The wrist is a complex joint that you use in many activities of daily living. Immobility from a fracture, or break, can highly impact on your ability to complete the simplest of activities. "Almost all patients will have some stiffness in the wrist, which will generally lessen in the month or two after the cast is taken off or after surgery. Improvement will continue for at least two years," according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Specific exercise can increase your ability to return to normal function.
Flexion
Wrist flexion is the bending of the wrist toward your palm. Normal flexion is 80 degrees from neutral, which is when the hand is extended even with the arm.
To increase flexion, make a fist around the thumb of your opposite hand, with your fingers wrapped around the back of your injured hand. Use your fingers to push your hand into the position of wrist flexion. Hold this stretch for a minimum of 10 seconds for the best results.
Increase your flexion strength by holding onto a weight while performing wrist flexion. Begin with a light weight such as a soup can or a 1-pound dumbbell and increase as you are able.
Extension
Wrist extension is the motion of pulling the back of your hand up toward your face, when your palm is facing the floor. Normal extension is 70 degrees.
Increase your wrist extension by placing your palm flat on a table, with your opposite hand placed on top of it to maintain the flat position. Move your forearm up toward your fingertips as far as you are able to do so and hold this stretch for a minimum of 10 seconds.
To increase your extension strength, lie your forearm on a flat surface with your hand extending beyond the edge, pointing down toward the floor. Holding on to a light weight, pull the back of your hand up toward the ceiling. Begin with one to two sets of 10, increasing to three sets as you are able to do so. Once you can do three sets, you may increase your weight.
Radial and Ulnar Deviation
Radial deviation is the side bending of the wrist toward your thumb, and ulnar deviation is the side bending of the wrist toward your little finger
Increase your deviation range and strength by gently bending your wrist in a back and forth motion. Add a weight to increase strength.
Pronation and Supination
Make a fist with your thumb pointing toward the ceiling. Rotating your thumb to the inside toward the floor is pronation. Rotating your thumb to the outside is supination. A full range would allow for your fist to be parallel to the floor at each end point.
To increase your range rotate your fist in a palm up and palm down motion, pushing yourself to your endpoint on each rotation. This is most easily done while your elbow is bent to 90 degrees and held against your body to keep it stable.
Increase your strength by adding weight to your range of motion exercise. Holding the end of an object, such as a dumbbell in your fist, rotate through your entire motion.
Hand Exercises
You may lose motion and strength in your hand and fingers with a wrist fracture due to swelling and immobilization of the fracture itself.
Increase your range of motion by attempting to touch the tip of your thumb to each of your figertips, one at a time. Put some paperclips in rice and pick them up with your thumb and one finger, using each of your fingers in turn. Stretch your fingers apart as wide as you can, and then close them into a fist, repeating this in an open and shut type motion.
To increase strength, squeeze theraputty in a kneading manner. This can be purchased at a medical supply store, or you can buy silly putty and use that. A stress ball is helpful for increasing grip strength as well.
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