Instructions for home physical therapy for the wrist involve a variety of exercises that improve your wrist's range of motion and strength. All provide a natural way to improve your wrist functioning while restoring it to prior injury status as closely as possible. Therapy treatments depend upon individual health conditions, so check with your doctor before attempting any of these exercises.
Hand Weight Strengthening Curls
Step 1
Sit in a firm chair and lean your upper body slightly forward. Rest your injured forearm on your thigh with your palm facing up and wrist hanging over your knee.
Step 2
Place a two-pound weight into your hand and grip firmly.
Step 3
Lift the weight slowly by bending only your wrist toward the ceiling and hold this position eight seconds. Slowly return to the original position and relax five seconds.
Step 4
Lower the weight slowly by bending your wrist toward the floor. Hold this position eight seconds. Return to the original position and relax five seconds.
Step 5
Repeat the exercise 10 times.
Resistance Band Workout
Step 1
Sit upright in a firm chair. Lift your injured-side foot and place the center portion of the loop underneath it. Lower your foot to secure the band in place.
Step 2
Grab hold of the band side closest to you with your injured-side hand. Lean your upper body forward and rest your injured wrist on your same-side thigh, palm facing down.
Step 3
Pull on the band gently and slowly while bending only your wrist toward the ceiling. Hold this stretch 10 seconds.
Step 4
Return slowly to the original position and relax 10 seconds.
Step 5
Repeat this exercise 10 times.
Table Stretching
Step 1
Stand up facing a table and gently place both opened hands onto the table, palms firmly against the surface near the edge. Keep your arms directly over your wrists, elbows straight.
Step 2
Lean your upper body forward slowly until you feel a gentle stretch your wrist area. Hold the stretch 15 seconds.
Step 3
Return to the upright position slowly. Relax 10 seconds.
Step 4
Repeat this exercise 10 times.
Assisted Wrist Flexing
Step 1
Extend your injured arm in front of you, fingers pointing toward the floor.
Step 2
Grasp the fingers of your injured hand and gently pull them toward your body. Feel the stretch along your wrist and forearm area. Hold the stretch for 20 seconds.
Step 3
Release the stretch and relax 10 seconds.
Step 4
Repeat this exercise 10 times.
Tips and Warnings
- Instead of using dumbbells for hand weights, alternate your therapy by using everyday household items such as filled cans of soup, water-filled gallon jugs and/or bags of dried beans. Resistance bands provide a portable, light-weight and low-cost method for strengthening and stretching your wrist area during home physical therapy workouts. In order to do the resistance band exercise, form a loop with your resistance band by tying the ends together. In order to safely perform the Table Stretch maneuver, only use a waist-high table that can hold your body weight.
- Perform exercises gently to prevent further injury. Some exercises may do more harm than good, so obtain prior medical clearance.
Things You'll Need
- hand weights
- resistance bands
- table
