressure is too much to handle, the wrist will protest and pain sets in.

However, simple stretching and minor adjustments can minimise or alleviate this pain.

Another reason for wrist pain could also be due to hyperextending your elbows (where the elbow extends past 180 degrees when on all fours).

When the elbows lock, the body gains stability in that hinge joint.

However, by stacking the bones on top of each other, the force goes through the elbow and continues on to the tiny bones in the wrists.

If you keep your elbows unlocked (but straight), the impact is removed from the wrist, although you have to use more of your shoulder muscles to stabilise the body.

You will probably tire faster, but that’s all right as your shoulder joints and its surrounding muscles can withstand much more impact that your wrist joint.

When you’re on all fours, pay attention to where the weight is on your hands: is it mainly on the heel of your hands, are you gripping your fingers to the floor, or are you cupping your hands?

Ideally, your weight should be evenly distributed on the heel of your hands and palms, with each finger and thumb firmly on the ground.

Your wrists should be placed directly under your shoulders; this will give you a strong base of support.

Warm-ups are crucial before doing any exercise that requires you to be on all fours.

Even if you’re not experiencing wrist pain, you can still incorporate a warm-up that includes stretches and other exercises to help increase flexibility and build strength in the wrists.

Try some of the following stretches if your wrists are feeling tight.

Revathi Murugappan is a certified fitness trainer who tries to battle gravity and continues to dance to express herself artistically and nourish her soul. For more information, email [e-mail]. The information contained in this column is for general educational purposes only. Neither The Star nor the author gives any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to such information. The Star and the author disclaim all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.