According to Yale Medicine, if you’ve broken a bone, there’s a one-in-ten chance it was in your wrist.
Patients can accelerate the healing process by making rehab a top priority, especially through specific exercises. If you don’t, it will take far longer for your wrist to heal, which makes daily tasks difficult and participating in sports nearly impossible.
Luckily, there are effective exercises you can do wherever you are. Read on to learn about our favorite wrist fracture exercises that focus on strengthening and improving your range of motion.
What Is a Wrist Fracture?
A wrist fracture is a break in the distal radius bone. Most wrist fractures happen during a fall where we naturally put our wrists out to cushion the impact.
The biggest telltale sign of a wrist fracture is pain when you grip, squeeze, or even move the wrist. You may also notice swelling, bruising, and tenderness to the touch.
Regardless of whether you’re 100% sure, schedule an appointment with your physician. A doctor will diagnose a fractured wrist with a physical examination and X-rays.
Why Wrist Fracture Rehab Is Important
We want our patients to take rehabilitation for injuries seriously, so if you’re unsure of how important they are, you’ve come to the right place. The biggest benefit of wrist fracture exercises is they improve your range of motion, such as up-and-down, side-to-side, and facing your palm-side up.
Patients must also work on post-fracture strength training to relieve discomfort and swelling. Therapy will restore strength in your wrist and reduce stiffness, making it easier to grip.
Wrist exercises may seem ambitious initially, but patients should get into the habit of performing them three to four times a day, with 10 reps for each exercise. It’s natural to feel slight discomfort and you should continue to perform these exercises as it will slowly improve your range of motion and strength.
Our Top Wrist Fracture Exercises
The most effective wrist mobility routines fall into two categories: range of motion and strengthening. Start slowly and remember that you won’t see results straight away. If you’re struggling, schedule an appointment with your physician to discuss your concerns and ensure that you’re ready.
Range of Motion Exercises
Keep these range of motion exercises in your arsenal and repeat them daily. You should notice that they become easier with time. Our top recommendations include the following:
1. Wrist Flexion and Extension
Wrist flexion is when you bend the hand down at the wrist so the palm faces the arm. On the flip side, to do a wrist extension, move the hand backward until the palm faces up. Both are essential for a normal range of motion so patients healing from a wrist fracture should work towards this.
Start with your forearm near the table edge. Make sure your hand and wrist are extended over the edge, keeping your palm down. Slowly bend your wrist upward and close your hand into a fist.
Next, lower your hand and let your fingers relax. Hold onto this position for six seconds. Then, repeat this exercise between eight and 12 times.
2. Hand Flips
While seated, place your forearm and wrist on your thigh, palm down. Practice flipping your hand over so the back of your hand rests on your thigh, palm up. Alternate between the two while checking that your forearm doesn’t lift.
Repeat hand flips 10 times.
3. Wrist Circles
Another exercise that improves the range of motion is wrist circles. Pretend you’re spinning a disc by rotating your wrist clockwise for 10 spins then going counterclockwise for another 10. Keep the movement controlled and if it’s too painful, make smaller circles.
4. Wrist Radial and Ulnar Deviation
You’ve perfected moving your wrist up and down, now it’s time to practice some sideways movement.
Start with your palm facing down. Tilt your wrist toward your thumb as far as you can. If the pain is intense, don’t push it as far. Hold for as long as possible before bringing it back.
Complete this exercise 10 times before rewarding yourself with a wrist stretch. To do this, tilt your wrist towards your little finger as if you’re giving it a high-five. Ease into the stretch and repeat 10 times on each side.
5. Wrist Extensor Stretch
Reap the benefits of this stretch by extending your arm. Keep the affected wrist in front of you while pointing fingers towards the floor. With your good hand, gently bend the affected wrist until you feel a mild stretch in your forearm.
Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and repeat four times. If you can perform this exercise easily, push it further by extending your affected arm and making a fist with your palm facing down. Then, bend your wrist so your fist points towards the floor.
6. Wrist Flexor Stretch
Another exercise that will improve your range of motion is the wrist flexor stretch. Start by extending your arm with the weaker wrist, keeping your palm facing away from your body. Next, bend your wrist back, so your hand faces the ceiling.
With your strong hand, bend the wrist further until you feel a moderate stretch in your forearm. Hold this position for 30 seconds and repeat four times or until it’s uncomfortable.
7. Intrinsic Flexion
Rest the affected wrist on a table with your thumb facing up and your fingers straight. Slowly bend the joints where your fingers meet your hand while keeping everything else straight. Then, straighten your fingers.
Return back to the starting position and repeat this exercise eight to 12 times.
8. MP Extension
To start this exercise, place your strong hand on the table, palm facing up. Put your weaker wrist on top of your good hand and wrap your fingers around the thumb so you make a fist.
Slowly uncurl the fist on your affected wrist, but stop when you reach the top of your fingers. The two joints and your fingers should be bent like a hook. Hold the position for eight seconds.
Return to the starting position, keeping your fingers wrapped around your good thumb. Practice this exercise eight to 12 times.
9. Hand and Finger Pumps
Your wrist exercise routine wouldn’t be complete without hand and finger pumps.
Make a fist and then spread your fingers apart. Bring them back together to return to their original position. Repeat for 10 reps.
Wrist Strengthening Exercises
One of the biggest fracture recovery tips is pairing range of motion exercises with strengthening ones. Both are essential for returning your wrist to full health. Our favorite exercises include:
10. Hulk Squeeze
As you can imagine from the name, the Hulk Squeeze works to improve your grip.
Grab a tennis or stress ball and take all your frustration out on it. Squeeze as hard as you can for five seconds, then release for another five. Repeat the intense squeezes 10 times.
You should feel it in your forearm and you’ll notice with enough time that your wrist will feel stronger.
11. Finger Extension Exercise
Aside from working your entire hand, we want to focus on returning strength to your fingers. This exercise targets the muscles responsible for finger extension.
Wrap a rubber band around your fingers, keeping it below your fingertips. Next, open your hand wide and spread your fingers against the band’s resistance. Complete 10 reps.
12. Wrist Curls
If you’re able to handle the weight, grab a light dumbbell for wrist curls. A water bottle works well too, especially if the dumbbell feels too intense.
Rest your forearm on a table or your thigh and hold the weight with your palm facing up. Bend your wrist upward so the weight is toward your forearm. Pause at the top for however long you can hold, then lower down.
Repeat the wrist curls for 10 reps and when you’re ready, increase the weight.
13. Reverse Wrist Curls
Now it’s time to flip your wrist curls around or at least your palm. Get in the same position, but keep your palm facing down. Bend your wrist downward and then return to the starting position.
You’ll likely feel a burn, and that means it’s working. Repeat for 10 reps and slowly increase the number when possible.
14. Wall Ball Toss
Another great strengthening exercise is the wall ball toss.
Start by facing the wall and get ready to slam dunk. Hold a small ball in your hand, either a tennis or rubber ball, and throw it against the wall using different wrist movements.
Get your creative juices flowing by bouncing the ball, spinning it, and catching it with ease. Experiment with 10 to 15 throws and have fun with it. When you’re ready to level up, upgrade to a smaller or heavier ball and keep practicing.
15. Tendon Gliding Exercises
We have two tendons in each finger so we can bend them. After a wrist fracture, it’s important to re-strengthen the tendons with tendon gliding exercises, especially as it improves overall mobility in our hands.
To perform the first exercise, keep the middle joint in the finger straight, bend, and then straighten the tip joint. You want to repeat this exercise by holding the knuckle straight before bending and straightening while the tip stays straight.
Another useful exercise is called the “Opposition”. Start by propping your elbow on a chair arm or table. Straighten your fingers as far as possible, aiming to get them fully straight. The goal is to touch the base of each finger with your thumb.
If you struggle the first time, keep going back to practice until it’s nearly painless.
16. Push-up Against the Wall
While you’re next to a wall, place your hand on the surface and lower your body against the wall. Repeat for 10 times. If it feels overwhelming at any point, stop and return to it later.
17. Dumbbell Twists
Once you have seen improvement in your wrist, try dumbbell twists that target your forearm and wrist. If you don’t have a dumbbell, grab a hammer instead.
Start by bending your elbow at 90 degrees and rest your arm on the table. Imagine you’re throttling a motorcycle and rotating your forearm to bring the palm up and then down. Practice this exercise for 10 reps in each direction.
Other Ways to Care for a Wrist Fracture
Rehabilitation for your wrist fracture is crucial, but there are other ways you can speed up the healing process.
Generally, wrist fractures heal in between six to 12 weeks. Aside from performing regular wrist exercises, patients must avoid activities that put stress on them, such as lifting heavy objects or playing contact sports that put their wrists at risk.
Managing pain is the key to a speedy recovery, but don’t go overboard with anti-inflammatory drugs. Certain pain medications like Ibuprofen can affect the early phase of fracture healing, so only take what your healthcare professional has recommended.
Another useful tip is to avoid smoking and drinking alcohol because both of these slow down the healing process. Instead, focus on eating a protein-rich diet and loading up on essential vitamins like C, D, and K.
Calcium, magnesium, and zinc are also needed for healthy bone formation so add these to your diet. For instance, add dairy, dark green veggies, and eggs to promote healing.
Patients should also work with a physical therapist and visit their doctor for a follow-up appointment, so the physician can check that their wrist is healing properly.
Try These Wrist Fracture Exercises Today
Now that you have a list of wrist fracture exercises to try, you’ll see a huge improvement in your range of motion and discover that the strength returns to your wrist. Make sure that you’re regularly checking in with your physician and make physical therapy part of your daily routine so that life can return to normal.
At the Hand Surgery Specialists of Texas, our team uses advanced yet the most minimally invasive techniques to diagnose and treat fractured wrists. Our hand specialists and surgeons work from care centers in River Oaks, Webster, Katy/Sugarland, North Housin, or Baytown.
If you’re interested or want to learn more about our services, we’d love to hear from you. Schedule an appointment with one of our physicians to learn more about your options and get the help you deserve.
