Pushups are a classic resistance exercise that works your arms, chest, shoulders and abdominal muscles. Pushups are advantageous because they can be performed anywhere you have enough space to stretch out. However, pushup exercises can place extra strain on your wrists, which can cause pain when you bend your arms. You can take steps to correct the placement of your arms and strengthen the muscles that act on the wrists to reduce pain.
Significance
When you are in a pushup position, you place extra weight on your hands and wrists. While your knees and ankles are built for holding your weight, your wrists are not as equipped to hold this weight. You experience pain because the wrist can flatten the carpal tunnel nerve, resulting in pain and tingling when you are in pushup position.
Proper Position
If you experience wrist pain when performing a pushup, first evaluate your positioning to ensure you are not placing too much strain on your wrists. Start on your knees with your hands under your shoulders. Extend one leg, then the other, leaving your toes on the ground and your legs hip-width apart. Your body should be straight from head to toes with your pelvis tucked in to avoid placing excess pressure on your back. Because the plank starting position can put more weight on your wrists, you may wish to perform the pushup on your knees to reduce strain. Bend your arms at your elbows to lower your body toward the ground. Push your hands against the ground to straighten your arms and return to your starting position.
Tip
When you experience wrist strain when performing a pushup, try this modification. Place extra focus on your fingers and lift your wrists slightly off the ground --- pretend you have a jellybean underneath the wrist propping it up. Stretch the fingers out, feeling a stretch in your spine. This position should help you to experience less stress on the wrists while still maintaining a pushup position.
Forearm Muscle Strengthening
If you experience wrist pain with pushups, taking steps to strengthen your forearm muscles can help to reduce wrist pain. To get stronger forearm muscles, hold a light- to medium-weight dumbbell --- between 2 and 5 lb. --- in each hand. Extend your arms, then bend at your elbows with your palms facing toward the ceiling and your forearms and upper arms at a 90-degree angle. Curl your wrists in toward your body. Your knuckles should face the ceiling. Lower your wrists to your starting position and repeat the exercise 15 times. Lower the arms and repeat for two additional sets.
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