Wrist Exercises: Regaining Range of Motion After Injury

Wrist injuries like fractures require immobilization during the healing process. Wrist motion is usually decreased due to muscle weakness and soft tissue tightness when a cast is removed. Exercises increase wrist motion. The wrist moves in four directions: flexion, bending the wrist down toward your palm; extension, bending your wrist backward; ulnar deviation, tilting toward your pinky; and radial deviation, tilting toward your thumb. Circular motions of the wrist, both clockwise and counterclockwise, require a combination of all four movements.

Instructions

• 1

  Begin with your wrist straight and make a loose fist with your fingers. This will allow your wrist to move further by putting your forearm muscles on slack.

• 2

  Slowly move your wrist backward until you feel stretching or pulling. Do not push into a painful position.

• 3

  Maintain your wrist in a backward position and rotate toward your pinky.

• 4

  Curve around and allow your wrist to move forward into a flexed position.

• 5

  Maintain a flexed position and rotate toward your thumb until you return to a straight position.