Push-Up Wrist Pain: Causes, Solutions, and Prevention

How do you stop your wrists from hurting when doing push-ups?

Wrist pain during push-ups is a common issue often stemming from excessive wrist extension, poor form, or insufficient wrist mobility and strength. Addressing this requires a multi-faceted approach involving immediate form adjustments, the use of assistive tools, and a consistent regimen of strengthening and mobility exercises.

Understanding Wrist Pain in Push-Ups

The human wrist is designed for a balance of mobility and stability, allowing for complex movements. During a standard push-up, the wrists are placed in a position of significant dorsiflexion (extension), often exceeding 90 degrees. This extreme angle can compress the intricate network of carpal bones, ligaments, and tendons, leading to discomfort or pain.

Common causes of wrist pain during push-ups include:

• Excessive Wrist Extension: The primary culprit. When the hand is flat on the floor, the wrist is forced into a highly extended position, placing stress on the joint.
• Lack of Wrist Mobility: Insufficient flexibility in the wrist joint limits its ability to comfortably achieve the required extension, leading to increased strain.
• Weak Forearm Muscles: The muscles of the forearm (flexors and extensors) play a crucial role in stabilizing the wrist. Weakness here can compromise joint integrity under load.
• Improper Hand Placement: Placing hands too far forward or outward can alter the biomechanical leverage, increasing wrist stress.
• Overuse or Rapid Progression: Suddenly increasing push-up volume or intensity without adequate conditioning can strain unprepared wrist tissues.
• Pre-existing Conditions: Conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, or previous wrist injuries can be exacerbated by push-ups.

Immediate Strategies for Pain Relief During Push-Ups

If you're experiencing wrist pain, these adjustments can provide immediate relief and allow you to continue your push-up training safely.

• Adjust Hand Position:
  • Slightly Angle Hands Outward: Instead of pointing fingers straight forward, angle them slightly outward (e.g., 10-20 degrees). This can reduce the degree of wrist extension required.
  • "Spider Fingers" or Knuckle Emphasis: Try to distribute your weight more through the knuckles and the base of your fingers, rather than solely through the heel of your palm. You can even slightly "cup" your hands, engaging your fingertips to provide stability, which subtly reduces the wrist extension angle.
• Utilize Push-Up Handles/Bars: These elevate your hands off the floor, allowing your wrists to remain in a more neutral (straight) position. This significantly reduces the stress on the wrist joint.
• Perform Fist Push-Ups: If you don't have handles, you can perform push-ups on your fists (knuckles down). This also keeps the wrist neutral. Ensure you're on a soft surface to protect your knuckles, or use a yoga mat.
• Elevate Your Upper Body: Performing push-ups with your hands elevated on a bench, chair, or wall reduces the amount of body weight supported by your hands and wrists, lessening the load.
• Regress the Exercise:
  • Knee Push-Ups: Reduce the overall body weight being supported, thereby decreasing stress on the wrists.
  • Forearm Push-Ups/Planks: If wrist pain is severe, switch to exercises that don't load the wrists in extension, such as forearm planks or push-ups performed on your forearms (though this changes the movement pattern).

Long-Term Solutions: Strengthening and Mobility

To truly resolve wrist pain and prevent its recurrence, you must address the underlying issues of wrist mobility and forearm strength.

• Wrist Mobility Exercises: Perform these gently and consistently, ideally daily.
  • Wrist Circles: Gently rotate your wrists in slow, controlled circles in both directions.
  • Wrist Flexion/Extension Stretches: With one arm extended forward, palm down, use your other hand to gently pull your fingers towards your body (wrist flexion stretch). Then, extend your arm palm up, and gently pull your fingers down towards your body (wrist extension stretch). Hold for 15-30 seconds.
  • Prayer Stretch: Place your palms together in front of your chest, elbows out. Slowly lower your hands towards your waist, keeping palms together, until you feel a stretch in your forearms and wrists. Hold for 20-30 seconds.
  • Reverse Prayer Stretch: Similar to the prayer stretch, but with the backs of your hands together, fingers pointing down. Gently raise your elbows while keeping the backs of your hands pressed together.
• Forearm Strengthening Exercises: Building strength in the wrist flexors and extensors provides better joint stability.
  • Wrist Curls: Sit with your forearm resting on your thigh, wrist hanging off the knee, palm up. Hold a light dumbbell and curl your wrist upwards. Slowly lower.
  • Reverse Wrist Curls: Same setup, but with palm down. Curl your wrist upwards.
  • Ulnar and Radial Deviation: With your forearm rested on your thigh, wrist hanging off the knee, hold a light dumbbell with a neutral grip (thumb up). Move the dumbbell side-to-side, allowing your wrist to move through its range of motion.
  • Grip Strength Exercises: Squeezing a tennis ball or using a hand gripper can improve overall hand and forearm strength, contributing to wrist stability.

Proper Push-Up Form Refinement

Beyond wrist-specific adjustments, ensuring overall proper push-up mechanics can alleviate undue stress on the wrists and other joints.

• Full Body Tension: Engage your core, glutes, and quadriceps. Your body should form a straight line from head to heels. A sagging midsection or piked hips can alter weight distribution and stress joints.
• Scapular Stability: Before initiating the push-up, ensure your shoulder blades are protracted (pushed slightly forward) to create a stable base. Avoid letting your shoulder blades "wing out" or excessively retract.
• Elbow Position: Aim for a 45-degree angle between your torso and your elbows at the bottom of the push-up. Flaring elbows out to 90 degrees can put excessive strain on the shoulders and subtly alter wrist mechanics.
• Controlled Movement: Avoid dropping quickly or bouncing out of the bottom position. Controlled eccentric (lowering) and concentric (pushing up) phases ensure muscles are properly engaged and joints are protected.

When to Seek Professional Help

While many cases of wrist pain during push-ups can be resolved with form adjustments and targeted exercises, it's crucial to know when to consult a healthcare professional. Seek medical advice if you experience:

• Persistent Pain: Pain that does not improve with rest or modifications.
• Sharp, Shooting, or Radiating Pain: Especially if it travels up the forearm or into the fingers.
• Numbness or Tingling: This could indicate nerve involvement.
• Swelling, Bruising, or Deformity: Signs of a more serious injury like a sprain or fracture.
• Loss of Range of Motion or Strength: Inability to move your wrist or hand normally.

Conclusion

Wrist pain during push-ups is a common but manageable issue. By understanding the biomechanical stresses involved, implementing immediate form adjustments, and consistently working on wrist mobility and forearm strength, you can significantly reduce discomfort and continue to build upper body strength effectively. Remember to listen to your body, progress gradually, and seek professional guidance if pain persists or worsens.