Week 3: Stretching the Wrists and Forearms
By Trent Brooke, DPT
AZOPT Goodyear Physical Therapist
Type of stretch: Static
A. Wrist Extensor stretch: Extend your elbow in front of you with your palm facing the floor. Using your opposite hand, gently bend your wrist down until you feel a mild/moderate stretch in the forearm. Hold 20-30 seconds, and switch arms. Repeat 2-3 times.
B. Wrist Flexor Stretch: Extend your elbow in front of you with your palm facing the ceiling. Using your opposite hand, gently bend your wrist down until you feel a mild/moderate stretch in the forearm. Hold 20-30 seconds, and switch arms. Repeat 2-3 times.
Why stretch the wrists and forearms?
Stretching the wrists and forearms can improve mobility of the wrist joint and help with injury prevention. These stretches can be particularly beneficial to people that perform a lot of repetitive upper extremity movements for their jobs like typing, filing, and painting. These stretches are also beneficial for people that participate in sports requiring a lot of gripping such as golf and tennis.
