Wrist Exercises
Aim
The exercises on this sheet are designed to try and help improve the range of movement in your wrist by helping to maintain/stretch your joints, muscles and tendons.
General advice
It can be ‘normal’ to feel some aching or discomfort when you first start exercising, but these symptoms should settle quite quickly. If you feel the exercises are causing you intense and lasting pain (eg: for more than 30 minutes), change the exercise by doing it less forcefully or less often and let your therapist know next time.
Instructions
You should work through the exercises in a slow and controlled manner as advised by your therapist. Remember: long slow stretches are more effective than short sharp ones.
Active movement
Make sure you move your wrist to the end of your available range and work slowly.
Complete these exercises 3-4 times a day. Repeat each exercise 10 times.
Passive stretches
Complete these stretches 3-4 times a day or as advised by your therapist.
Perform these stretches with the arm over the edge of a table to ensure proper support to stretch the wrist.
- Push the wrist back and hold the position for 30 seconds.
- Push the wrist forward and hold the position for 30 seconds.
Other ways to stretch the wrist:
Contact numbers
We hope that you have found this information useful. If you have any questions, you can contact the Hand Therapy Department on 01305 255931.
About this leaflet
Author: Felicity Tucker
Written: January 2026
Approved: January 2026
Review date: January 2029
Edition: v1
If you have feedback regarding the accuracy of the information contained in this leaflet, or if you would like a list of references used to develop this leaflet, please email patientinformation.leaflets@dchft.nhs.uk
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