Push Ups are a PAIN in my WRIST

stacey_mntx
stacey_mntx Posts: 36 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I appreciate the physiological results from a good push up. I used to do them all the time in my 20's, but now in my late 30's they really hurt my wrists. Weirdly enough... On two occasions I've even gotten bruises on the tops of my wrists from doing them. What's up with this?? Any suggestions as to why this might be happening? What about some suggestions for alternatives to push ups?

Replies

  • timeasterday
    timeasterday Posts: 1,368 Member
    Yeah they can be tweaky on the wrists. I do so much on computers (and have for over 20 years) that carpal tunnel is an issue for me. I bought a set of push up bars and that helped a lot. It keeps your wrists in a straight position and also has the added benefit of allowing a deeper pushup.
  • JGainingHealth
    JGainingHealth Posts: 194 Member
    I hate doing pushups for that exact reason - I have really tiny, weak wrists and it hurts! I tried to explain this to my husband but he couldn't understand, as his wrists are really thick and solid. Pull-downs and flys are supposed to work the same muscles.
  • jzammetti
    jzammetti Posts: 1,956 Member
    Have you tried adjusting the position of your hands on the floor (wider or narrower)? I had the same issue but discovered if i shift my hands out a little wider and farther forward, I do not have the issue anymore.
  • stacey_mntx
    stacey_mntx Posts: 36 Member
    Have you tried adjusting the position of your hands on the floor (wider or narrower)? I had the same issue but discovered if i shift my hands out a little wider and farther forward, I do not have the issue anymore.

    Yes... This does help. It's still pretty uncomfortable, though.
  • kwol18
    kwol18 Posts: 25 Member
    Yeah they can be tweaky on the wrists. I do so much on computers (and have for over 20 years) that carpal tunnel is an issue for me. I bought a set of push up bars and that helped a lot. It keeps your wrists in a straight position and also has the added benefit of allowing a deeper pushup.

    Push Up Bars are the way to go. It takes the tweaks out of the wrist. I bought a cheap set at Wal-Mart and they work great.
  • shaypearl
    shaypearl Posts: 307 Member
    Have you tried push up bars? That might help.
  • RunsOnEspresso
    RunsOnEspresso Posts: 3,218 Member
    I have a bum wrist. I have a hard time with a lot of push ups and yoga positions because of it. I have found if I can use dumbbells (I don't own the push up bars) it really alleviates a lot of the pain.
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
    Try flexing your fingers, as if you're GRIPPING the floor, instead of pushing straight down into your palm. I found that helped me a lot. I've never tried push-up bars, but I think this is the same concept of trying to support your wrist.
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    Try fist (knuckle) push-ups. They are not that much harder than the vanilla variety.
  • Zomoniac
    Zomoniac Posts: 1,169 Member
    I think I'm weird. It hurts a bit (though not much) with bare hands. If I'm using bars the intended way ie wrapping my hand around the bar, it hurts even more. If I put just the base of my hand ie just the wrist joint, palm side down, against the bar, that's fine and very comfortable for me. Which is weird. My wrist hurts least when I put the entire weight directly onto the wrist joint.
  • darwinwoodka
    darwinwoodka Posts: 322 Member
    Keep your hands directly under your shoulders with your hands facing just slightly outward. Keep your elbows in towards your body. Correct form helps a lot. Make sure you aren't leaning too far forward. Do them on your knees until you get form down. Or do them against a counter or bar if that helps. Or use the push up handles. Or use weights or dumbbells to hold onto. Or do them on your fists. Or wear padded gloves.

    Or use the machines for bicep, shoulder and tricep work. YOu don't have to do pushups if they really hurt too much, and you can still get strong.
  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
    If your wrists are weak you could try to strengthen them by placing your forearms on a table with your wrists hanging over and gently lifting dumbbells up and down. When you lift, the dumbbell should rise higher than the level of the table. Don't pick a weight that's too heavy.

    Of course, if you think you the problem is more than simple weakness, I'd use another position for the push ups.
  • _benjammin
    _benjammin Posts: 1,224 Member
    Try Perfect Push handles.
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
    Try using pushup bars. It will put your wrists in a better position and give better range of motion.
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    Keep your hands directly under your shoulders with your hands facing just slightly outward. Keep your elbows in towards your body. Correct form helps a lot. Make sure you aren't leaning too far forward. Do them on your knees until you get form down. Or do them against a counter or bar if that helps. Or use the push up handles. Or use weights or dumbbells to hold onto. Or do them on your fists. Or wear padded gloves.

    Or use the machines for bicep, shoulder and tricep work. YOu don't have to do pushups if they really hurt too much, and you can still get strong.

    OP--yes, you could use machines for bicep, shoulder and tricep work. (Also pecs.) Push-ups also involve a lot of core strength, and you can work on that with planks. A "dolphin plank" should take care of the wrist problem.

    eedb3c703591d718_dolphin-plank.jpg
  • Trueray
    Trueray Posts: 1,189 Member
    Push-up bars problem solved.
  • capnrus789
    capnrus789 Posts: 2,736 Member
    I read this as push up bras. Imagine my disappointment.
  • jcoco
    jcoco Posts: 138 Member
    I also have wrist & shoulder pain (arthritis) when doing push ups. I do them on the wall or use the Smith rack, I have no pain at all when I do them this way.
  • kayaksara
    kayaksara Posts: 157 Member
    I sprained my wrist and for a long time after that I just held on to a small weight while doing pushups. I also at times would put my hand in a fist and do the pushups that way. Both these ways allow you not to bend your wrist and put that extra weight and force on the wrists.
  • giggitygoo
    giggitygoo Posts: 1,978 Member
    Aside from the advice to use bars (they're great btw), try doing fewer reps with great form. 10 really slow pushups are just as effective as a bunch of fast ones. I like to go halfway down, tuck my elbows, and hold for 10-20 counts too. The holds are challenging, but stable on the wrists without the movement.
  • murphy612
    murphy612 Posts: 734 Member
    I use dumbbells so I can keep my wrists straight, it helps a lot. I'm guessing it's the same idea as the pushup bar that everyone already mentioned.

    As a side note if you use dumbbells you can also break out into a set of renegade rows which you can't do with a pushup bar :wink:
  • greatmom2
    greatmom2 Posts: 95 Member
    Try flexing your fingers, as if you're GRIPPING the floor, instead of pushing straight down into your palm. I found that helped me a lot. I've never tried push-up bars, but I think this is the same concept of trying to support your wrist.

    I did this same gripping technique while also making sure that my hands were out a bit wider and that they were about even with my chest, and it helped me. I think the gripping technique helps distribute the pressure more evenly instead of it all being on your wrists as we tend to do with flat hands. Before I changed to this form and technique though, I would do a few push-ups (so far always on my knees because I do have weak wrists and very little upper body strength), and my wrists would hurt for days!! I got to where I was afraid to even do pushups!! This has alleviated the pain completely! I also change positioning if it feels uncomfortable in any way when I am actually doing the pushups.

    I also looked up wrists stretches on YouTube and have done those as well which can help before and after doing pushups, but also helped when my wrists were in pain during those other times. I have never had the bruising though!
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    Oh, also, OP--if push-ups hurt, you might want to try the opposite activity--pull-ups. Maybe try half-pull-ups first (where the bar is set low and your heels are on the floor.

    http://www.blogcdn.com/www.thecardioblog.com/media/2007/07/pull_up_start.jpg

    (image is too big to embed in the thread, but it should give you the idea)

    Pull-ups help strengthen the wrists and forearms without squashing your carpal tunnel, if that's what hurts.
  • stacey_mntx
    stacey_mntx Posts: 36 Member
    At your suggestions I tried some modified push ups this morning... Using a fist instead of a flat hand really, really helped. Thank you for all of your ideas!!
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    At your suggestions I tried some modified push ups this morning... Using a fist instead of a flat hand really, really helped. Thank you for all of your ideas!!

    Great! Yeah, I was surprised how easy fist push-ups are; you always see tough guys doing them in movies. And it is a low-tech solution that does not require buying equipment.

Categories