Sure wrists

Anybody else have sore wrists after doing push Ups or Spin class?

I also do a lot if typing in my full time job as a branch office administrator.

Just noticed the soreness after HIIT class and then the next morning in Spin.
«1

Replies

  • Keep going, your joints will adapt.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,846 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    If you're on the verge of carpal tunnel problems from your job, the kinds of things you mention could push it over the edge.

    I agree with getting assessed by a professional, because full-bore carpal tunnel issues are no joke. If your company offers ergonomic assessment of workspaces, get that, too, or do some research on your own. Sometimes really minor free or inexpensive adjustments to your workspace or work habits can head off future problems. I spent my career in IT, where carpal tunnel was pretty common. I had some early symptoms, but workspace changes, and wearing light/cheap braces at night for a while (they're not uncomfortable IMO) made a significant difference.

    This ^

    I used to work in a factory where many of the women got carpal tunnel, and surgery, which tended to make things worse. So do get some medical intervention now.

    If you use artificial sweeteners, stop, and see if that improves things. It helped some of my former coworkers: https://journals.lww.com/joem/Fulltext/1999/06000/Aspartame_and_Symptoms_of_Carpal_Tunnel_Syndrome.6.aspx
  • icemom011
    icemom011 Posts: 999 Member
    Loosing weight saved me from having to have carpal tunnel surgery. For spinning/cycling, try to change your hand position to make it more neutral, bending wrist is aggravating the nerve. When you sleep, keep your wrist from being bent or tucked in, as straight and neutral as possible. Brace can help with that if you are too sound asleep and not aware of your wrist position.
  • Keep going, your joints will adapt.

    Wow, lots disagrees on this.

    When I went back to lifting my joints aches like crazy, I couldn't extend my elbows etc. It was temporary and now I lift 3-4x as heavy as I did when I started again and my joints are fine.
  • nighthawk584
    nighthawk584 Posts: 1,979 Member
    edited October 2019
    I have a sore shoulder often but slightly adjusting my position relieves the strain on the muscle. Same applies for the wrists. If it is really bad, you may want to consult with Dr.
  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,467 Member
    Keep going, your joints will adapt.

    Wow, lots disagrees on this.

    When I went back to lifting my joints aches like crazy, I couldn't extend my elbows etc. It was temporary and now I lift 3-4x as heavy as I did when I started again and my joints are fine.

    Carpal tunnel is serious, painful, and lasts a lifetime. Anyone who has had it or been around it is very afraid of it. Probably the worst thing, or at least one of the worst things, you can do for it is push through. The best thing is STOP, assess, adjust, warm up your hands and wrists before exercise, modify when you can. When I was working through it, wrist splints were sometimes suggested for daytime, sometimes for nighttime, and some Doctors said they were useless. I got a lot of relief wearing them to bed. I put them on just before I went to sleep, took them off as soon as I woke up. They didn’t bother my sleep at all.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,344 Member
    For pushups try cupping your hands slightly instead of having them flat palms down. Yoga instructors often refer to pretending you have a small frog under your palm that you don’t want to crush.

    For the bike, don’t know what to tell you, but I know on certain weight machines I find myself using the death grip, and I have to force myself to relax fingers and wrists. I have to mentally convince myself it’s easy and I don’t need the death grip. When I do forearm planks, i do the same thing. I let my forearms relax and my palms go face up, with fingers limp. It’s not pretty, but relaxing them makes my mind relax and helps me breath through it.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,722 Member
    Keep going, your joints will adapt.

    Wow, lots disagrees on this.

    When I went back to lifting my joints aches like crazy, I couldn't extend my elbows etc. It was temporary and now I lift 3-4x as heavy as I did when I started again and my joints are fine.

    I didn't click disagree, but I suspect part of the reason some did is that your advice is much too limited: Yes, sometimes the issue is that we need to adapt to new exercise.

    But especially in a context where the OP mentioned a keyboard-intensive job, it's really a good plan to consider whether this is the first sign of cumulative trauma to the wrists, i.e., carpal tunnel syndrome, which can be easy to remedy early, but profoundly painful and life-altering if ignored. Some especially sensitive individuals (probably due to genetic narrowness of the "tunnel") don't even have obvious occupational triggers.

    I'm glad your wrist pain wasn't something like that. It's really bad news.
  • AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Keep going, your joints will adapt.

    Wow, lots disagrees on this.

    When I went back to lifting my joints aches like crazy, I couldn't extend my elbows etc. It was temporary and now I lift 3-4x as heavy as I did when I started again and my joints are fine.

    I didn't click disagree, but I suspect part of the reason some did is that your advice is much too limited: Yes, sometimes the issue is that we need to adapt to new exercise.

    But especially in a context where the OP mentioned a keyboard-intensive job, it's really a good plan to consider whether this is the first sign of cumulative trauma to the wrists, i.e., carpal tunnel syndrome, which can be easy to remedy early, but profoundly painful and life-altering if ignored. Some especially sensitive individuals (probably due to genetic narrowness of the "tunnel") don't even have obvious occupational triggers.

    I'm glad your wrist pain wasn't something like that. It's really bad news.

    The OP didn't mention carpal tunnel, that was other people's assumptions.

    My mom types a lot and has no carpal tunnel issues but I'm also pretty sure she hasn't done a push-up in 30 years and if she were to start doing push ups 3x a week suddenly I'd bet my bottom dollar her wrists would hurt for a while until her joints adapted.

    I don't mean to come across as harsh -I've seen a lot of injuries, I've had a lot of injuries myself...but I've also seen what the human body can really truly handle and it's a lot further than most people think. Maybe the OP does have an actual issue - or maybe the joints just haven't adapted. Or maybe it's an old injury the OP never noticed until doing push-ups. I myself have a bad wrist sprain that healed wrong 10+ years ago and the fact of the matter is, flat handed push ups and straight bar curls are going to hurt. forever.
  • Joanna2012B
    Joanna2012B Posts: 1,448 Member
    Try using a dumbbell for push ups. When you are on the spin bike keep your core engaged and your shoulders away from your ears, sounds like you are leaning too much. I too sit at a desk in front of a computer every day. I have found lifting weights, yoga and massage very helpful with that.
  • amy19355
    amy19355 Posts: 805 Member
    ....
    For the push ups use dumbbells on the floor to wrap your fingers around to keep the wrists straight.
    h.

    Oh I think this could be my solution! [crosses fingers on way to weight corner].

    I’ve got arthritis and carpal tunnel issues in both hands and am deferring surgery or injections for now, hopefully forever.
    Behavior modification in all areas of life is my approach.

    I came across this a few months ago - a 5 minute hand exercise that, done daily, has really made a positive difference for me. It’s not just for gamers, it’s also for us office workers tied to a keyboard in front of a monitor all day long. https://youtu.be/H6y0D_8kRoU

    Cheerios and good fitness to us all!
  • kosseychick
    kosseychick Posts: 244 Member
    @amy19355 thanks for the video:). I will give this a go and see if it helps my arthritic hands👍
  • naomi8888
    naomi8888 Posts: 519 Member
    Anybody else have sore wrists after doing push Ups or Spin class?

    I also do a lot if typing in my full time job as a branch office administrator.

    Just noticed the soreness after HIIT class and then the next morning in Spin.

    Carla, you shouldn't be feeling much through your wrists when you're spinning. Try to take the weight out of your arms, I find that tucking my elbows in helps me brace my core and put the weight into my lower body where it's meant to be.
  • carlaringuette
    carlaringuette Posts: 158 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    If you're on the verge of carpal tunnel problems from your job, the kinds of things you mention could push it over the edge.

    I agree with getting assessed by a professional, because full-bore carpal tunnel issues are no joke. If your company offers ergonomic assessment of workspaces, get that, too, or do some research on your own. Sometimes really minor free or inexpensive adjustments to your workspace or work habits can head off future problems. I spent my career in IT, where carpal tunnel was pretty common. I had some early symptoms, but workspace changes, and wearing light/cheap braces at night for a while (they're not uncomfortable IMO) made a significant difference.

    This ^

    I used to work in a factory where many of the women got carpal tunnel, and surgery, which tended to make things worse. So do get some medical intervention now.

    If you use artificial sweeteners, stop, and see if that improves things. It helped some of my former coworkers: https://journals.lww.com/joem/Fulltext/1999/06000/Aspartame_and_Symptoms_of_Carpal_Tunnel_Syndrome.6.aspx

    They are better today and I'm taking a rest day from the gym today. Doing crunches at home instead.

    No artificial sweeteners, I'm allergic.
  • carlaringuette
    carlaringuette Posts: 158 Member
    naomi8888 wrote: »
    Anybody else have sore wrists after doing push Ups or Spin class?

    I also do a lot if typing in my full time job as a branch office administrator.

    Just noticed the soreness after HIIT class and then the next morning in Spin.

    Carla, you shouldn't be feeling much through your wrists when you're spinning. Try to take the weight out of your arms, I find that tucking my elbows in helps me brace my core and put the weight into my lower body where it's meant to be.

    Thank you. I will try that in my next class.
  • carlaringuette
    carlaringuette Posts: 158 Member
    icemom011 wrote: »
    Loosing weight saved me from having to have carpal tunnel surgery. For spinning/cycling, try to change your hand position to make it more neutral, bending wrist is aggravating the nerve. When you sleep, keep your wrist from being bent or tucked in, as straight and neutral as possible. Brace can help with that if you are too sound asleep and not aware of your wrist position.

    My husband says that he fixes my wrist while I'm sleeping. Lol. Cuz I tuck them under without even knowing it. I do have one brace. I could test it and see if it helps. Thanks for the reminder.
  • carlaringuette
    carlaringuette Posts: 158 Member
    amy19355 wrote: »
    ....
    For the push ups use dumbbells on the floor to wrap your fingers around to keep the wrists straight.
    h.

    Oh I think this could be my solution! [crosses fingers on way to weight corner].

    I’ve got arthritis and carpal tunnel issues in both hands and am deferring surgery or injections for now, hopefully forever.
    Behavior modification in all areas of life is my approach.

    I came across this a few months ago - a 5 minute hand exercise that, done daily, has really made a positive difference for me. It’s not just for gamers, it’s also for us office workers tied to a keyboard in front of a monitor all day long. https://youtu.be/H6y0D_8kRoU

    Cheerios and good fitness to us all!

    Thank you!