Wrists are complicated joints with a huge range of movement, and it's easy to take them for granted. Stretching and strengthening exercises will help relieve any tension and soreness, get mobility back into the joint, and ensure your wrists and forearms are ready for anything. Movement also helps our wrist joints stay supple and mobile for longer.
If your wrists need some attention, try this gentle routine developed by osteopath and yoga teacher Jelena Lieberberg of KickAssYoga.
"We use our hands a lot, so why not show them some love and appreciation?" Lieberberg told me. "It’s essential to honor our bodies so we can move freely as long as possible. Our hands are our connection to the world: through touch, grip or fluid motion we can express ourselves and feel."
Lieberberg's wrist routine is ideal for anyone who works at a computer, and it will be hugely beneficial for people who work with their hands. It's also a great way to get mobility back into your wrists after an injury. The movements are gentle, with no intense stretches held. Instead, you will move fluidly in and out of various hand positions.
"These exercises are great because they strengthen and stretch areas that need to be more resilient and stronger for everyday life or more advanced skills like handstands," says Lieberberg. "People with a tendency towards hyper flexibility benefit more on focusing on strength rather than stretching."
Going by the comments on this video, these exercises are appreciated by a wide range of people, including drummers, massage therapists, dog groomers and osteopaths, as well as people recovering from broken wrists.
How to do KickAssYoga's wrist exercises
"These exercises can be done daily, as a check-in to see how the wrist and forearms feel each day," says Lieberberg. "Practice each for 30-60 seconds." Kneel on a mat and place your hands on the mat in front of you, moving through the five exercises slowly, adjusting the pressure as you go.
"I love these exercises because they are simple, don't require any props and can be done at any age with any background," says Lieberberg. You can adjust the intensity and the number of reps to suit your needs.
Add this to your daily mobility routine or bookmark it for the next time your wrists need some care.
