If your job keeps you sitting behind a screen and typing on a keyboard, you may be dealing with chronic wrist issues. In fact, nearly all of my clients with desk jobs report nagging wrist pain, weakness, and tingling in their fingers.
Typing is a repetitive motion, and doing it for long stretches can increase your risk of wrist joint inflammation, strain, nerve damage, and conditions like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Sitting at your desk with poor posture can put your hands in less-than-optimal positions, further exacerbating these problems.
Thankfully, there are ways to combat wrist pain and weakness. These are my four favorite exercises for building strength and improving range of motion in the hands and wrists. They’re beneficial for anyone who sits at a keyboard, and you’ll just need a small dumbbell to do them.
How to do the wrist routine
In addition to a 1-2lbs dumbbell, you’ll also need a towel and an elevated surface, like a table or weight bench.
These exercises are appropriate for anyone to do, even if you don’t have a solid fitness routine already in place. That being said, it’s always a good idea to check in with your doctor before trying anything new. Meeting with a certified personal trainer can also ensure you’re doing the exercises correctly.
1. Wrist flexor stretch
- Extend your right arm in front of you.
- Engage your core and keep your spine neutral.
- Grab your right fingers with your left hand, pulling them back towards your forehead.
- Hold for 15-30 seconds.
- Repeat on the left side.
2. Wrist extensor stretch
- Extend your right arm in front of you.
- Engage your core and keep your spine neutral.
- Grab your right knuckles with your left hand, pulling your fingers towards the floor.
- Hold for 15-30 seconds.
- Repeat on the left side
3. Towel squeezes
- Place your right arm on a table or weight bench.
- Grab a small, rolled up towel in your right hand.
- Squeeze the towel for 5 seconds, then release your grip.
- Continue for 10 repetitions.
- Repeat with the left hand.
4. Wrist curls
- Sit upright and place your right forearm on a table.
- Align your right wrist with the edge of the table, letting your hand hang off the edge.
- Place a small, 1-2lbs dumbbell in your right hand.
- Rotate your forearm so that your knuckles are facing the floor.
- Slowly lower your hand towards the ground.
- Squeeze your forearm muscles and lift your hand back up.
- Continue for 10 reps, then repeat on the left side.
- If using a dumbbell causes pain, try the exercise unweighted.
Benefits of the wrist routine
Wrist flexor and extensor stretches lengthen the muscles surrounding the wrist joint, like the flexor carpi radialis and the extensor carpi radialis. Repetitive motions like typing can cause these muscles to shorten, which reduces wrist range of motion and can result in nerve impingement, weakness, and pain.
Towel squeezes and wrist curls improve strength in these same muscles, so they can support and stabilize the wrist joint during activity.
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