Wrists, elbows and shoulders can get chronically tight when we overuse and over-strengthen (like rock climbers) or when we repetitively use or just don’t use (anyone who spends too much time sitting) our hands and arms.
There are a number of ways to move and stretch your wrists that can provide relief. Because of fascia connections in the body, stretching your wrists can help relieve tension in your elbows and shoulders.
Key factors involve gentle stretches, doing this regularly (think a couple minutes every day, several times a day) and a range of positions.
In this short video I take you through some of the movements I use, particularly in the middle of or right after a strong climbing session. Read below for the text descriptions.
Alternating fist curls with hand flexes
Turn your palms to face-up. Make a gentle fist, and then slowly curl your first inward thinking of a pumping action. Then uncurl your wrist.
To counter this movement, turn your palms to face down. Open your fingers. Then gently peel your fingers upwards – only 50% effort on this one. Don’t go as far as possible, just to a position that you feel a mild stretch
Use your body, not your weight to stretch the wrists
When trying these two movements, notice how the position of your shoulders changes the feeling of the stretch:
- With your arms hanging at your sides, slowly turn your thumbs in. Then bend your arms at the elbows and gently bring your finger tips to touch your hips. Slowly let gravity pull your palms downwards until you find a mild stretch. Do not force or push your hands. If the stretch is too intense, move your finger tips down. If it’s not strong enough, move your fingers up.
- Release your hands and give them a shake. Now turn your hands the other way. Palms facing your hips, bend arms at your elbows and bring fingertips to hips. Let gravity pull the back of your hand downward. Again, don’t force your hands and adjust your fingers up or down until you feel a mild stretch
