Working out with funky wrists

carlaringuette
carlaringuette Posts: 158 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Anybody else dealing with painful wrists? Everyone jumps to the conclusion that it's carpal tunnel syndrome but it could be arthritis. Because it's painful when the weather changes and when it rains.

Skipped Hitt class last night and did an hour and a half of cardio instead because I didn't have to use my hands

My schedule was Monday Hitt class Tuesday active rest or 5 am Spin Wednesday Zumba Thursday 5 am Spin or upper body strength training with weights in evening Friday lower body strength training with weights Saturday full body and Sunday active rest

How can I adjust my work out until the wrists clear up? Still going to do Zumba
& cardio for now.

Anyone have any experience?

Replies

  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
    I do have carpal tunnel...I wear braces when I lift if my wrists are acting up...I don't do pushups or planks on my wrists if I can avoid it, if I can't avoid it then I do them with a wide placement as that is more comfortable for me.

    I don't HIIT, so I don't have any specifics, but in general doing things on elbows instead of wrists is good, it's a little more pressure on your shoulders, but if your shoulders are strong, then it shouldn't cause any issues.

    Things like burpees are just about impossible with wrist pain - you can try stepping through them instead of jumping so there is less of a slam down on the wrists since your legs are helping to support the transition, but even then I generally find them to be too much for me.

    Also, on my really bad days I'll take an anit-inflammatory about an hour before working out...I use feverfew, but asprin, ibuprophen, or any other version will work too.

    The quickest way for the wrist issue to clear up is to rest it/them.
  • sarko15
    sarko15 Posts: 330 Member
    edited October 2019
    I have a bad overuse injury, especially in my left wrist. It's not going away anytime soon and I've had it for years, though certain things have made it more manageable.

    - Sleeping with a wrist brace on every night and wearing the wrist brace during the day if it's really hurting badly
    - Lifting weights with wrist-support gloves
    - Simple modifications for when I must put weight on my wrists (using a block in yoga to keep my wrists straight during down dog, for example)
    - Small muscle exercises in my hands/wrists (there's a lot online, and I also have a hand strengthener tool that I got at Target)

    The goal is to rest your wrists but not completely stop using them so they can heal, and trying to keep your wrists as straight and supported as possible when you are lifting heavy things. It's also worth talking to a doc or physical therapist to see where exactly the strain is, because it could come initially from farther up your arm/shoulders but you are feeling it in your wrists. My strain can be traced to my thumb muscle but I feel it more in my wrists.
  • runnermom419
    runnermom419 Posts: 366 Member
    Wrap the wrist. Drop the weights until it feels better. Focus on lower body.

    I have two weird wrists. The one because I broke it as a teen and have had issues since. I have a painful ganglion cyst on the other. For pushups, you can try doing them holding dumbbells. That helps me at times.
  • SatanLuciferJones
    SatanLuciferJones Posts: 115 Member
    I'm terrible with planks and push-ups so I found a video to strengthen and add flexibility to the wrists. I would recommend it.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSZWSQSSEjE
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
    Consider talking to your class instructors for suggestions of modifications for the moves in class that bother your wrists. They’re not wrist experts but hopefully can come up with a few alternatives.
  • Machafin
    Machafin Posts: 2,988 Member
    SatanLuciferJones wrote: »
    I'm terrible with planks and push-ups so I found a video to strengthen and add flexibility to the wrists. I would recommend it.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSZWSQSSEjE

    You may have wrist mobility issue. I was going to link to this exact video, I'm glad someone else already has! I do this mobility 3-4 times per week and it has gotten much better. Just be mindful that any tendon and ligament stretching take much longer to repair and heal itself than normal muscle, so don't over do it!
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    i was going to link a video like this as well.
    take time to rest the wrists as well
  • Berniebutt773
    Berniebutt773 Posts: 28 Member
    You've received lots of really good advice here that I would also agree with. I've recently -- in the last month or so developed wrist pain. I went to a local PT place for a free assessment - lots of places will do this so you might check out a local rehab place in your area to at least get an assessment. The occupational therapist gave me some exercises to do, ironically mostly flexing my thumb and suggested icing for the inflamation as well as ibuprofen as needed. I added a wrist guard and wear it at least 18 hours out of the day, including sleep. It has minimized my pain about 90 percent in just two weeks. I could barely hold a gallon of milk previously. I also found the staff at my gym really helpful for modifications for exercises I am doing while I heal. Good luck with recovery and/or minimizing the effects of arthritis if that is what it is.
  • Vune
    Vune Posts: 672 Member
    I went to a hand specialist and got diagnosed with arthritis in both thumbs last year. He sent me home with thumb splints. Got a referral for occupational therapy from my primary care, and the therapist noted my very loose connective tissue. I'd get a diagnosis before trying anything yourself.

    The OT gave me resistance bands, therapy putty, exercises, and some tools to make life more comfortable. My wrists are definitely stronger, but the cartilage is just gone from years of wear and tear, so pain still exists. Again, I'd hold off on making any choices before you know exactly what's going on in there.

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